Electroencephalography when meditation advances: a case-based time-series analysis.
Jui-Feng Tsai, Shaw-Hwa Jou, WenChun Cho, Chieh-Min Lin
Cognitive processing November 1, 2013 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-013-0563-3 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDuring breath meditation, theta brainwave activity increased significantly compared to rest, but alpha activity did not. When the meditator reached an advanced meditative stage, both alpha and theta activity increased significantly compared to breath meditation alone. Compared to rest, the advanced stage showed significantly higher alpha and theta activity. The findings suggest that internalized attention, reflected by theta activity, strengthens progressively through meditation phases, while relaxation, reflected by alpha activity, becomes significant only after reaching an advanced stage.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Single-subject repeated-measures design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Single meditator |
| Interventions | Breath meditation advanced meditation |
| Duration | 10 sessions of meditation |
| Key finding | Advanced meditation significantly increased both alpha and theta EEG activity compared to breath meditation and baseline, while breath meditation alone increased only theta activity relative to baseline. |
Abstract
Increased alpha and theta activities in electroencephalography (EEG) have been found during various forms of meditation. However, advanced stage of meditation drew less attention to date. We aimed at exploring EEG characteristics during advanced meditation. Bilateral absolute alpha and theta EEG powers were recorded when a single meditator at rest, exercising breath meditation, and reaching the advanced meditative stage in 10 sessions of meditation. Averaged time-series data were analyzed using simulation modeling analysis to compare the powers during different meditative phases. During breath meditation, significantly higher activities compared with baseline were found only in bilateral theta (P = 0.0406, 0.0158 for left and right sides, respectively), but not in alpha (P = 0.1412, 0.0978 for left and right sides, respectively) bands. When meditation advanced, significantly increased activities were found both in bilateral alpha (P = 0.0218, 0.0258 for left and right sides, respectively) and theta (P = 0.0308, 0.0260 for left and right sides, respectively) bands compared against breath meditation. When advanced meditation compared against baseline, bilateral alpha (P = 0.0001, 0.0001 for left and right sides, respectively) and theta (P = 0.0001, 0.0001 for left and right sides, respectively) bands revealed significantly increased activities. Our findings support that internalized attention manifested as theta activity continuingly enhances significantly in sequential phases of meditation, while relaxation manifested as alpha activity is significant only after the advanced meditative phase is reached.