Controlling the Temporal Structure of Brain Oscillations by Focused Attention Meditation
Human Brain Mapping January 13, 2018 M. Irrmischer, Simon J. Houtman, H. Mansvelder et al.
During focused attention meditation, experienced practitioners suppress long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) of neuronal oscillations relative to eyes-closed rest, with remarkable consistency across frequency bands and scalp locations. This suppression is absent in meditation-naïve controls. The ability to reduce LRTC during meditation increased after one year of additional training and was associated with the subjective experience of absorption—fully engaging one's attentional resources. Sustained practice also affected normal waking brain dynamics, as reflected in increased LRTC during an eyes-closed rest state, indicating that brain dynamics are altered beyond the meditative state. The framework of critical brain dynamics appears promising for understanding neuronal mechanisms of meditative states.