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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 N. 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)

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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.

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

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