Loneliness and brain rhythmic activity in resting state: an exploratory report

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies link loneliness to altered brain blood oxygenation.
• The impact of loneliness on neuronal rhythm activity, measured by electroencephalogram (EEG), is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between loneliness and brain rhythm activity using resting-state EEG.
• To investigate alterations in power spectrum density (PSD) and functional connectivity (FC) associated with loneliness.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state EEG data were collected from 139 participants.
• Analysis included PSD and FC in electrode and source spaces.
• Correlations between loneliness scores and EEG measures were examined.

Main Results:

• Significant negative correlations were found between loneliness scores and beta-band power.
• A trend indicated alpha-band functional connectivity was associated with loneliness scores.
• Decreased beta-band power may relate to negative emotion, attention, reward, or sensorimotor processing.

Conclusions:

• Loneliness is associated with specific changes in brain rhythm activity, including reduced beta-band power.
• Findings suggest altered neural processing in individuals experiencing loneliness.
• These insights may inform the development of neurobiologically targeted interventions for loneliness.