Enhanced tactile acuity through mental states.
Sebastian T Philipp, Tobias Kalisch, Thomas Wachtler, Hubert R Dinse
Scientific Reports August 27, 2015 DOI: 10.1038/srep13549 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Zen meditation exercise |
| Duration | Three-day intervention |
| Key findings | Six hours of mental-sensory focusing on the right index finger during Zen meditation persistently improved tactile spatial discrimination of that finger. |
Abstract
Bodily training typically evokes behavioral and perceptual gains, enforcing neuroplastic processes and affecting neural representations. We investigated the effect on somatosensory perception of a three-day Zen meditation exercise, a purely mental intervention. Tactile spatial discrimination of the right index finger was persistently improved by only 6 hours of mental-sensory focusing on this finger, suggesting that intrinsic brain activity created by mental states can alter perception and behavior similarly to external stimulation.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- The relationship between mindfulness and objective measures of body awareness: A meta-analysis Scientific Reports November 22, 2019
- Decoding Depth of Meditation: Electroencephalography Insights From Expert Vipassana Practitioners Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science October 17, 2024
- Decoding Depth of Meditation: EEG Insights from Expert Vipassana Practitioners January 31, 2024
- The Effect of Yoga Practice on Cervical Tactile Acuity and Body Awareness. Perceptual and Motor Skills October 2023
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