title: Mindfulness-of-breathing exercise modulates EEG alpha activity during cognitive performance.
abstract: The present study investigated whether engaging in a mindful breathing exercise would affect EEG oscillatory activity associated with self-monitoring processes, based on the notion that mindfulness enhances attentional awareness. Participants were assigned to either an audio exercise in mindful breathing or an audio control condition, and then completed a Stroop task while EEG was recorded. The primary EEG measure of interest was error-related alpha suppression (ERAS), an index of self-monitoring in which alpha power is reduced, suggesting mental engagement, following errors compared to correct responses. Participants in the mindful-breathing condition showed increased alpha power during the listening exercise and enhanced ERAS during the subsequent Stroop task. These results indicate enhanced error-monitoring among those in the mindful-breathing group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Hanaan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bing-Canar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Jacquelyne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pizzuto
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Compton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D001945:Breathing Exercises / Q000379:methods*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000379:methods*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alpha; Attention; EEG; Error-monitoring; Mindfulness; Self-monitoring