Neurohemodynamic correlates of ′OM′ chanting: A pilot functional magnetic resonance imaging study
International Journal of Yoga April 29, 2011 Bangalore G Kalyani, Ganesan Venkatasubramanian, Rashmi Arasappa et al.
Audible 'OM' chanting produces a sensation of vibration that may stimulate the vagus nerve through its auricular branches. Using fMRI in 12 healthy volunteers, the neurohemodynamic correlates of 'OM' chanting were compared with pronouncing 'ssss' and with a resting state. 'OM' chanting caused significant deactivation bilaterally in the orbitofrontal, anterior cingulate, parahippocampal gyri, thalami, hippocampi, and right amygdala, with no significant activation. The 'ssss' condition showed no such changes. These limbic deactivations resemble those seen with vagus nerve stimulation used in depression and epilepsy, suggesting a potential clinical role for 'OM' chanting.