Contingent negative variation and P3 modulations following mindful movement training

EEG-based investigation of effects of mindfulness meditation training on state and trait by deep learning and traditional machine learning

Introduction

This study examines the state and trait effects of short-term mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training using convolutional neural networks (CNN) based deep learning methods and traditional machine learning methods, including shallow and deep ConvNets as well as support vector machine (SVM) with features extracted from common spatial pattern (CSP) and filter bank CSP (FBCSP).

Methods

We investigated the electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements of 11 novice MBSR practitioners (6 males, 5 females; mean age 35.7 years; 7 Asians and 4 Caucasians) during resting and meditation at early and late training stages. The classifiers are trained and evaluated using inter-subject, mix-subject, intra-subject, and subject-transfer classification strategies, each according to a specific application scenario.

Results

For MBSR state effect recognition, trait effect recognition using meditation EEG, and trait effect recognition using resting EEG, from shallow ConvNet classifier we get mix-subject/intra-subject classification accuracies superior to related previous studies for both novice and expert meditators with a variety of meditation types including yoga, Tibetan, and mindfulness, whereas from FBSCP + SVM classifier we get inter-subject classification accuracies of 68.50, 85.00, and 78.96%, respectively.

Conclusion

Deep learning is superior for state effect recognition of novice meditators and slightly inferior but still comparable for both state and trait effects recognition of expert meditators when compared to the literatures. This study supports previous findings that short-term meditation training has EEG-recognizable state and trait effects.

A Three-Fold Integrated Perspective on Healthy Development: An Opinion Paper

Mental health and wellbeing are increasingly threatened in the current post-pandemic times, with stress, especially in students, reaching preoccupying levels. In addition, while many educational programs are unidimensional (i.e., lacking integration between physical, emotional and cognitive elements), there are ways to promote physical, social and mental health in children and adolescents. In this opinion paper, we will discuss the importance of an integrative approach for health development and examine relevant factors, such as awareness and emotional intelligence. We will highlight evidence ranging from behavioral to electrophysiological, structural and molecular, and report several recent studies supporting the effectiveness of a holistic approach in supporting wellbeing and creativity in children and adults, and detailing a specific paradigm named the Quadrato Motor Training (QMT). QMT is a specifically structured movement meditation, involving cognitive, motor and affective components. Finally, we will support a holistic view on education, integrating motion, emotion and cognition to develop a person-centered, or in this case student-centered, approach to wellbeing and health.

Mindfulness Training Improves Attention: Evidence from Behavioral and Event-related Potential Analyses

Mindfulness meditation helps to improve attentional capacity. However, the neural correlates that indicate the mechanism through which mindfulness improves attention are unclear. To address this gap, we aimed to assess the effects of mindfulness training on sustained attentional capacity. Event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with the modified sustained attention response task (mSART) were used in this study. A total of 45 college students were randomly assigned to either the mindfulness group (n = 21) or the control group (n = 24). Participants in the mindfulness group received a three-week mindfulness training. The self-report results showed that the mindfulness group reported higher mindfulness scores (observing and non-judgment of inner experiences) after the training. The mindfulness group also scored lower on the state anxiety than the control group. Behavioral results also showed that self-caught mind wandering in the mindfulness group significantly decreased after the training, and the mindfulness group showed a faster response after the training. The ERP results showed that N2 amplitudes in the post-test were significantly greater than those in the pre-test in the mindfulness group. We did not find any interactions between group and time for P3. The findings suggest that mindfulness training can effectively improve sustained attentional capacity, as indicated by reduced mind wandering and increased N2 responses.

The effect of exergaming on cognition and brain activity in older adults: A motor- related cortical potential study

Exergames have positive effects on various cognitive domains. However, to the best of our knowledge, not only have few studies investigated the exergame-induced brain changes, but also in most of them, preparatory brain activity has not been considered. Preparatory brain activity is a particularly relevant aspect for investigating the interaction between cognitive and sensorimotor functions in the brain. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an exergame protocol versus traditional motor-cognitive dual-task training on the cognition and proactive components of movement-related cortical potential. A total of 52 older adults were randomly assigned to the intervention (exergame training) and the control group (motor-cognitive dual-task training). The outcome measurements were neurophysiological data (i.e., the amplitude of the late contingent negative variation [CNV], and alpha/beta event-related desynchronization [ERD]), and neuropsychological data (rate-correct score [RCS] in go/no go task and trail-making test [TMT]). The results revealed that both groups had a decreased late CNV, and alpha/ beta ERD in post-training compared to pre-training in Cz and C3 channels. Moreover, both groups had an increased RCS and a decreased TMT-A in post-training compared to pre-training. However, for TMT-B, the results indicated a significant interaction in favor of the exergame group. These findings indicate that in older adults, both interventions may result in increasing inhibitory control, information processing speed, and preparatory brain activity. However, for cognitive flexibility, exergame has an additional effect relative to the control group.

The relationship between spatiotemporal gait parameters and cognitive function in healthy adults: protocol for a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Motor dysfunctions, such as slower walking speed, precede the occurrence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment, suggesting that walking parameters are effective biomarkers for detecting early sub-clinical cognitive risk. It is often also concurrent with self-complained cognitive dysfunction, called motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome. Our preliminary study found several walking parameters, obtained by a three-dimensional motion capture system, to be correlated with computer-based assessments of various cognitive function modalities, although the sample size was small. The Cognitive-Gait (CoGait) Database Project, described in the current protocol, aims to establish a database of multi-dimensional walking and cognitive performance data, collected from a large sample of healthy participants, crucial for detecting early sub-clinical cognitive risk.

METHODS

We will recruit healthy volunteers, 20 years or older, without any neurological musculoskeletal or psychiatric disorders. The estimated sample size is 450 participants, including a 10% attrition rate. Using computer-based cognitive assessments, participants will perform six tasks: (i) the simple reaction time task, (ii) Go/No-Go task, (iii) Stroop Color-Word Test, (iv) N-back test, (v) Trail Making Test, and (vi) digit span test. We will also conduct paper-based cognitive assessments such as the Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and the Geriatric Depression Scale-15 for assessing MCR. Gait will be measured through joint kinematics and global positioning in participants' lower legs while walking at a comfortable and faster pace, using pants with an inertial measurement unit-based three-dimensional motion capture system. Finally, we will establish a prediction model for various cognitive performance modalities based on walking performance.

DISCUSSION

This will be the first study to reveal the relationship between walking and cognitive performance using multi-dimensional data collected from a large sample of healthy adults, from the general population. Despite certain methodological limitations such as the accuracy of measurements, the CoGait database is expected to be the standard value for both walking and cognitive functions, supporting the evaluation of psychomotor function in early sub-clinical cognitive risk identification, including motoric-cognitive risk syndrome.

A Neural Marker of Speech Intention: Evidence From Contingent Negative Variation

Purpose This study investigated whether changes in brain activity preceding spoken words can be used as a neural marker of speech intention. Specifically, changes in the contingent negative variation (CNV) were examined prior to speech production in three different study designs to determine a method that maximizes signal detection in a speaking task. Method Electroencephalography data were collected in three different protocols to elicit the CNV in a spoken word task that varied the timing and type of linguistic information. The first protocol provided participants with the word to be spoken before the instruction of whether or not to speak, the second provided both the word and the instruction to speak, and the third provided the instruction to speak before the word. Participants (N = 18) were split into three groups (one for each protocol) and were instructed to either speak (Go) or refrain from speaking (NoGo) each word according to task instructions. The CNV was measured by analyzing the difference in slope between Go and NoGo trials. Results Statistically significant effects of hemispheric laterality on the CNV slope confirm the third protocol where the participants know they will speak in advance of the word, as the paradigm that reliably elicits a CNV response related to speech intention. Conclusions The maximal CNV response when the instruction is known before the word indicates the neural processing measured in this protocol may reflect a generalized speech intention process in which the speech-language systems become prepared to speak and then execute production once the word information is provided. Further analysis of the optimal protocol identified in this study requires additional experimental investigation to confirm its role in eliciting an objective marker of speech intention. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.14111468.

A Critical Analysis on Characterizing the Meditation Experience Through the Electroencephalogram

Meditation practices, originated from ancient traditions, have increasingly received attention due to their potential benefits to mental and physical health. The scientific community invests efforts into scrutinizing and quantifying the effects of these practices, especially on the brain. There are methodological challenges in describing the neural correlates of the subjective experience of meditation. We noticed, however, that technical considerations on signal processing also don't follow standardized approaches, which may hinder generalizations. Therefore, in this article, we discuss the usage of the electroencephalogram (EEG) as a tool to study meditation experiences in healthy individuals. We describe the main EEG signal processing techniques and how they have been translated to the meditation field until April 2020. Moreover, we examine in detail the limitations/assumptions of these techniques and highlight some good practices, further discussing how technical specifications may impact the interpretation of the outcomes. By shedding light on technical features, this article contributes to more rigorous approaches to evaluate the construct of meditation.

The Implications of Motor and Cognitive Inhibition for Hot and Cool Executive Functions: The Case of Quadrato Motor Training

Enabling the ceasing of ongoing or prepotent responses and the controlling of interference, motor inhibition facilitates the development of executive functions (EFs) such as thought before action, decision-making, self-regulation of affect, motivation, and arousal. In the current paper, a characterization is offered of the relationship between motor inhibition and the executive functioning system, in the context of a proposed division into predominantly affective (hot) and cognitive (cool) components corresponding to neural trajectories originating in the prefrontal cortex. This division is central to understanding the effects of a specifically-structured sensorimotor movement training practice, known as Quadrato Motor Training (QMT), on hot and cool EFs. QMT's effects on crucial mechanisms of integrating different EF components are discussed.

Creating an Internal Environment of Cognitive and Psycho-Emotional Well-Being through an External Movement-Based Environment: An Overview of Quadrato Motor Training

In this overview, we discuss the internal and external environmental factors associated with cognitive and psycho-emotional well-being in the context of physical activity and Mindful Movement. Our key argument is that improved cognitive and emotional functions associated with mental well-being can be achieved by an external, Mindful Movement-based environment training called Quadrato Motor Training (QMT). QMT is a structured sensorimotor training program aimed at improving coordination, attention, and emotional well-being through behavioral, electrophysiological, neuroanatomical, and molecular changes. In accordance with this argument, we first describe the general neurobiological mechanisms underpinning emotional states and emotion regulation. Next, we review the relationships between QMT, positive emotional state, and increased emotion regulation, and discuss the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these relationships. We consider the relationships between motion, emotion, and cognition, and highlight the need for integrated training paradigms involving these three trajectories. Such training paradigms provide cognitively engaging exercises to improve emotion regulation, which in turn affects adaptive behaviors. Finally, we address the broader implications of improving cognitive and emotional functioning through Mindful Movement training for environmental research and public health.