The Relation of Alpha Asymmetry to Physical Activity Duration and Intensity

Background/Objectives: Regular physical activity (PA) benefits mood and cognition, yet the neural markers associated with free-living PA remain unclear. Alpha asymmetry (AA), a neural marker of affective and motivational states, may help predict individuals’ preferred activity intensity and duration. To examine the relationship between resting state AA in frontal and parietal regions, positive affect, and accelerometer-derived PA metrics. Methods: Fifty-nine participants (age = 21.8 years) wore wrist accelerometers for 7 days, completed resting-state electroencephalography (EEG; alpha power 8-13 Hz), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). PA metrics included sedentary time (ST), light PA (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), average acceleration (AvAcc), intensity gradient (IG), and the most active X minutes (M2-M120). Multiple regression models tested AA to PA associations while accounting for sex and positive affect. Results: Greater right parietal AA power was associated with PA bouts lasting M60, M30, M15, M10, and M5. For IG, greater AA power was observed in the left parietal region. No significant associations emerged for LPA, MVPA, AvAcc, M120, or M2. Across models, higher positive affect consistently predicted greater PA engagement. Conclusions: Resting parietal AA appears to differentiate individuals’ tendencies toward specific PA intensities and durations, while positive affect broadly supports is associated with overall PA engagement. These findings identify parietal AA as a promising neural correlate for tailoring PA strategies aimed at sustaining active lifestyles.