Analogic Meditation in the Context of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Psychoneurosomatic Rationale, Preliminary Evidence, and Proposal for a Research Program
Alessandro Mahony
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) September 26, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22979571 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Longitudinal |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Analogic Meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that Analogic Meditation has a plausible rationale as a psychophysiological support intervention and potential adjunct to brain-computer interfaces in ALS, based on evidence from hypnosis, motor imagery, and brain plasticity. Proposes hypothetical mechanisms involving the HPA axis, neuroinflammatory modulation, and cortical plasticity, and outlines experimental protocols, while cautioning that no AM studies exist and all clinical or biological claims remain hypothetical. |
Abstract
Analogic Meditation (AM) is a structured meditative practice that integrates symbolic visualization,ideoplastic suggestion, and body-mind work, developed by Alessandro Mahony withinan integrated psychoneurosomatic approach. To date, AM has not been the subject of clinicalstudies in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). However, based on current neurobiologicalknowledge on meditation, hypnosis, motor imagery, and brain plasticity, AM presents a plausiblerationale as a psychophysiological support intervention and as a potential adjunct for assistivetechnologies such as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs).This article synthesizes the existing evidence relevant to AM in ALS, elucidates the hypotheticalbiological mechanisms—with particular attention to the HPA axis, neuroinflammatory modulation,and cortical plasticity—discusses limitations and risks, and proposes experimental protocolsto evaluate its psychological and neurophysiological benefits and, if present, effects on clinicalprogression. The synergy between hypnosis and motor imagery, documented in rehabilitationand chronic pain settings, constitutes the main scientific foundation to justify controlled pilotstudies on AM in ALS. Particular emphasis is placed on the potential improvement of motorimagery vividness and, consequently, on the performance of motor imagery-based BCIs. Theneed for ethical communication that clarifies the experimental and non-curative nature of theintervention is emphasized. The currently available literature on related interventions presentssignificant methodological limitations (small samples, heterogeneity, lack of longitudinal biomarkers),and no specific studies on AM exist; therefore, any claim regarding clinical or biologicaleffects remains hypothetical.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |