Eeg Responses to Photic Stimulation in Persons Experienced at Meditation
Paul G. Williams
July 12, 2017 DOI: 10.4324/9780203785843-53 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study |
|---|---|
| Population | Subjects experienced in Transcendental Meditation, compared with a control group |
| Intervention | Transcendental meditation |
| Measures | electroencephalogram (EEG) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Alpha induction during intermittent photic stimulation occurred more frequently in experienced Transcendental Meditation practitioners than in controls, which the authors say supports Fenwick's findings. The authors propose that meditation may be an attentional process, but suggest the difference could also reflect the meditators' attitude, since they knew they were being tested and may have remained more attentive and less drowsy. |
Abstract
Transcendental meditation is a form of mantra meditation which is simple to learn and requires no adherence to any special philosophy. The electroencephalogram (EEG) responses to intermittent photic stimulation were examined in a group of subjects experienced in meditation, and compared with those of a control group. Photic stimulation was then delivered aperiodically around a mean inter-stimulus interval of 10 sec; stimulation was delivered without reference to the EEG pattern. Meditation itself may be an attentional process, but this may also be explained in terms of the attitude of the subjects. The more frequent occurrence of alpha induction in the meditation group also supports the findings of Fenwick. Induction is a phenomenon of lowered arousal, but disappears as the progression towards sleep takes place. The meditators, however, knew that both meditation and they themselves were under test, and consequently would be more likely to maintain attention and be less likely to become drowsy.
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 |