Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science
January 1, 2017
Pei-Chen Lo, Tian Wu, Fang-Ling Liu
4 citations
During Zen meditation, the brain's frontal midline regions show more stable and stronger neural interconnectivity compared to normal resting states. Using 30-channel EEG recordings, the study analyzed nonlinear interdependence between brain regions by reconstructing phase trajectories and computing similarity-index matrices every 5 milliseconds. These microstate matrices were classified into macrostates via K-means clustering. Zen-meditation EEG exhibited stationary and robust coupling among frontal midline neural oscillators, while resting EEG showed connectivity that drifted more frequently from the midline and extended to inferior brain regions.
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science
January 1, 2023
Melissa C. Selinger, David M. Compton, Hamilton Morris et al.
3 citations
Managing patients with both chronic pain and major depressive disorder is challenging, and many do not benefit adequately from standard medications. A retrospective review of cases explored patient satisfaction and tolerability of a novel virtual reality protocol used alongside intravenous ketamine infusions. Pain scores on a visual analogue scale were significantly lower on the third treatment day than on the first. Depression ratings also improved after infusions and across sessions. Two-thirds of patients preferred having virtual reality with their ketamine infusion. The findings suggest potential for combination therapy, but prospective studies are needed to confirm any synergistic benefit.
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science
January 1, 2017
David M. Compton, Kerri L. Dietrich, Peniel Esquivel et al.
2 citations
Repeated exposure to MDMA or the drug Foxy during mid-adolescence in rats led to lasting cognitive impairments that persisted into adulthood, even though no changes in serotonin or dopamine levels were detected in the brain. MDMA-treated rats showed the most significant deficits, particularly in adapting to changing task demands on water maze tests, while a step-down passive avoidance task also revealed impairments. These findings indicate that adolescent use of these drugs can cause long-term neurocognitive problems that continue long after drug exposure ends, without measurable alterations in key neurotransmitter systems. The study highlights the need for further research into the physiological and neurochemical mechanisms behind these persistent effects.
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science
January 1, 2025
Shenhan Qiu
1 citation
Consumer-grade EEG recordings can distinguish meditation, alert rest, and drowsy rest using machine learning, but the choice of model materially shapes conclusions. Non-linear models (Random Forests and Support Vector Machines) achieve higher predictive performance than Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). However, LDA provides transparent, physiologically interpretable weightings linking increased alpha/theta power and reduced beta activity to meditative engagement. Prior context—such as recent sleep, baseline arousal, and mindfulness exposure—can inflate apparent neural markers if not controlled. A two-tiered workflow is recommended: non-linear screening for sensitivity, then linear confirmatory modeling for interpretability with explicit contextual covariates.
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science
January 1, 2021
Pei-Chen Lo, Nasir Hussain
1 citation
During Zen meditation, practitioners focus on three brain regions simultaneously, producing widespread high-frequency brainwave activity above 16 Hz, in contrast to resting EEG which is dominated by lower frequencies around 14.4 Hz. Using an unsupervised machine learning technique called self-organizing maps on EEG data from 30 participants, the study found that Zen meditation EEG shows globally high-frequency oscillations throughout the recording. The authors note that while beta waves are typically associated with active concentration, they are also induced by benzodiazepine medications for anxiety and insomnia. They hypothesize that Zen practitioners achieve a unique state of mindful concentration combined with optimal body-mind relaxation.
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science
January 1, 2021
Shannon O’brien, David M. Compton, Julianna M. Davis et al.
Ketamine, traditionally used as a dissociative anesthetic and more recently studied as a fast-acting antidepressant and non-opiate pain treatment, is also used recreationally by adolescents. Using a rodent model, researchers exposed rats to ketamine or saline from early to mid-adolescence (postnatal days 22–40) and then, after a 50-day drug-free period, tested them in adulthood (starting at 90 days old) for general activity, spatial navigation, and nonspatial response learning. Contrary to predictions, the ketamine-exposed rats showed no spatial or nonspatial learning impairments compared to saline controls, though differences in general activity levels were observed. The findings suggest that the effects of adolescent ketamine exposure may depend on the specific developmental stage.