EEG dynamics during prolonged Samatha meditation: A case study across levels of meditation expertise
Yuta Naito, Tomohisa Asai, Aya Katayama, Mina Wakabayashi, Hiroshi Imamizu, Kenryo Minowa
PsyArXiv June 29, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/xahqf_v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4 |
| Population | Two meditation novices and two expert meditators |
| Intervention | Samatha meditation |
| Duration | Three days |
| Measures | Alpha-band power, beta-band power, peak alpha frequency |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Beta-band power and peak alpha frequency showed significant expertise-by-time interactions during prolonged Samatha meditation: beta power decreased over time in novices, whereas beta power and peak alpha frequency increased over time in experts. The authors suggest EEG dynamics during meditation differ by expertise and should be analyzed as a temporally unfolding process; a supplementary external dataset showed differing patterns, which they attribute to variation in meditation style, practice duration, participant characteristics, and measurement context. |
Abstract
This case study examined differences in the temporal dynamics of EEG indices as a function of meditation expertise using a quantitative analytic framework. EEG was recorded and analyzed across multiple sessions over three days during prolonged Samatha meditation in two meditation novices and two expert meditators. Alpha-band power, beta-band power, and peak alpha frequency were extracted in 1-min bins and analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. These models revealed significant expertise × time interactions for beta-band power and peak alpha frequency. Within-group analyses showed that beta-band power decreased over time in the novice group, whereas beta-band power and peak alpha frequency increased over time in the expert group. These findings suggest that EEG indices during prolonged Samatha meditation may exhibit temporal dynamics that differ according to meditation expertise. The results also highlight the utility of analyzing EEG during meditation as a temporally unfolding process rather than only as session-level averages. In addition, a supplementary analysis using an external dataset was conducted to compare the present findings and to examine the applicability of the analytic approach. The supplementary analysis revealed patterns that differed from those observed in the primary dataset. This discrepancy underscores the need to consider factors such as meditation style, practice duration, participant characteristics, and measurement context when interpreting inconsistent findings in meditation EEG research.
Comparable studies
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| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain sources of EEG gamma frequency during volitionally meditation-induced, altered states of consciousness, and experience of the self Advanced meditator | 2001 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Mindfulness Meditation for Alcohol Relapse Prevention: A Feasibility Pilot Study Adult alcohol-dependent graduates of an intensive outpatient program | 2008 | Prospective case series | n = 19 |
| How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. A single long-term mindfulness practitioner (S) with 40 years of practice in... | 2015 | Qualitative case study | n = 1 |
| Loving‐kindness meditation to enhance recovery from negative symptoms of schizophrenia Individuals suffering from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders with persistent negative... | 2009 | Case study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Problem Gambling A female problem gambler | 2011 | Case study | n = 1 |