Low levels of mindfulness in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit.
Sreya Rahman, Kush Maheshwari, Ana Rivera, Victoria N. Chang, Mirza Usman Baig, Bruno Moscoso, Ana Chavez, Erik D Anderson, Atul Maheshwari
Epilepsy & Behavior May 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2026.110956 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 71 |
| Population | Patients admitted to an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, including patients with epilepsy and patients with functional seizures |
| Intervention | Mindfulness task |
| Duration | 10-minute mindfulness task |
| Measures | Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, EEG relative alpha power (8-9 Hz) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | ADHD Alpha power Attention Epilepsy monitoring unit Pnes Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures |
| Key findings | Epilepsy Monitoring Unit patients showed lower overall mindfulness than historical healthy controls, with both epilepsy and functional seizure patients scoring lower on the "Acting with Awareness" and "Describing" facets. Within the cohort, the two patient groups did not differ significantly in mindfulness scores. Higher mindfulness was associated with greater relative alpha power (8-9 Hz) in the right frontocentral region (F4) during a mindfulness task. |
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that mindfulness therapy and attention tasks may benefit patients with seizure disorders. However, there is limited research on levels of mindfulness and electroencephalogram (EEG) power during a mindfulness task in these patients. This study evaluated levels of mindfulness in patients admitted to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) and its relationship with EEG power during a mindfulness task. 71 Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) patients completed a validated mindfulness questionnaire (the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire) and consented to participate in a standard 10-minute mindfulness task while scalp EEG was being recorded. Participants were then asked 6 questions about their experience with mindfulness and any prior or current diagnoses of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Mindfulness scores were analyzed based on EMU diagnosis and also compared to historical healthy controls. Overall mindfulness scores of EMU patients were lower than those reported in historical healthy control samples. Patients with epilepsy and patients with functional seizures both exhibited lower scores in the "Acting with Awareness" and "Describing" facets of mindfulness relative to these controls. Within the EMU cohort, no significant differences were found in the total and sub-domain mindfulness scores between patients with epilepsy and patients with functional seizures. Relative alpha power (8-9 Hz) was significantly greater in the right frontocentral region (F4) in the high-mindfulness group compared with the low-mindfulness group. Overall mindfulness levels of EMU patients were lower than described in historical healthy controls, and higher mindfulness levels were associated with greater alpha power within the frontoparietal attention network during a mindfulness task.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- EEG dynamics of experienced Zen meditation practitioners probed by complexity index and spectral measure Journal of Medical Engineering & Technology 2009
- The effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for major depressive disorder: evidence from routine outcome monitoring data BJPsych Open March 9, 2023
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression Psychiatric Clinics of North America September 18, 2017
- Mindfulness-based therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy: An assessor-blinded randomized trial. Neurology September 29, 2015
and 1 more in the library