Influence of mindfulness meditation on intracranial EEG parameters in epileptic and non-epileptic brain areas.
Daniel D Cummins, Zac Schulman, Christina Maher, Lea Tortolero, Adam Saad, Lizabeth Nunez Martinez, Richard J. Davidson, Lara Marcuse, Ignacio Saez, Fedor Panov
Epilepsy & Behavior December 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110150 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 8 |
| Population | Patients undergoing stereo electroencephalography (sEEG) for seizure localization within the mesial temporal lobe |
| Interventions | Mindfulness meditation Open mind-wandering |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Amygdala Electrophysiology Epilepsy Hippocampus Mind-wandering |
| Key findings | Gamma power (30-55 Hz) in the mesial temporal lobe was significantly reduced during mindfulness meditation compared with mind-wandering in non-epileptic tissue, but not in epileptic tissue. |
Abstract
Mind-wandering is a pervasive human brain state and, when in excess, may promote negative affect and neuropsychiatric conditions. Mindfulness meditation may promote alternate brain states, improving affect and reducing stress. An understanding of the neural basis between these brain states could thus advance treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions, including those associated with epilepsy. To explore the neural basis of mindfulness meditation versus mind-wandering, we enrolled eight patients in a trial of structured mindfulness meditation and open mind-wandering who underwent stereo electroencephalography (sEEG) within the mesial temporal lobe for seizure localization. Electrophysiology was compared between mind-wandering and mindfulness separately for epileptic and non-epileptic MTL. Using fitting-one-over-f modeling, periodic components of electrophysiology were compared in canonical frequency bands of theta (4-8 Hz), alpha (8-13 Hz), beta (13-30 Hz), and gamma (30-55 Hz). Aperiodic components of the power spectra were assessed by the model offset, knee, and exponent. We found a significant reduction in gamma power (30-55 Hz) within the mesial temporal lobe (MTL) during mindfulness meditation compared with mind-wandering in non-epileptic (p = 1.20E-4) but not in epileptic MTL (p = 0.352).There was also a significant difference between epileptic versus non-epileptic MTL in gamma power between conditions (p = 0.011). There were no significant changes in power across any frequency band within epileptic mesial temporal MTL between brain states. Conversely, there were significant differences between mind-wandering and mindfulness within epileptic MTL in aperiodic components (offset, knee, and exponent, all p < 0.05), while no differences in aperiodic components were seen in non-epileptic MTL (all p > 0.70). Intracranial electrophysiologic modulations between brain state (mind-wandering versus mindfulness) may differ between epileptic and non-epileptic MTL. Modulations in gamma activity in non-epileptic MTL may represent functional changes in brain state, while aperiodic changes in epileptic MTL may modulate propensity for seizures.
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
Cited by 3
- Time-to-onset and temporal dynamics of EEG during breath-watching meditation bioRxiv Preprint Server February 11, 2025
- Effectiveness of meditation in the management of epilepsy: An updated mini systematic review of recent findings. Complementary Therapies in Medicine June 1, 2026
- Mindfulness meditation increases interictal epileptiform discharges in meditation-naïve surgical epilepsy patients. Epilepsia June 16, 2026
Cites 17
- Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 8, 2004
- Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. Emotion February 6, 2012
- Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Review of the Neural Oscillations Underlying Meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience March 26, 2018
- Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience June 5, 2015
and 12 more in the library