Effectiveness of meditation in the management of epilepsy: An updated mini systematic review of recent findings.
Moirangthem Joychand Singh, Sunil Singh Yadav, Sangeeth Somanadhapai, Massimiliano Buoli
Complementary Therapies in Medicine June 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2026.103351 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Open-label Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 5 |
| Population | People with epilepsy |
| Intervention | meditation-based interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Epilepsy Neurophysiology Quality of life Seizures |
| Key findings | Meditation-based interventions improve psychological well-being and modulate neurophysiological markers of cortical excitability in people with epilepsy, but evidence for seizure frequency reduction is inconsistent and not statistically significant. |
Abstract
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by altered cortical excitability. The disorder is often associated with psychological distress and reduced quality of life. The purpose of the present review is to critically summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of meditation-based interventions for people with epilepsy. A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles published in English between January 2020 and May 2025. Five studies met the inclusion criteria (two randomized controlled trials, two open-label studies and one case report). Most studies reported significant improvements in depression, anxiety, concentration and quality of life following meditation interventions. Neurophysiological investigations demonstrated modulation of gamma power, beta burst duration, and interictal epileptiform discharges, suggesting a potential stabilizing effect on neural networks. However, evidence regarding seizure frequency reduction was inconsistent and generally not statistically significant. Meditation appears to be a promising adjunctive therapy for improving psychological well-being and potentially modulating cortical excitability in epilepsy. Future well-powered randomized controlled trials with standardized protocols and longer follow-up are warranted to confirm these findings and explore effects on seizure control.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 12
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Stress Management Intervention for Healthy Individuals Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine July 22, 2014
- Large effects of brief meditation intervention on EEG spectra in meditation novices IBRO Reports October 27, 2020
- Lessons for the Health-care Practitioner from Buddhism. Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism 2018
- EEG changes induced by meditative practices: State and trait effects in healthy subjects and in patients with epilepsy. Revue Neurologique April 1, 2024
and 7 more in the library