A mechanism-driven real-time respiratory modulation framework for rapid affective regulation via prefrontal EEG...

Respiratory modulation has emerged as a measurable psychomotor phenotype and a promising non-invasive approach for the regulation of affective disturbances. In this study, a mechanismdriven real-time respiratory modulation framework is proposed to investigate its rapid effects on affective states and underlying neurophysiological dynamics in the context of computational psychiatry. A total of 26 breathwork-naive participants were recruited, of whom 24 were retained for final analysis after two EEG datasets with excessive noise were excluded; all participants completed a 40-minute intermittent real-time respiratory modulation protocol comprising two 20-minute sessions under controlled laboratory conditions. Multimodal assessments, including electroencephalography (EEG) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS), were employed to quantify computational phenotypes associated with changes in affective states before and after the intervention. EEG signals were analyzed with a focus on prefrontal oscillatory activity, examining band-specific power variations associated with affective processing. Behavioral results indicated significant improvements in affective states, characterized by reduced negative psychological symptoms (e.g., tension and fatigue) and enhanced positive mood (p < 0.05). EEG analysis revealed decreased FZ beta-band power and reduced FZ/FCZ beta-band Midline Differential Index (p < 0.05), while theta-band changes were non-significant, indicating rapid cortical EEG phenotypes of affective regulation. The findings suggest that short-duration controlled respiration may induce measurable and rapid modulation of both subjective states and neural computational phenotypes of emotion. This study provides preliminary evidence for a mechanism-driven link between psychomotor respiratory patterns and prefrontal EEG oscillations, and supports the development of real-time biofeedback systems and respiration-based interventions for psychiatric evaluation and adaptive affective regulation.