Frontal Alpha Asymmetry in Addiction Recovery: Differential Patterns with Control Groups
Disciplines
Cognition and Perception | Psychology | Substance Abuse and Addiction
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Differences in brain dynamics between people with and without substance use disorders may provide insight into the etiology of addiction, but such differences are not fully known or understood. Cognitive-emotional processes are associated with neuronal oscillations in frequency bands like Alpha, Beta, and Theta. Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA), the difference between left and right frontal lobe alpha values, is related to approach and inhibition-relate motivation. FAA has been associated with mood disorders but might also distinguish those with and without substance use disorders. This study investigated the discrepancies between college students in addiction recovery and a control group using electroencephalography (EEG). EEG was measured before and after a cognitive task, and FAA was calculated. Using SPSS and Excel, a mixed ANOVA was used to examine potential interactions between participant groups, time-point (pre vs. post), and eye status. The results revealed a significant interaction between eye status and group. Prior to the task, controls had a negative FAA (indicating higher alpha on the left and a higher avoidance motivation), while those in recovery had a positive FAA. After the task, alpha shifted leftward for those in recovery and rightward for those in the control group, indicating that engaging in a cognitive task shifted FAA in opposite directions for these two groups.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Tim Martin
Frontal Alpha Asymmetry in Addiction Recovery: Differential Patterns with Control Groups
Differences in brain dynamics between people with and without substance use disorders may provide insight into the etiology of addiction, but such differences are not fully known or understood. Cognitive-emotional processes are associated with neuronal oscillations in frequency bands like Alpha, Beta, and Theta. Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA), the difference between left and right frontal lobe alpha values, is related to approach and inhibition-relate motivation. FAA has been associated with mood disorders but might also distinguish those with and without substance use disorders. This study investigated the discrepancies between college students in addiction recovery and a control group using electroencephalography (EEG). EEG was measured before and after a cognitive task, and FAA was calculated. Using SPSS and Excel, a mixed ANOVA was used to examine potential interactions between participant groups, time-point (pre vs. post), and eye status. The results revealed a significant interaction between eye status and group. Prior to the task, controls had a negative FAA (indicating higher alpha on the left and a higher avoidance motivation), while those in recovery had a positive FAA. After the task, alpha shifted leftward for those in recovery and rightward for those in the control group, indicating that engaging in a cognitive task shifted FAA in opposite directions for these two groups.