Depressive symptoms and baseline prefrontal EEG alpha activity: A study utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessment
Abstract
Prefrontal cortex (PFC) electroencephalography (EEG) alpha asymmetry has been found in individuals with major depression. However, EEG activity has never been examined in regard to specific depressive symptoms. We examine the relationship between resting baseline PFC alpha activity and both rumination and self-esteem in a depressed outpatient group (N=6) and a healthy control group (N=7) using high-density EEG sampling and multiple longitudinal self report measures, i.e. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). Symptom measures were collected five times daily for 7 days, i.e. 35 assessments. Using a mixed-level analysis, significant Group x Hemisphere interactions for PFC sites and both rumination and self-esteem were found. Within the depressed group, lower bilateral PFC activity predicted higher levels of rumination, and lower right PFC activity predicted higher levels of self-esteem. There were no significant effects for the control group. Results indicate that specific symptoms of depression are uniquely associated with patterns of PFC EEG alpha activity.
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A few selected EMA studies did not report compliance information.
“A few studies did not report this information [35,40,41,42,51,57,60].”
From Current state and future directions of technology-based ecological momentary assessment and intervention for major depressive disorder: a systematic review (2019) · cites this paper as [51]
In clinically depressed individuals, rumination was associated with increased alpha signal in the bilateral prefrontal cortex, indicating decreased neural activation.
“Rumination was found to be associated with an increased alpha signal in the bilateral prefrontal cortex (i.e., decreased neural activation)”
From Current state and future directions of technology-based ecological momentary assessment and intervention for major depressive disorder: a systematic review (2019) · cites this paper as [51]
In clinically depressed individuals, increased alpha signal in the right prefrontal cortex was positively correlated with higher self-esteem ratings.
“an increased alpha signal in the right prefrontal cortex was positively correlated with higher self-esteem ratings”
From Current state and future directions of technology-based ecological momentary assessment and intervention for major depressive disorder: a systematic review (2019) · cites this paper as [51]
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- Authors
- Putnam, K. M., & McSweeney, L. B.
- Affiliations
- Boston University (US)
- VA Boston Healthcare System (US)
- Corresponding author
- Putnam, Katherine M.
- ORCID
- McSweeney, Lauren B.
- Venue
- Biological Psychology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2008-02
- Volume
- 77
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 237-240
- ISSN
- 0301-0511 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1992358909
- Cited by
- 74
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 2.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Biological Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (T32MH18931, P50-MH 52354, R37-MH-43454, P50MH052354, P50MH069315, R37MH043454, T32MH018931)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- depressive symptoms, prefrontal cortex, EEG alpha asymmetry, rumination, self-esteem, major depressive disorder, hemispheric lateralization, ecological momentary assessment, high-density EEG
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alpha Rhythm, Depressive Disorder, Electroencephalography, Electrooculography, Female, Humans, Functional Laterality, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Monitoring, Physiologic, Predictive Value of Tests, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Self Concept, Prefrontal Cortex, Computers, Handheld
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