Brain activity during meditation in first-time meditators
Maciej Śliwowski, Paulina Jastrzębska, Paweł Holas, J. Żygierewicz, P. Suffczynski
International Journal of Neuroscience March 25, 2021 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2021.1909010 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Healthy subjects with no previous meditation experience |
| Intervention | guided mindfulness meditation session |
| Duration | Single session |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | In meditation-naive participants, a single mindfulness meditation session decreased theta and alpha information flow and alpha power, possibly indicating increased alertness rather than the target meditative state. |
Abstract
Abstract Aim of the study The electrophysiological correlates of meditation states in both short and long-term meditators have been increasingly documented; however, little is known about the brain activity associated with first-time meditation experiences. The goal of this study was to investigate the electrophysiological correlates of a single guided mindfulness meditation session in subjects with no previous meditation experience. Materials and methods We analyzed electroencephalogram (EEG) changes in signal power, hemispheric asymmetry, and information flow between EEG channels, in 16 healthy subjects who were new to meditation practice.
Results: Our results show that information flow decreases in the theta (4–8 Hz) and alpha ranges (8–13 Hz) during mindfulness meditation exercise as compared to control: a passive listening condition. These changes are accompanied by a general trend in the decrease of alpha power over the whole scalp. One possible interpretation of these results is that there is an increased level of alertness/vigilance associated with the meditation task rather than reaching the target state.
Conclusions: Our study expands on the existing body of knowledge concerning neural oscillations during breathing meditation practice by showing that in participants with no previous meditation training, EEG correlates are different from the electrophysiological signatures of mindfulness meditation found in studies of more advanced practitioners.
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 6
- EEG-based investigation of effects of mindfulness meditation training on state and trait by deep learning and traditional machine learning Frontiers in Human Neuroscience August 31, 2023
- Neurophysiological mechanisms of focused attention meditation: A scoping systematic review Imaging Neuroscience 2025
- Electrophysiological correlates of zen meditation: An investigation using in-monastery EEG acquisition Biological Psychology October 1, 2025
- Alpha-Theta Correlations during the Different States of the Brain for a Designed Cognitive Task International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Research June 30, 2023
- Time-to-onset and temporal dynamics of EEG during breath-watching meditation bioRxiv Preprint Server February 11, 2025
and 1 more in the library
Cites 13
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 8, 2004
- Review of the Neural Oscillations Underlying Meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience March 26, 2018
- Increased Gamma Brainwave Amplitude Compared to Control in Three Different Meditation Traditions. PLoS One 2017
and 8 more in the library