EEG Activation During a Mindfulness Session and Its Effects on Memory Encoding
Rubén Pérez-Elvira, Cesar Ledo, Alfonso Salgado Ruíz, María Agudo Juan, Pilar Quiroga Méndez, Andrei Dragomir, Raluca Costea, Bogdan Neamţu
NeuroRegulation June 27, 2024 DOI: 10.15540/nr.11.2.112 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 28 |
| Population | Adults balanced in gender and age |
| Intervention | Mindfulness session |
| Duration | Single session |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Electroencephalography Recall Encoding memory Audiology Phase synchronization Alpha finance Cognitive psychology Developmental psychology Clinical psychology Phase matter Psychometrics |
| Key findings | A single mindfulness session prevented a significant decline in free recall scores compared to controls, suggesting a protective effect on memory. |
Abstract
This paper investigates the potential impact of a single mindfulness session on explicit memory recall, employing quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) to compare a study group to a control group. Phase synchronization in alpha, theta, and gamma frequency bands across various brain regions involved in memory processes was analyzed. Twenty-eight adults, balanced in gender and age, participated in both groups. Memory encoding and retrieval were assessed using word lists presented over four successive sections, with EEG recordings taken before, during, and after mindfulness sessions. Results revealed increased theta and decreased gamma band activation in the right hemisphere during mindfulness, with synchronization between temporal and parietal cortices and frontal cortex during encoding. Higher gamma activation in specific brain regions correlated with better recall. While the study group showed no significant decline in posttest scores compared to controls, suggesting mindfulness may serve as a protective factor in free recall, further research with larger datasets is needed for validation.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |