No relationship between frontal alpha asymmetry and depressive disorders in a multiverse analysis of five studies

For decades, the frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) - a disproportion in EEG alpha oscillations power between right and left frontal channels - has been one of the most popular measures of depressive disorders (DD) in electrophysiology studies. Patients with DD often manifest a left-sided FAA: relatively higher alpha power in the left versus right frontal lobe. Recently, however, multiple studies failed to confirm this effect, questioning its reproducibility. Our purpose is to thoroughly test the validity of FAA in depression by conducting a multiverse analysis - running many related analyses and testing the sensitivity of the effect to changes in the analytical approach - on data from five independent studies. Only 13 of the 270 analyses revealed significant results. We conclude the paper by discussing theoretical assumptions underlying the FAA and suggest a list of guidelines for improving and expanding the EEG data analysis in future FAA studies.

Automated summary

For decades, frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) has been a popular measure of depressive disorders in electrophysiology studies, but recent research questions its reproducibility. A multiverse analysis on data from five independent studies showed only 13 out of 270 analyses with significant results. The paper concludes by discussing theoretical assumptions underlying FAA and suggesting guidelines for improving and expanding EEG data analysis in future studies.