Correlation of physical activity with positive and negative affect and frontal lateralization in college students with depressive symptoms

This research aims to investigate the interplay between physical activity, emotional well-being, including both positive and negative affect, and frontal brain activity patterns in college students who exhibit depressive symptoms. Furthermore, among college students who exhibit indications of depressive symptoms, this research seeks to determine the possible connections and pathways between physical activity and frontal lateralization in both positive and negative affect. A total of 240 college students (151 females, 89 males), aged between 17 and 25 years, participated in the study. They were asked to complete measures of depressive symptoms, physical activity, and positive and negative affect and underwent 5 minute EEG recordings. A significant positive correlation was observed between physical activity and positive affect (r = 0.283, P < 0.05), and a notable negative association was detected with negative affect (r = −0.214, P < 0.05). Prefrontal alpha1 and alpha2 wave frontal lateralization was negatively related to negative affect (P < 0.05) and positively related to both physical activity level and positive affect (P < 0.05). Furthermore, physical activity had a substantial direct influence on the scores of both positive and negative affect, accounting for 62.67% of the variance (B = 0.084, 95% CI 0.002 ~ 0.177). Frontal lateralization of prefrontal alpha1 and alpha2 waves was determined to mediate 36.57% of this influence (B = −0.049, 95% CI 0.012 ~ 0.124). Among college students with depressive symptoms, higher levels of physical activity tend to occur alongside increased positive affect and reduced negative affect. Studies indicate that this observed association may coincide with alterations in alpha1-wave and alpha2-wave activity within the frontal areas of the brain, frontal alpha lateralization serves as a crucial mediating factor between physical activity and affect.