There are some limitations in generalizing our results. One limitation that must be considered is that the sample we used is small, and this is especially relevant concerning mediation analysis. Our sample also included mostly female participants. Although conclusive EEG data on DMN gender differences are not yet available, previous studies suggested that women may show different EEG RS brain activity66. Therefore, we cannot exclude that women with alexithymia, compared to men with alexithymia, may be characterized by different EEG power and connectivity patterns during RS. Furthermore, we used scalp EEG recordings, which have an intrinsic limit in space resolution. It should be also noted that, although the SCL-90-R is considered a good tool to assess general psychopathology, it does not exclude the presence of a psychiatric disorder. Finally, we have investigated the DMN in a non-clinical sample of alexithymic subjects. Therefore, it is possible that psychiatric patients with alexithymia have different EEG patterns. Although these ideas are purely hypothetical, they might be useful in guiding future research.
