Contrasting Electroencephalography-Derived Entropy and Neural Oscillations With Highly Skilled Meditators.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience January 1, 2021 Jacob Young, Martha E Arterberry, Joshua P Martin
Meditation encompasses various mental training practices that improve attention and emotion regulation. The electrical brain activity of highly skilled meditators engaging in one of six meditation styles (shamatha, vipassana, zazen, dzogchen, tonglen, and visualization) was recorded, with a mind-wandering task as a control. Lempel-Ziv complexity revealed differences in nonlinear brain dynamics (entropy) during meditation compared to mind wandering, suggesting that meditation, regardless of practice, affects neural complexity. However, no differences were found in power spectra across six frequency bands, likely because participants engaged in different practices. Exploratory analyses indicated neurological differences among meditation practices.