Assessment of changes in late positive potential during emotion regulation: Evidence from a three-level meta-analysis

A growing body of research has employed event-related potential (ERP) techniques to investigate emotion regulation. However, studies utilizing consistent indicators have yielded divergent and at times contradictory findings. The primary objectives of this study are to systematically evaluate whether significant changes occur in the amplitude of the late positive potential (LPP), a key ERP component, during emotion regulation, and to further assess the temporal dynamics of LPP modulation across different processing stages.

A total of three databases-PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO-were searched for electroencephalography studies related to emotion regulation published between the year 2000 and March 1, 2025, resulting in the inclusion of 48 studies with 150 effect sizes. This meta-analysis utilized CMA3.0 and R4.5 software. When a study reported multiple effect sizes, a three-level meta-analysis was conducted, and publication bias was assessed using funnel plots, the Egger test at the two- and three-levels.

The results indicated significant total effect sizes in the central-parietal region across the full, early, and late time windows, while total effect sizes in other brain regions and time windows did not reach statistical significance.

The LPP in the central parietal serves as a reliable electrophysiological indicator of emotion regulation (especially cognitive reappraisal), and differences induced by this emotion regulation are more pronounced in early and late time windows.