Krigolson, O. E. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2026

Multimodal Evidence for the Effectiveness of a Digital Behaviour Change Platform: Behavioural, Biomarker, and EEG Outcomes in University Students

Digital behaviour change interventions have emerged as a promising approach for improving health, well-being, and performance, yet relatively few studies have evaluated their effects using objective biological and neurophysiological measures. The present study examined the effectiveness of Autonomic, a neuroscience-informed digital coaching platform designed to improve student well-being through personalized behavioural interventions targeting sleep, stress, mood, energy, and focus. Thirty university students engaged with the platform for ten weeks and completed behavioural assessments, biomarker collection, and electroencephalographic (EEG) testing at baseline, five weeks, and ten weeks. Behavioural outcomes included self-reported ratings of focus, energy, sleep, mood, and stress. Biological measures included salivary cortisol and tear fluid dopamine concentrations. EEG assessments included resting-state recordings, frontal theta activity during a working memory task, and N200/P300 event-related potentials during a visual oddball task. Significant improvements were observed in self-reported focus, energy, and sleep quality across the intervention. Electrophysiological measures demonstrated reduced frontal theta power during working memory and shorter P300 latencies during attentional processing, consistent with more efficient cognitive processing following the intervention. Although cortisol, dopamine, and resting-state EEG measures did not reach statistical significance, all exhibited changes in the predicted direction. Collectively, these findings provide converging behavioural, biological, and neurophysiological evidence supporting the effectiveness of Autonomic. More broadly, the study demonstrates the value of combining objective biomarkers and EEG with traditional behavioural assessments when evaluating digital behaviour change interventions and highlights the potential of neuroscience-informed coaching platforms to improve health, well-being, and cognitive functioning in university students.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

The Effects of Multi-Colour Light Filtering Glasses on Human Brain Wave Activity

The prevalence of electronic screens in modern society has significantly increased our exposure to high-energy blue and violet light wavelengths. Accumulating evidence links this exposure to adverse visual and cognitive effects and sleep disturbances. To mitigate these effects, the optical industry has introduced a variety of filtering glasses. However, the scientific validation of these glasses has often been based on subjective reports and a narrow range of objective measures, casting doubt on their true efficacy. In this study, we used electroencephalography (EEG) to record brain wave activity to evaluate the effects of glasses that filter multiple wavelengths (blue, violet, indigo, and green) on human brain function. Our results demonstrate that wearing these multi-colour light filtering glasses significantly reduces beta wave power (13-30 Hz) compared to control or no glasses. Prior research has associated a reduction in beta power with the calming of heightened mental states, such as anxiety. As such, our results suggest that wearing glasses such as the ones used in this study may also positively change mental states, for instance, by promoting relaxation. This investigation is innovative in applying neuroimaging techniques to confirm that light-filtering glasses can induce measurable changes in brain activity.

neuroscience↗