# Electroencephalographic biomarkers of response to vibroacoustically-augmented breath-focused mindfulness

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $285,018

## Abstract

Dissociation is a transdiagnostic, and disabling phenomenon that involves detachment
from the self or surroundings. It occurs in the context of many trauma and stress-related
disorders, and is a barrier to recovery in first-line treatments. Dissociation is characterized by
disruptions in attention and interoception, and has been frequently observed in Black
communities as a response to racial stressors. Mindfulness meditation, including breath-focused
mindfulness meditation (BFM), is designed to enhance interoceptive awareness to physiological
signals (breath), but is often a difficult task for dissociative people, who experience disruptions
in attention and interoception. Exteroceptive feedback enhances interoceptive awareness and
attention in experimental studies and may similarly facilitate changes in brain oscillatory
patterns, including alpha and theta power measured via electroencephalography (EEG) which
correspond with attention and interoceptive awareness. EEG studies have largely excluded
Black populations due to data quality challenges related to use with Black hair; however, there
are strategies to address these issues. As such, the goal of this project is to 1) use EEG in a
sample of trauma-exposed dissociative Black individuals to examine potential changes in alpha
and theta power during BFM augmented with exteroceptive feedback. This is delivered by a
unique device that vibrates in concert with respiration, which may enhance body agency and
efficiently engage attention and interoception networks; 2) provide didactic and experiential
training on the use of EEG in clinical neuroscience research for a diverse group of trainees at
different stages of professional development. We will recruit 36 trauma-exposed Black
individuals with clinically significant dissociation, divided in 4 equal groups to yield a 2x2 (BFM
or non-judgmental awareness x with or without vibroacoustic stimulation) design. All participants
attend 8 sessions of their assigned intervention. We will use EEG to examine potential change
in alpha and theta power with changes in attention and interoception from pre- and post-
intervention. We will examine, in Aim 1, whether changes in alpha and theta power correspond
with change in attention, interoception and clinical changes, and whether BFM with vibration
feedback significantly moderates these changes. For Aim 2, we will provide hands-on training
on the use of EEG in clinical neuroscience research settings, with a particular focus on
optimizing EEG data collection and quality control with Black populations. Our ultimate goal is to
create a sustainable program of psychiatric EEG research at Emory University School of
Medicine that is optimized for use with Black participants

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11039507
- **Project number:** 3R01AT011267-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** NEGAR FANI
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $285,018
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-02-01 → 2026-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11039507

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11039507, Electroencephalographic biomarkers of response to vibroacoustically-augmented breath-focused mindfulness (3R01AT011267-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11039507. Licensed CC0.

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