Intermediate effects of mindfulness practice on the brain activity of college students: An EEG study
Hiep Do, Huy Hoang, Nguyen Trung Nghia, Anh An, Huy Chau, Quang Khuu, Luan Tran, Thao Le, Anh Phuc Hoang Le, Kien Nguyen, Vo van Toi, Huong Ha
IBRO Neuroscience Reports March 7, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.03.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 22 |
| Population | University students enrolled in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) meditation |
| Duration | 6 weeks, with EEG recordings at week 4 and week 6 |
| Measures | EEG alpha power spectral density (PSD), Fractal Dimension (FD), coherence |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key findings | During meditation compared with podcast listening, alpha power increased in all brain areas and frontal and temporal interhemispheric coherence increased significantly in both weeks. Fractal dimension increased significantly during meditation at week six and from week four to week six. The authors suggest this greater brain complexity reflects enhanced cognitive function and strengthened frontal connections. |
Abstract
Mindfulness is an intervention that was used in many psychiatry treatments. In this study, the subject experienced two different states: (1) attention (i.e., listening to a podcast) and (2) mindfulness (i.e., meditation). Twenty-two students were included in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course with EEG recording sessions on week four and week six. Brain dynamics were investigated to elucidate the complexity and connectivity of the brain. The alpha PSD increased in all brain areas during mindfulness in both weeks. For complexity, Fractal Dimension (FD) increased significantly during meditation in the week six recording. When comparing the FD in the mindfulness state of week four and week six, we also witnessed a significant increase in the following week. The coherence of the interhemispheric frontal and temporal regions increased significantly in both weeks. In conclusion, the subject successfully transferred from attention to mindfulness, demonstrated by the alpha changes when going from podcast to meditating. An enhancement in brain complexity was found, suggesting an augmentation in cognitive function. Finally, the coherence exhibits strengthened connections in the frontal area.