Effects of Long-Term Meditation Practices on Sensorimotor Rhythm Based BCI Learning
Xiyuan Jiang, Emily Lopez, James Stieger, Carol M. Greco, Bin He
bioRxiv Preprint Server September 9, 2020 preprint DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.09.290080 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort |
|---|---|
| Population | Experienced meditators and meditation naïve subjects |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Meditators outperformed control subjects in both 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional cursor control tasks, and fewer meditators were BCI insufficient. |
Abstract
Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide an alternative pathway for users to perform motor control using motor imagery (MI). Despite the non-invasiveness, ease of use and low cost, this kind of BCI has limitation due to long training times and BCI inefficiency— where a subpopulation cannot generate decodable EEG signals to perform the control task. Meditation is a mental training method to improve mindfulness and awareness, and is reported to have a positive effect on one’s mental state. Here we investigate the behavioral and electrophysiological differences between experienced meditators and meditation naïve subjects in 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional cursor control tasks. We found that within subjects who have room for improvement, meditators outperformed control subjects in both tasks, and there were fewer BCI insufficient subjects in the meditator group. Finally, we also explored the neurophysiological difference between the two groups, and showed that meditators had higher SMR predictor and were better able to generate decodable EEG signals to achieve SMR BCI control.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Intensive meditation training improves perceptual discrimination and sustained attention. Psychological Science June 1, 2010
- Mindfulness starts with the body: somatosensory attention and top-down modulation of cortical alpha rhythms in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
- Ability to Gain Control Over One’s Own Brain Activity and its Relation to Spiritual Practice: A Multimodal Imaging Study Frontiers in Human Neuroscience May 24, 2017
and 3 more in the library