Assessing the effects of an 8-week mindfulness training program on neural oscillations and self-reports during meditation practice
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) February 13, 2024 Julio Rodriguez-Larios, Kian Foong Wong, Julian Lim 2 citations preprint
Mindfulness training did not reduce lapses of attention or their associated theta brain oscillations during meditation, but it did slow alpha oscillations in frontal electrodes, a pattern previously seen in highly experienced meditators and thought to reflect decreased arousal. The study recorded EEG from 41 participants before and after 8 weeks of mindfulness training or a waitlist, interrupting them during meditation to report focus and drowsiness. Self-reported lapses of attention were linked to increased theta oscillations that were slower and more widespread than those during focused states. These findings clarify the neural correlates of mindfulness meditation and may inform neuromodulation protocols.