Changed pattern of regional glucose metabolism during yoga meditative relaxation.
H Herzog, V R Lele, T Kuwert, K J Langen, E Rota Kops, L E Feinendegen
Neuropsychobiology DOI: 10.1159/000119450 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 8 |
| Population | Members of a Yoga meditation group |
| Intervention | Yoga meditation |
| Key findings | During Yoga meditative relaxation, the ratio of frontal to occipital regional cerebral glucose metabolism was significantly elevated compared with the control state, caused by a slight increase in frontal metabolism and a more pronounced reduction in primary and secondary visual centers. Total cerebral metabolic rate changes and focal or interhemispheric differences were not significant. The authors suggest this reflects a holistic behavior of brain metabolism during the altered state of consciousness. |
Abstract
Using positron emission tomography (PET), measurements of the regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRGlc) are able to delineate cerebral metabolic responses to external or mental stimulation. In order to examine possible changes of brain metabolism due to Yoga meditation PET scans were performed in 8 members of a Yoga meditation group during the normal control state (C) and Yoga meditative relaxation (YMR). Whereas there were intraindividual changes of the total CMRGlc, the alterations were not significant for intergroup comparison; specific focal changes or changes in the interhemispheric differences in metabolism were also not seen; however the ratios of frontal vs. occipital rCMRGlc were significantly elevated (p less than 0.05) during YMR. These altered ratios were caused by a slight increase of frontal rCMRGlc and a more pronounced reduction in primary and secondary visual centers. These data indicate a holistic behavior of the brain metabolism during the time of altered state of consciousness during YMR.
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- Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis Consciousness and Cognition May 19, 2003
- Neural correlates of a mystical experience in Carmelite nuns Neuroscience Letters July 27, 2006
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