Massage and music therapies attenuate frontal EEG asymmetry in depressed adolescents

EEG asymmetry, specifically greater relative right frontal activation, is a ssociated with negative affect. Depressed adults show stable patterns of th is asymmetry. The present study assessed the effects of massage therapy and music therapy on frontal EEG asymmetry in depressed adolescents. Thirty ad olescents with greater relative right frontal EEG activation and symptoms o f depression were given either massage therapy(n = 14) or music therapy(n = 16). EEG was recorded for three-minute periods before, during, and after t herapy. Frontal EEG asymmetry was significantly attenuated during and after the massage and music sessions.