EEG alpha production in alpha conditioning and meditation
Julia Ann Warrington
cIRcle (University of British Columbia) 2011 DOI: 10.14288/1.0302450 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Five alpha-conditioned subjects, five naive meditators, and five resting controls |
| Duration | Five sessions |
| Measures | adjective checklist, questionnaire |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | No significant differences in percent alpha or alpha length were found between groups, though the interaction effect approached significance. Meditators produced the greatest alpha on the first session and then decreased, while also experiencing more negative feelings over sessions. |
Abstract
Following training to discriminate their own alpha and non-alpha production, five subjects were tested over five sessions to determine whether EEG alpha autocontrol by this method was similar to that produced in initial meditation practice sessions by five naive meditators. Both groups were compared with a control "resting" group of five subjects. Besides alpha data, an adjective checklist and questionnaire were scored. No significant differences on percent alpha or alpha length were found between groups. However, the interaction effect approached significance. Meditators produced the greatest amount of alpha on the first session only and subsequently decreased alpha production. They also experienced more negative feelings over the sessions. Alpha conditioned subjects increased alpha production slightly as did the controls who produced somewhat less alpha than the former group. Relevance of the results to previous studies was discussed. Suggestions for further controls and methodological improvements were proposed.
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 |