Electrocortical activity and related phenomena associated with meditation practice: a literature review.
M M Delmonte
International Journal of Neuroscience November 1984 DOI: 10.3109/00207458409089810 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The reviewed evidence does not support the notion of unique state effects associated with meditation practice. Meditators appear to show greater alpha and theta activity than nonmeditators even when not meditating, but it remains unclear whether this reflects a pre-existing trait or a generalizing state effect. Certain individuals, such as the psychologically healthy and those capable of relaxed absorbed attention, appear more favourably disposed to meditation. |
Abstract
The state effects of meditation appear to include decreased electrocortical arousal. There is also evidence that meditators more readily demonstrate alpha and theta activity than nonmeditators, even when not meditating. It is not clear whether prospective meditators as a group already possessed this characteristic, or whether the state effects of meditation practice eventually generalize to become traits. However, certain individuals, namely the psychologically "healthy" and those with a capacity for relaxed absorbed attention, appear to be more favourably disposed to meditation. Meditators appear to show both stronger orienting and recovery responses to stressors while meditating than controls. Meditation practice may begin with left hemisphere type activity, which gives way to functioning more characteristic of the right hemisphere. However, it appears that during advanced meditation ("no thought") both left and right hemisphere activity are largely inhibited or suspended. Depending on the individual, inexperienced meditators may report sleep, hypnogogic reverie, trance or abreaction during practice. The evidence to date does not support the notion of unique state effects associated with the practice of meditation.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 21
- Individual Trait Anxiety Levels Characterizing the Properties of Zen Meditation Neuropsychobiology 2004
- Combining Behavior and EEG to Study the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Episodic Memory Journal of Visualized Experiments May 11, 2020
- Classification of Electroencephalographic Changes in Meditation and Rest: using Correlation Dimension and Wavelet Coefficients International Journal of Information Technology and Computer Science March 27, 2012
- The Relevance of Meditation to Clinical Practice: An Overview Applied Psychology July 1, 1990
- Impacts of Mindfulness Meditation on Episodic Memory: A Review of Recent Studies Mindfulness December 28, 2025
and 16 more in the library
Cites 13
- Physiological Effects of Transcendental Meditation Science March 27, 1970
- AN ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC STUDY ON THE ZEN MEDITATION (ZAZEN) Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences December 1, 1966
- The Physiology of Meditation and Mystical States of Consciousness Perspectives in biology and medicine March 1, 1976
- Sleep During Transcendental Meditation Science January 23, 1976
- Physiological Responses to Clicks during Zen, Yoga, and TM Meditation Psychophysiology November 1, 1981
and 8 more in the library