Neural correlates of non-judgmental perception induced through meditation
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational EEG study comparing long-term meditators with age-matched meditation-naïve controls |
|---|---|
| Population | Long-term meditators and age-matched meditation-naïve control participants |
| Intervention | Concentrative meditation |
| Measures | EEG phase-synchronization (parieto-occipital gamma-band, 30–50 Hz), binocular rivalry alternations |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Long-term meditators showed significantly longer mixed perceptual states during binocular rivalry after concentrative meditation than controls, and this increase was strongly correlated with reduced parieto-occipital gamma-band (30–50 Hz) phase-synchrony. The authors propose that concentrative meditation enables a non-evaluative perceptual stance supported by reduced communication between hierarchical visual brain regions. |
Abstract
Ambiguous sensory stimuli provide insight into the dynamics of the human mind. When viewing substantially different images in the two eyes (i.e., binocular rivalry), perception spontaneously fluctuates between the two images along with patch-like mixtures of the two, with limited ability to control such fluctuations. Previous studies have shown that long-term meditation training can enable a more stable perception by reducing such fluctuations. Using EEG, we investigated the neural bases of perceptual stabilization in long-term meditators and age-matched meditation-naïve control participants. We measured binocular rivalry alternations before and after participants practiced meditation. We expected that perceptual stabilization through meditation could occur via one of two neurocognitive mechanisms, 1) a more engaged/effortful attention reflected by increased long-range phase-synchronization between early visual sensory and higher-level brain regions or, 2) a disengaged/non-evaluative form of attention reflected by decreased phase-synchronization. We found that compared to control participants, long-term meditators, were in a significantly longer mixed perceptual state following concentrative meditation practice. The increase in mixed percepts across individuals was strongly correlated with reduced parieto-occipital gamma-band (30–50 Hz) phase-synchrony. These findings suggest that concentrative meditation enables a non-evaluative perceptual stance supported by reduced communication between hierarchical visual brain regions.
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 |