Effects of an Online Mind-Body Training Program on the Default Mode Network: An EEG Functional Connectivity Study.


Author: Lee D1, Kang DH1,2,3, Ha NH4, Oh CY4, Lee U4, Kang SW5,6

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

<sup>2</sup>Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

<sup>3</sup>Emotional Information andCommunication Technology Industrial Association, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

<sup>4</sup>Department of Brain-based Emotion Coaching, Global Cyber University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

<sup>5</sup>Data Center for Korean EEG, College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. drdemian@snu.ac.kr.

<sup>6</sup>iMediSync Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea. drdemian@snu.ac.kr.
Conference/Journal: Sci Rep.
Date published: 2018 Nov 16
Other:
 Volume ID: 8   ,  Issue ID: 1   ,  Pages: 16935   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-34947-x.   ,  Word Count: 199  
    Online mind-body training (MBT) programs can improve the psychological capabilities of practitioners. Although there has been a lot of effort to understand the neural mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of meditation, little is known about changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) functional connectivity that accompany mind-body training. The present study aimed to investigate how an online MBT program alters EEG functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN). We assessed a group of healthcare providers, including 14 females who participated in the 4-week MBT program and 15 females who underwent a 4-week of waiting period. EEG data and information about psychological states were obtained at baseline and 4 weeks. The result was that the intervention group showed significant reductions in anxiety and trait anger that were accompanied by increased global DMN network strengths in the theta and alpha (but not beta and delta) frequency bands; these changes were not observed in the control group. Other variables including state anger, positive and negative affect, and self-esteem have not been changed over time in both groups. These findings suggest that practicing the mind-body training could have a relevance to the functional differences in network related to stress and anxiety reaction.



PMID: 30446714  DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34947-x