Does meditation lead to a stable mind? Synchronous stability and time-varying graphs in meditators
Thaise G. L. de O. Toutain, Abrahão Fontes Baptista, Hilton Ferreira Japyassú, Raphael Silva Do Rosário, Joel Augusto Moura Porto, Fernanda Queirós Campbell, José Garcia Vivas Miranda
Journal of Complex Networks December 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1093/comnet/cnaa049 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 17 |
| Population | Experienced meditators |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | Time connectivity and topological stability of EEG synchronization networks were higher during meditation than relaxation in experienced meditators, suggesting greater brain stability in the meditative state. |
Abstract
Abstract The dynamical approach represents a new branch in the understanding of functional brain networks. Using simple indices to represent time connectivity and topological stability, we evaluated the hypothesis of increased brain stability during the meditative state in comparison to the relaxation state. We used a new way to consider the time evolution of synchronization patterns in electroencephalography (EEG) data. The time-varying graph approach and the motif synchronization method were combined to build a set of graphs representing time evolution for the synchronization of 29 EEG electrodes. We analysed these graphs during meditation and relaxation states in 17 experienced meditators. As result, we found significant increasing of time connectivity (t(15) $= -2.50$, p $= 0.023$) and topological stability (t(15) $= 1.23$, p $= 0.020$) in the meditation state when compared to the relaxation state. These findings suggest that dynamical properties of the synchronization network may revel aspects of brain activity in altered states of consciousness not possible to measure using a static approach. We concluded that the topological patterns evolution in the functional networks of experienced meditators are more stable in the meditative state than in the relaxation state.
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
Cited by 3
- Meditation-induced effects on whole-brain structural and effective connectivity Brain Structure and Function May 6, 2022
- Uncovering a stability signature of brain dynamics associated with meditation experience using massive time-series feature extraction. Neural Networks March 1, 2024
- Effect of Heartfulness Meditation Among Long-Term, Short-Term and Non-meditators on Prefrontal Cortex Activity of Brain Using Machine Learning Classification: A Cross-Sectional Study Cureus February 14, 2023
Cites 15
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Effects of Meditation Experience on Functional Connectivity of Distributed Brain Networks Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 10 more in the library