EEG Traced Microstates Detection during Meditation- A State of Consciousness
International Conference on Industrial and Information Systems November 26, 2020 DOI: 10.1109/iciis51140.2020.9342712 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 23 |
| Population | Long-term Kriya Yoga practitioners |
| Measures | Global Field Potential (GFP), electroencephalography (EEG) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The authors report that a microstate in the 150-220 ms period was associated with a higher label of consciousness in long-term Kriya Yoga meditators, and that this functional interpretation of brain dynamics was verified in all 23 subjects. They suggest the brain remains active without explicit input or output, with EEG topographical patterns fixed in a particular global functional state at precise microsecond moments. |
Abstract
This paper presents a case study to detect the state of consciousness in meditation research. Specifically in this study, 23 long-term Kriya Yoga (KY) practitioners have participated. The microstate is one of the ways to detect Spatiotemporal activity of brain dynamics in specific cognitive traits using Global Field Potential (GFP). This investigation shows the recognition of short periods during which the electroencephalograph (EEG) scalp topography stays quasi stable, recognized as ‘microstates’.Considering the hypothesis that the human brain is active even when there is no explicit input or output stimulus. Surprisingly, EEG topographical patterns remain fixed in one particular global functional state at a precise moment in microseconds. Our findings indicated that the microstate in the episodic period of 150-220ms was associated with the higher label of consciousness in the meditator group. The present study has provided a functional interpretation of brain dynamics in the meditator group which has been verified in all subjects.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain sources of EEG gamma frequency during volitionally meditation-induced, altered states of consciousness, and experience of the self Advanced meditator | 2001 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Mindfulness Meditation for Alcohol Relapse Prevention: A Feasibility Pilot Study Adult alcohol-dependent graduates of an intensive outpatient program | 2008 | Prospective case series | n = 19 |
| How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. A single long-term mindfulness practitioner (S) with 40 years of practice in... | 2015 | Qualitative case study | n = 1 |
| Loving‐kindness meditation to enhance recovery from negative symptoms of schizophrenia Individuals suffering from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders with persistent negative... | 2009 | Case study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Problem Gambling A female problem gambler | 2011 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- EEG microstates as a tool for studying the temporal dynamics of whole-brain neuronal networks: A review. Neuroimage October 15, 2018
- EEG microstates during different phases of Transcendental Meditation practice. Cognitive Processing August 1, 2017
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: An Intervention to Enhance the Effectiveness of Nurses' Coping With Work-Related Stress International Journal of Nursing Knowledge June 1, 2014
- Attentional processes and meditation. Consciousness and Cognition April 28, 2010