1
|
Yang WF, Sparby T, Wright M, Kim E, Sacchet MD. Volitional mental absorption in meditation: Toward a scientific understanding of advanced concentrative absorption meditation and the case of jhana. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31223. [PMID: 38803854 PMCID: PMC11129010 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Meditation has been integral to human culture for millennia, deeply rooted in various spiritual and contemplative traditions. While the field of contemplative science has made significant steps toward understanding the effects of meditation on health and well-being, there has been little study of advanced meditative states, including those achieved through intense concentration and absorption. We refer to these types of states as advanced concentrative absorption meditation (ACAM), characterized by absorption with the meditation object leading to states of heightened attention, clarity, energy, effortlessness, and bliss. This review focuses on a type of ACAM known as jhana (ACAM-J) due to its well-documented history, systematic practice approach, recurring phenomenological themes, and growing popularity among contemplative scientists and more generally in media and society. ACAM-J encompasses eight layers of deep concentration, awareness, and internal experiences. Here, we describe the phenomenology of ACAM-J and present evidence from phenomenological and neuroscientific studies that highlight their potential applications in contemplative practices, psychological sciences, and therapeutics. We additionally propose theoretical ACAM-J frameworks grounded in current cognitive neuroscientific understanding of meditation and ancient contemplative traditions. We aim to stimulate further research on ACAM more broadly, encompassing advanced meditation including meditative development and meditative endpoints. Studying advanced meditation including ACAM, and specific practices such as ACAM-J, can potentially revolutionize our understanding of consciousness and applications for mental health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Winson F.Z. Yang
- Meditation Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Terje Sparby
- Steiner University College, 0260, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Witten/Herdecke University, 58448, Witten, Germany
- Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Psychology, Witten/Herdecke University, 58448, Witten, Germany
| | - Malcolm Wright
- School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
| | - Eunmi Kim
- Center for Contemplative Science, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Matthew D. Sacchet
- Meditation Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Tap SC. The potential of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine in the treatment of alcohol use disorder: A first look at therapeutic mechanisms of action. Addict Biol 2024; 29:e13386. [PMID: 38600715 PMCID: PMC11007263 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders worldwide with high economic costs. Current treatment options show modest efficacy and relapse rates are high. Furthermore, there are increases in the treatment gap and few new medications have been approved in the past 20 years. Recently, psychedelic-assisted therapy with psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide has garnered significant attention in the treatment of AUD. Yet, they require significant amounts of therapist input due to prolonged subjective effects (~4-12 h) leading to high costs and impeding implementation. Accordingly, there is an increasing interest in the rapid and short-acting psychedelic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT). This paper offers a first look at potential therapeutic mechanisms for AUD by reviewing the current literature on 5-MeO-DMT. Primarily, 5-MeO-DMT is able to induce mystical experiences and ego-dissolution together with increases in psychological flexibility and mindfulness. This could decrease AUD symptoms through the alleviation of psychiatric mood-related comorbidities consistent with the negative reinforcement and self-medication paradigms. In addition, preliminary evidence indicates that 5-MeO-DMT modulates neural oscillations that might subserve ego-dissolution (increases in gamma), psychological flexibility and mindfulness (increases in theta), and the reorganization of executive control networks (increases in coherence across frequencies) that could improve emotion regulation and inhibition. Finally, animal studies show that 5-MeO-DMT is characterized by neuroplasticity, anti-inflammation, 5-HT2A receptor agonism, and downregulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 with clinical implications for AUD and psychiatric mood-related comorbidities. The paper concludes with several recommendations for future research to establish the purported therapeutic mechanisms of action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephan C. Tap
- Department of PsychiatryGroningen University Medical CenterGroningenThe Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Singer B, Meling D, Hirsch-Hoffmann M, Michels L, Kometer M, Smigielski L, Dornbierer D, Seifritz E, Vollenweider FX, Scheidegger M. Psilocybin enhances insightfulness in meditation: a perspective on the global topology of brain imaging during meditation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7211. [PMID: 38531905 PMCID: PMC10966054 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55726-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, for the first time, we explored a dataset of functional magnetic resonance images collected during focused attention and open monitoring meditation before and after a five-day psilocybin-assisted meditation retreat using a recently established approach, based on the Mapper algorithm from topological data analysis. After generating subject-specific maps for two groups (psilocybin vs. placebo, 18 subjects/group) of experienced meditators, organizational principles were uncovered using graph topological tools, including the optimal transport (OT) distance, a geometrically rich measure of similarity between brain activity patterns. This revealed characteristics of the topology (i.e. shape) in space (i.e. abstract space of voxels) and time dimension of whole-brain activity patterns during different styles of meditation and psilocybin-induced alterations. Most interestingly, we found that (psilocybin-induced) positive derealization, which fosters insightfulness specifically when accompanied by enhanced open-monitoring meditation, was linked to the OT distance between open-monitoring and resting state. Our findings suggest that enhanced meta-awareness through meditation practice in experienced meditators combined with potential psilocybin-induced positive alterations in perception mediate insightfulness. Together, these findings provide a novel perspective on meditation and psychedelics that may reveal potential novel brain markers for positive synergistic effects between mindfulness practices and psilocybin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Berit Singer
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Daniel Meling
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Hirsch-Hoffmann
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lars Michels
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Zurich, Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Kometer
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lukasz Smigielski
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Dornbierer
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Franz X Vollenweider
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Milan Scheidegger
- Department of Adult Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric University Clinic Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Zurich, Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bailey NW, Fulcher BD, Caldwell B, Hill AT, Fitzgibbon B, van Dijk H, Fitzgerald PB. Uncovering a stability signature of brain dynamics associated with meditation experience using massive time-series feature extraction. Neural Netw 2024; 171:171-185. [PMID: 38091761 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2023.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Previous research has examined resting electroencephalographic (EEG) data to explore brain activity related to meditation. However, previous research has mostly examined power in different frequency bands. The practical objective of this study was to comprehensively test whether other types of time-series analysis methods are better suited to characterize brain activity related to meditation. To achieve this, we compared >7000 time-series features of the EEG signal to comprehensively characterize brain activity differences in meditators, using many measures that are novel in meditation research. Eyes-closed resting-state EEG data from 49 meditators and 46 non-meditators was decomposed into the top eight principal components (PCs). We extracted 7381 time-series features from each PC and each participant and used them to train classification algorithms to identify meditators. Highly differentiating individual features from successful classifiers were analysed in detail. Only the third PC (which had a central-parietal maximum) showed above-chance classification accuracy (67 %, pFDR = 0.007), for which 405 features significantly distinguished meditators (all pFDR < 0.05). Top-performing features indicated that meditators exhibited more consistent statistical properties across shorter subsegments of their EEG time-series (higher stationarity) and displayed an altered distributional shape of values about the mean. By contrast, classifiers trained with traditional band-power measures did not distinguish the groups (pFDR > 0.05). Our novel analysis approach suggests the key signatures of meditators' brain activity are higher temporal stability and a distribution of time-series values suggestive of longer, larger, or more frequent non-outlying voltage deviations from the mean within the third PC of their EEG data. The higher temporal stability observed in this EEG component might underpin the higher attentional stability associated with meditation. The novel time-series properties identified here have considerable potential for future exploration in meditation research and the analysis of neural dynamics more broadly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neil W Bailey
- Monarch Research Institute, Monarch Mental Health Group, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Medicine and Psychology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Ben D Fulcher
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Bridget Caldwell
- Monarch Research Institute, Monarch Mental Health Group, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Aron T Hill
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bernadette Fitzgibbon
- Monarch Research Institute, Monarch Mental Health Group, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Medicine and Psychology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Central Clinical School, Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hanneke van Dijk
- Research Institute Brainclinics, Brainclinics Foundation, Nijmegen, the Kingdom of the Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, University Maastricht, Maastricht, the Kingdom of the Netherlands
| | - Paul B Fitzgerald
- Monarch Research Institute, Monarch Mental Health Group, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Medicine and Psychology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mediano PAM, Rosas FE, Timmermann C, Roseman L, Nutt DJ, Feilding A, Kaelen M, Kringelbach ML, Barrett AB, Seth AK, Muthukumaraswamy S, Bor D, Carhart-Harris RL. Effects of External Stimulation on Psychedelic State Neurodynamics. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:462-471. [PMID: 38214686 PMCID: PMC10853937 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent findings have shown that psychedelics reliably enhance brain entropy (understood as neural signal diversity), and this effect has been associated with both acute and long-term psychological outcomes, such as personality changes. These findings are particularly intriguing, given that a decrease of brain entropy is a robust indicator of loss of consciousness (e.g., from wakefulness to sleep). However, little is known about how context impacts the entropy-enhancing effect of psychedelics, which carries important implications for how it can be exploited in, for example, psychedelic psychotherapy. This article investigates how brain entropy is modulated by stimulus manipulation during a psychedelic experience by studying participants under the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or placebo, either with gross state changes (eyes closed vs open) or different stimuli (no stimulus vs music vs video). Results show that while brain entropy increases with LSD under all of the experimental conditions, it exhibits the largest changes when subjects have their eyes closed. Furthermore, brain entropy changes are consistently associated with subjective ratings of the psychedelic experience, but this relationship is disrupted when participants are viewing a video─potentially due to a "competition" between external stimuli and endogenous LSD-induced imagery. Taken together, our findings provide strong quantitative evidence of the role of context in modulating neural dynamics during a psychedelic experience, underlining the importance of performing psychedelic psychotherapy in a suitable environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro A. M. Mediano
- Department
of Computing, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, U.K.
| | - Fernando E. Rosas
- Department
of Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RH, U.K.
- Centre
for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Centre
for Complexity Science, Imperial College
London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Centre for
Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, University
of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
| | - Christopher Timmermann
- Centre
for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Leor Roseman
- Centre
for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - David J. Nutt
- Centre
for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | | | | | - Morten L. Kringelbach
- Centre for
Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, University
of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
- Department
of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, U.K.
- Center
for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Adam B. Barrett
- Sussex
Center for Consciousness Science and Department of Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RH, U.K.
| | - Anil K. Seth
- Sussex
Center for Consciousness Science and Department of Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RH, U.K.
- CIFAR Program on Brain, Mind, and Consciousness, Toronto M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Suresh Muthukumaraswamy
- School
of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Bor
- Department
of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, U.K.
- Department
of Psychology, Queen Mary University of
London, London E1 4NS, U.K.
| | - Robin L. Carhart-Harris
- Centre
for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Psychedelics
Division, Neuroscape, University of California
San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94117-1080, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
D’Andrea A, Croce P, O’Byrne J, Jerbi K, Pascarella A, Raffone A, Pizzella V, Marzetti L. Mindfulness meditation styles differently modulate source-level MEG microstate dynamics and complexity. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1295615. [PMID: 38370436 PMCID: PMC10869546 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1295615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The investigation of mindfulness meditation practice, classically divided into focused attention meditation (FAM), and open monitoring meditation (OMM) styles, has seen a long tradition of theoretical, affective, neurophysiological and clinical studies. In particular, the high temporal resolution of magnetoencephalography (MEG) or electroencephalography (EEG) has been exploited to fill the gap between the personal experience of meditation practice and its neural correlates. Mounting evidence, in fact, shows that human brain activity is highly dynamic, transiting between different brain states (microstates). In this study, we aimed at exploring MEG microstates at source-level during FAM, OMM and in the resting state, as well as the complexity and criticality of dynamic transitions between microstates. Methods Ten right-handed Theravada Buddhist monks with a meditative expertise of minimum 2,265 h participated in the experiment. MEG data were acquired during a randomized block design task (6 min FAM, 6 min OMM, with each meditative block preceded and followed by 3 min resting state). Source reconstruction was performed using eLORETA on individual cortical space, and then parcellated according to the Human Connect Project atlas. Microstate analysis was then applied to parcel level signals in order to derive microstate topographies and indices. In addition, from microstate sequences, the Hurst exponent and the Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) were computed. Results Our results show that the coverage and occurrence of specific microstates are modulated either by being in a meditative state or by performing a specific meditation style. Hurst exponent values in both meditation conditions are reduced with respect to the value observed during rest, LZC shows significant differences between OMM, FAM, and REST, with a progressive increase from REST to FAM to OMM. Discussion Importantly, we report changes in brain criticality indices during meditation and between meditation styles, in line with a state-like effect of meditation on cognitive performance. In line with previous reports, we suggest that the change in cognitive state experienced in meditation is paralleled by a shift with respect to critical points in brain dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antea D’Andrea
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Croce
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Jordan O’Byrne
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Karim Jerbi
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Annalisa Pascarella
- Institute for the Applications of Calculus “M. Picone”, National Research Council, Rome, Lazio, Italy
| | - Antonino Raffone
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Lazio, Italy
| | - Vittorio Pizzella
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| | - Laura Marzetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
- Institute for Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Türker B, Musat EM, Chabani E, Fonteix-Galet A, Maranci JB, Wattiez N, Pouget P, Sitt J, Naccache L, Arnulf I, Oudiette D. Behavioral and brain responses to verbal stimuli reveal transient periods of cognitive integration of the external world during sleep. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1981-1993. [PMID: 37828228 PMCID: PMC10620087 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01449-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Sleep has long been considered as a state of behavioral disconnection from the environment, without reactivity to external stimuli. Here we questioned this 'sleep disconnection' dogma by directly investigating behavioral responsiveness in 49 napping participants (27 with narcolepsy and 22 healthy volunteers) engaged in a lexical decision task. Participants were instructed to frown or smile depending on the stimulus type. We found accurate behavioral responses, visible via contractions of the corrugator or zygomatic muscles, in most sleep stages in both groups (except slow-wave sleep in healthy volunteers). Across sleep stages, responses occurred more frequently when stimuli were presented during high cognitive states than during low cognitive states, as indexed by prestimulus electroencephalography. Our findings suggest that transient windows of reactivity to external stimuli exist during bona fide sleep, even in healthy individuals. Such windows of reactivity could pave the way for real-time communication with sleepers to probe sleep-related mental and cognitive processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Başak Türker
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Esteban Munoz Musat
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Emma Chabani
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | - Jean-Baptiste Maranci
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service des Pathologies du Sommeil, National Reference Centre for Narcolepsy, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Wattiez
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Neurophysiologie Respiratoire Expérimentale et Clinique, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Pouget
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Jacobo Sitt
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Lionel Naccache
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service de Neurophysiologie Clinique, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Arnulf
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service des Pathologies du Sommeil, National Reference Centre for Narcolepsy, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Oudiette
- Sorbonne Université, Institut du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France.
- AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Service des Pathologies du Sommeil, National Reference Centre for Narcolepsy, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Walter N, Meinersen-Schmidt N, Kulla P, Loew T, Kruse J, Hinterberger T. Sensory-Processing Sensitivity Is Associated with Increased Neural Entropy. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 25:890. [PMID: 37372234 DOI: 10.3390/e25060890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed at answering the following research questions: (1) Does the self-reported level of sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) correlate with complexity, or criticality features of the electroencephalogram (EEG)? (2) Are there significant EEG differences comparing individuals with high and low levels of SPS? METHODS One hundred fifteen participants were measured with 64-channel EEG during a task-free resting state. The data were analyzed using criticality theory tools (detrended fluctuation analysis, neuronal avalanche analysis) and complexity measures (sample entropy, Higuchi's fractal dimension). Correlations with the 'Highly Sensitive Person Scale' (HSPS-G) scores were determined. Then, the cohort's lowest and the highest 30% were contrasted as opposites. EEG features were compared between the two groups by applying a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS During resting with eyes open, HSPS-G scores correlated significantly positively with the sample entropy and Higuchi's fractal dimension (Spearman's ρ = 0.22, p < 0.05). The highly sensitive group revealed higher sample entropy values (1.83 ± 0.10 vs. 1.77 ± 0.13, p = 0.031). The increased sample entropy in the highly sensitive group was most pronounced in the central, temporal, and parietal regions. CONCLUSION For the first time, neurophysiological complexity features associated with SPS during a task-free resting state were demonstrated. Evidence is provided that neural processes differ between low- and highly-sensitive persons, whereby the latter displayed increased neural entropy. The findings support the central theoretical assumption of enhanced information processing and could be important for developing biomarkers for clinical diagnostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nike Walter
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Meinersen-Schmidt
- Department for Clinical Psychology and Trauma Therapy, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, 85579 Neubiberg, Germany
| | - Patricia Kulla
- Department for Clinical Psychology and Trauma Therapy, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, 85579 Neubiberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Loew
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Kruse
- Department for Clinical Psychology and Trauma Therapy, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, 85579 Neubiberg, Germany
| | - Thilo Hinterberger
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, 93059 Regensburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Fagerholm ED, Dezhina Z, Moran RJ, Turkheimer FE, Leech R. A primer on entropy in neuroscience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105070. [PMID: 36736445 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Entropy is not just a property of a system - it is a property of a system and an observer. Specifically, entropy is a measure of the amount of hidden information in a system that arises due to an observer's limitations. Here we provide an account of entropy from first principles in statistical mechanics with the aid of toy models of neural systems. Specifically, we describe the distinction between micro and macrostates in the context of simplified binary-state neurons and the characteristics of entropy required to capture an associated measure of hidden information. We discuss the origin of the mathematical form of entropy via the indistinguishable re-arrangements of discrete-state neurons and show the way in which the arguments are extended into a phase space description for continuous large-scale neural systems. Finally, we show the ways in which limitations in neuroimaging resolution, as represented by coarse graining operations in phase space, lead to an increase in entropy in time as per the second law of thermodynamics. It is our hope that this primer will support the increasing number of studies that use entropy as a way of characterising neuroimaging timeseries and of making inferences about brain states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erik D Fagerholm
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Zalina Dezhina
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Rosalyn J Moran
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Robert Leech
- Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Aguerre NV, Gómez-Ariza CJ, Ibáñez-Molina AJ, Bajo MT. Electrophysiological correlates of dispositional mindfulness: A quantitative and complexity EEG study. Br J Psychol 2023. [PMID: 36748402 DOI: 10.1111/bjop.12636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
While growing evidence supports that dispositional mindfulness relates to psychological health and cognitive enhancement, to date there have been only a few attempts to characterize its neural underpinnings. In the present study, we aimed at exploring the electrophysiological (EEG) signature of dispositional mindfulness using quantitative and complexity measures of EEG during resting state and while performing a learning task. Hundred twenty participants were assessed with the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and underwent 5 min eyes-closed resting state and 5 min at task EEG recording. We hypothesized that high mindfulness individuals would show patterns of brain activity related to (a) lower involvement of the default mode network (DMN) at rest (reduced frontal gamma power) and (b) a state of 'task readiness' reflected in a more similar pattern from rest to task (reduced overall q-EEG power at rest but not at task), as compared to their low mindfulness counterparts. Dispositional mindfulness was significantly linked to reduced frontal gamma power at rest and lower overall power during rest but not at task. In addition, we found a trend towards higher entropy during task performance in mindful individuals, which has recently been reported during mindfulness meditation. Altogether, our results add to those from expert meditators to show that high (dispositional) mindfulness seems to have a specific electrophysiological pattern characteristic of less involvement of the DMN and mind-wandering processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Victoria Aguerre
- Department of Experimental Psychology - Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | | | - María Teresa Bajo
- Department of Experimental Psychology - Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Davis JJJ, Kozma R, Schübeler F. Analysis of Meditation vs. Sensory Engaged Brain States Using Shannon Entropy and Pearson's First Skewness Coefficient Extracted from EEG Data. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:1293. [PMID: 36772332 PMCID: PMC9920060 DOI: 10.3390/s23031293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
It has been proposed that meditative states show different brain dynamics than other more engaged states. It is known that when people sit with closed eyes instead of open eyes, they have different brain dynamics, which may be associated with a combination of deprived sensory input and more relaxed inner psychophysiological and cognitive states. Here, we study such states based on a previously established experimental methodology, with the aid of an electro-encephalography (EEG) array with 128 electrodes. We derived the Shannon Entropy (H) and Pearson's 1st Skewness Coefficient (PSk) from the power spectrum for the modalities of meditation and video watching, including 20 participants, 11 meditators and 9 non-meditators. The discriminating performance of the indices H and PSk was evaluated using Student's t-test. The results demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the mean H and PSk values during meditation and video watch modes. We show that the H index is useful to discriminate between Meditator and Non-Meditator participants during meditation over both the prefrontal and occipital areas, while the PSk index is useful to discriminate Meditators from Non-Meditators based on the prefrontal areas for both meditation and video modes. Moreover, we observe episodes of anti-correlation between the prefrontal and occipital areas during meditation, while there is no evidence for such anticorrelation periods during video watching. We outline directions of future studies incorporating further statistical indices for the characterization of brain states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J. J. Davis
- Department of Physics, Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonics and Quantum Technologies, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Robert Kozma
- Department of Mathematics, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
- Kozmos Research Laboratories, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- School of Informatics, Obuda University, H-1034 Budapest, Hungary
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bartlett G. Does integrated information theory make testable predictions about the role of silent neurons in consciousness? Neurosci Conscious 2022; 2022:niac015. [PMID: 36267225 PMCID: PMC9574698 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tononi et al. claim that their integrated information theory of consciousness makes testable predictions. This article discusses two of the more startling predictions, which follow from the theory's claim that conscious experiences are generated by inactive as well as active neurons. The first prediction is that a subject's conscious experience at a time can be affected by the disabling of neurons that were already inactive at that time. The second is that even if a subject's entire brain is "silent," meaning that all of its neurons are inactive (but not disabled), the subject can still have a conscious experience. A few authors have noted the implausibility of these predictions-which I call the disabling prediction and the silent brain prediction-but none have considered whether they are testable. In this article, I argue that they are not. In order to make this case, I first try to clarify the distinction between active, inactive (i.e. silent), and inactivated (i.e. disabled) neurons. With this clarification in place, I show that, even putting aside practical difficulties, it is impossible to set up a valid test of either the disabling prediction or the silent brain prediction. The conditions of the tests themselves are conditions under which a response from the subject could not reasonably be interpreted as evidence of consciousness or change in consciousness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gary Bartlett
- *Correspondence address. Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Central Washington University, 400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7555, USA. Tel: +1-509-963-2824; Fax: +1-509-963-1822; E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Amir N, Tishby N, Nelken I. A simple model of the attentional blink and its modulation by mental training. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010398. [PMID: 36037219 PMCID: PMC9462776 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The attentional blink (AB) effect is the reduced probability of reporting a second target (T2) that appears shortly after a first one (T1) within a rapidly presented sequence of distractors. The AB effect has been shown to be reduced following intensive mental training in the form of mindfulness meditation, with a corresponding reduction in T1-evoked P3b brain potentials. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unknown. We propose a dynamical-systems model of the AB, in which attentional load is described as the response of a dynamical system to incoming impulse signals. Non-task related mental activity is represented by additive noise modulated by meditation. The model provides a parsimonious computational framework relating behavioral performance, evoked brain potentials and training through the concept of reduced mental noise.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadav Amir
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Naftali Tishby
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
- The Rachel and Selim Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Israel Nelken
- The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Life Sciences, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:307. [PMID: 35918311 PMCID: PMC9346139 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02039-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of low sub-perceptual doses of psychedelics ("microdosing") has gained popularity in recent years. Although anecdotal reports claim multiple benefits associated with this practice, the lack of placebo-controlled studies severely limits our knowledge of microdosing and its effects. Moreover, research conducted in standard laboratory settings could fail to capture the motivation of individuals engaged or planning to engage in microdosing protocols, thus underestimating the likelihood of positive effects on creativity and cognitive function. We recruited 34 individuals starting to microdose with psilocybin mushrooms (Psilocybe cubensis), one of the materials most frequently used for this purpose. Following a double-blind placebo-controlled experimental design, we investigated the acute and short-term effects of 0.5 g of dried mushrooms on subjective experience, behavior, creativity (divergent and convergent thinking), perception, cognition, and brain activity. The reported acute effects were significantly more intense for the active dose compared to the placebo, but only for participants who correctly identified their experimental condition. These changes were accompanied by reduced EEG power in the theta band, together with preserved levels of Lempel-Ziv broadband signal complexity. For all other measurements there was no effect of microdosing except for few small changes towards cognitive impairment. According to our findings, low doses of psilocybin mushrooms can result in noticeable subjective effects and altered EEG rhythms, but without evidence to support enhanced well-being, creativity and cognitive function. We conclude that expectation underlies at least some of the anecdotal benefits attributed to microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms.
Collapse
|
15
|
Walter N, Hinterberger T. Determining states of consciousness in the electroencephalogram based on spectral, complexity, and criticality features. Neurosci Conscious 2022; 2022:niac008. [PMID: 35903410 PMCID: PMC9319002 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niac008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was based on the contemporary proposal that distinct states of consciousness
are quantifiable by neural complexity and critical dynamics. To test this hypothesis, it
was aimed at comparing the electrophysiological correlates of three meditation conditions
using nonlinear techniques from the complexity and criticality framework as well as power
spectral density. Thirty participants highly proficient in meditation were measured with
64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) during one session consisting of a task-free
baseline resting (eyes closed and eyes open), a reading condition, and three meditation
conditions (thoughtless emptiness, presence monitoring, and focused attention). The data
were analyzed applying analytical tools from criticality theory (detrended fluctuation
analysis, neuronal avalanche analysis), complexity measures (multiscale entropy, Higuchi’s
fractal dimension), and power spectral density. Task conditions were contrasted, and
effect sizes were compared. Partial least square regression and receiver operating
characteristics analysis were applied to determine the discrimination accuracy of each
measure. Compared to resting with eyes closed, the meditation categories emptiness and
focused attention showed higher values of entropy and fractal dimension. Long-range
temporal correlations were declined in all meditation conditions. The critical exponent
yielded the lowest values for focused attention and reading. The highest discrimination
accuracy was found for the gamma band (0.83–0.98), the global power spectral density
(0.78–0.96), and the sample entropy (0.86–0.90). Electrophysiological correlates of
distinct meditation states were identified and the relationship between nonlinear
complexity, critical brain dynamics, and spectral features was determined. The meditation
states could be discriminated with nonlinear measures and quantified by the degree of
neuronal complexity, long-range temporal correlations, and power law distributions in
neuronal avalanches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nike Walter
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Section of Applied Consciousness Sciences, University Hospital of Regensburg , Franz-Josef-Strauß Allee 11, Regensburg 93059, Germany
| | - Thilo Hinterberger
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Section of Applied Consciousness Sciences, University Hospital of Regensburg , Franz-Josef-Strauß Allee 11, Regensburg 93059, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Safron A, Klimaj V, Hipólito I. On the Importance of Being Flexible: Dynamic Brain Networks and Their Potential Functional Significances. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 15:688424. [PMID: 35126062 PMCID: PMC8814434 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.688424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In this theoretical review, we begin by discussing brains and minds from a dynamical systems perspective, and then go on to describe methods for characterizing the flexibility of dynamic networks. We discuss how varying degrees and kinds of flexibility may be adaptive (or maladaptive) in different contexts, specifically focusing on measures related to either more disjoint or cohesive dynamics. While disjointed flexibility may be useful for assessing neural entropy, cohesive flexibility may potentially serve as a proxy for self-organized criticality as a fundamental property enabling adaptive behavior in complex systems. Particular attention is given to recent studies in which flexibility methods have been used to investigate neurological and cognitive maturation, as well as the breakdown of conscious processing under varying levels of anesthesia. We further discuss how these findings and methods might be contextualized within the Free Energy Principle with respect to the fundamentals of brain organization and biological functioning more generally, and describe potential methodological advances from this paradigm. Finally, with relevance to computational psychiatry, we propose a research program for obtaining a better understanding of ways that dynamic networks may relate to different forms of psychological flexibility, which may be the single most important factor for ensuring human flourishing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Safron
- Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Victoria Klimaj
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Complex Networks and Systems, Informatics Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Inês Hipólito
- Department of Philosophy, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Dresp-Langley B. Consciousness Beyond Neural Fields: Expanding the Possibilities of What Has Not Yet Happened. Front Psychol 2022; 12:762349. [PMID: 35082717 PMCID: PMC8784399 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.762349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In the field theories in physics, any particular region of the presumed space-time continuum and all interactions between elementary objects therein can be objectively measured and/or accounted for mathematically. Since this does not apply to any of the field theories, or any other neural theory, of consciousness, their explanatory power is limited. As discussed in detail herein, the matter is complicated further by the facts than any scientifically operational definition of consciousness is inevitably partial, and that the phenomenon has no spatial dimensionality. Under the light of insights from research on meditation and expanded consciousness, chronic pain syndrome, healthy aging, and eudaimonic well-being, we may conceive consciousness as a source of potential energy that has no clearly defined spatial dimensionality, but can produce significant changes in others and in the world, observable in terms of changes in time. It is argued that consciousness may have evolved to enable the human species to generate such changes in order to cope with unprecedented and/or unpredictable adversity. Such coping could, ultimately, include the conscious planning of our own extinction when survival on the planet is no longer an acceptable option.
Collapse
|
18
|
Classifying EEG Signals of Mind-Wandering Across Different Styles of Meditation. Brain Inform 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-15037-1_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
|
19
|
Lu Y, Rodriguez-Larios J. Nonlinear EEG signatures of mind wandering during breath focus meditation. CURRENT RESEARCH IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 3:100056. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2022.100056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
|
20
|
Stritter W, Everding J, Luchte J, Eggert A, Seifert G. Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness in pediatric oncology - A review of literature. Complement Ther Med 2021; 63:102791. [PMID: 34808385 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2021.102791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Children and adolescents undergoing treatment for cancer are exposed to a wide variety of stressors both physical and mental. Not only adults but also children and adolescents increasingly practice yoga in a health-promoting manner and to cope with stressful situations. METHODS A review of literature was conducted to present the current outcomes on yoga, meditation and mindfulness for children and adolescents who are affected by an oncological disease. RESULTS Eight studies were identified that examined yoga treatment for children and adolescents with oncological diseases. Three studies were found on mindfulness in pediatric oncology. The studies summarized here suggest that yoga and mindfulness could help to improve quality of life, reduce fatigue, improve activity and fitness levels, improve sleep quality, increase appetite and decrease anxiety in various stages of the disease and its treatment. The reviewed studies showed that yoga and mindfulness-based interventions for children and adolescents with oncological illnesses are feasible in different settings and are well received. CONCLUSIONS The results of the studies suggest that yoga and mindfulness may help to support children and adolescents during and after oncological treatment. Based on the current body of evidence it is not possible to draw conclusions about the efficacy of yoga and mindfulness-based interventions in pediatric oncology patients. Research must meet this challenge to develop suitable designs to further and better investigate the effects of yoga and mindfulness in children and adolescents with oncological diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Stritter
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Janina Everding
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jacqueline Luchte
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Angelika Eggert
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg Seifert
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; University of São Paulo, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kumar GP, Sharma K, Ramakrishnan AG, Adarsh A. Increased Entropy of Gamma Oscillations in the Frontal Region during Meditation. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2021; 2021:787-790. [PMID: 34891408 DOI: 10.1109/embc46164.2021.9629633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Meditation practices are considered mental training and have increasingly received attention from the scientific community due to their potential psychological and physical health benefits. We compared the EEG data recorded from long-term rajayoga practitioners during different meditative and non-meditative periods. Minimum variance modified fuzzy entropy (MVMFE) is computed for each EEG band for all channels of a given lobe. The means across all the channel entropy values were obtained and compared during meditative and non-meditative states. Meditators showed higher frontal entropy in the lower gamma band (25-45Hz) during the meditative states. Independent component analysis was applied to ensure that muscle or eye artifacts did not contribute to the gamma activity. Our results extend previous findings on the changes in entropy observed in long-term meditators during rajayoga practice. Gamma band in EEG is implicated in cognitive processes requiring high-level processing such as attention, learning, memory control, and retrieval. Gamma activity is also suggested as a potential biomarker for therapeutic progress in patients with clinical depression. Based on our findings, there is an excellent possibility to utilize the practice of meditation as a training tool to strengthen the neural circuits, where age-related degeneration is making its pathological impact.
Collapse
|
22
|
Sadhasivam S, Alankar S, Maturi R, Williams A, Vishnubhotla RV, Hariri S, Mudigonda M, Pawale D, Dubbireddi S, Packiasabapathy S, Castelluccio P, Ram C, Renschler J, Chang T, Subramaniam B. Isha Yoga Practices and Participation in Samyama Program are Associated with Reduced HbA1C and Systemic Inflammation, Improved Lipid Profile, and Short-Term and Sustained Improvement in Mental Health: A Prospective Observational Study of Meditators. Front Psychol 2021; 12:659667. [PMID: 34093351 PMCID: PMC8170079 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.659667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Meditation is gaining recognition as a tool to impact health and well-being. Samyama is an 8-day intensive residential meditation experience conducted by Isha Foundation requiring several months of extensive preparation and vegan diet. The health effects of Samyama have not been previously studied. The objective was to assess physical and emotional well-being before and after Samyama participation by evaluating psychological surveys and objective health biomarkers. Methods: This was an observational study of 632 adults before and after the Isha Samyama retreat. All participants were invited to complete surveys. Controls included household significant others. Surveys were completed at baseline (T1), just before Samyama (T2), immediately after Samyama (T3), and 3 months later (T4) to assess anxiety, depression, mindfulness, joy, vitality, and resilience through validated psychometric scales. Voluntary blood sampling for biomarker analysis was done to assess hemoglobin (Hb), HbA1c, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Primary outcomes were changes in psychometric scores, body weight, and blood biomarkers. Results: Depression and anxiety scores decreased from T1 to T3, with the effect most pronounced in participants with baseline depression or anxiety. Scores at T4 remained below baseline for those with pre-existing depression or anxiety. Vitality, resilience, joy, and mindfulness increased from T1 to T3 (sustained at T4). Body weight decreased by 3% from T1 to T3. Triglycerides (TG) were lower from T2 to T3. Participants had lower HbA1c and HDL at T2, and lower CRP at all timepoints compared with controls. Conclusions: Participation in the Isha Samyama program led to multiple benefits. The 2-month preparation reduced anxiety, and participants maintained lower anxiety levels at 3 months post-retreat. Physical health improved over the course of the program as evidenced by weight loss and improved HbA1C and lipid profile. Practices associated with the Samyama preparation phase and the retreat may serve as an effective way to improve physical and mental health. Future studies may examine their use as an alternative therapy in patients with depression and/or anxiety. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: 1801728792. Registered retrospectively on 4/17/2020.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Senthilkumar Sadhasivam
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Suresh Alankar
- Vascular Surgery, Honorary Staff, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Raj Maturi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Amy Williams
- Department of Psychiatry, Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Ramana V Vishnubhotla
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States.,Department of Radiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Sepideh Hariri
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mayur Mudigonda
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Dhanashri Pawale
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Sangeeth Dubbireddi
- Cardiac Intensivist, Ascension Health, St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Senthil Packiasabapathy
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Peter Castelluccio
- Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Chithra Ram
- Department of Radiology, University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Janelle Renschler
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Tracy Chang
- Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations, School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Balachundhar Subramaniam
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Young JH, Arterberry ME, Martin JP. Contrasting Electroencephalography-Derived Entropy and Neural Oscillations With Highly Skilled Meditators. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:628417. [PMID: 33994976 PMCID: PMC8119624 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.628417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Meditation is an umbrella term for a number of mental training practices designed to improve the monitoring and regulation of attention and emotion. Some forms of meditation are now being used for clinical intervention. To accompany the increased clinical interest in meditation, research investigating the neural basis of these practices is needed. A central hypothesis of contemplative neuroscience is that meditative states, which are unique on a phenomenological level, differ on a neurophysiological level. To identify the electrophysiological correlates of meditation practice, the electrical brain activity of highly skilled meditators engaging in one of six meditation styles (shamatha, vipassana, zazen, dzogchen, tonglen, and visualization) was recorded. A mind-wandering task served as a control. Lempel-Ziv complexity showed differences in nonlinear brain dynamics (entropy) during meditation compared with mind wandering, suggesting that meditation, regardless of practice, affects neural complexity. In contrast, there were no differences in power spectra at six different frequency bands, likely due to the fact that participants engaged in different meditation practices. Finally, exploratory analyses suggest neurological differences among meditation practices. These findings highlight the importance of studying the electroencephalography (EEG) correlates of different meditative practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob H. Young
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, ME, United States
- Department of Psychology, Colby College, Waterville, ME, United States
| | | | - Joshua P. Martin
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, ME, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Pallavicini C, Cavanna F, Zamberlan F, de la Fuente LA, Ilksoy Y, Perl YS, Arias M, Romero C, Carhart-Harris R, Timmermann C, Tagliazucchi E. Neural and subjective effects of inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine in natural settings. J Psychopharmacol 2021; 35:406-420. [PMID: 33567945 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120981384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND N,N-dimethyltryptamine is a short-acting psychedelic tryptamine found naturally in many plants and animals. Few studies to date have addressed the neural and psychological effects of N,N-dimethyltryptamine alone, either administered intravenously or inhaled in freebase form, and none have been conducted in natural settings. AIMS Our primary aim was to study the acute effects of inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine in natural settings, focusing on questions tuned to the advantages of conducting field research, including the effects of contextual factors (i.e. "set" and "setting"), the possibility of studying a comparatively large number of subjects, and the relaxed mental state of participants consuming N,N-dimethyltryptamine in familiar and comfortable settings. METHODS We combined state-of-the-art wireless electroencephalography with psychometric questionnaires to study the neural and subjective effects of naturalistic N,N-dimethyltryptamine use in 35 healthy and experienced participants. RESULTS We observed that N,N-dimethyltryptamine significantly decreased the power of alpha (8-12 Hz) oscillations throughout all scalp locations, while simultaneously increasing power of delta (1-4 Hz) and gamma (30-40 Hz) oscillations. Gamma power increases correlated with subjective reports indicative of some features of mystical-type experiences. N,N-dimethyltryptamine also increased global synchrony and metastability in the gamma band while decreasing those measures in the alpha band. CONCLUSIONS Our results are consistent with previous studies of psychedelic action in the human brain, while at the same time the results suggest potential electroencephalography markers of mystical-type experiences in natural settings, thus highlighting the importance of investigating these compounds in the contexts where they are naturally consumed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Pallavicini
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Fundación para la lucha contra las enfermedades neurológicas de la infancia (FLENI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico Cavanna
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Fundación para la lucha contra las enfermedades neurológicas de la infancia (FLENI), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Federico Zamberlan
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura A de la Fuente
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Yayla Ilksoy
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Yonatan S Perl
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauricio Arias
- Hospital General de Agudos Donación Francisco Santojanni, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Celeste Romero
- Centro de Estudios de la Cultura Cannábica (CECCa), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | - Enzo Tagliazucchi
- Departamento de Física, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Instituto de Física de Buenos Aires (IFIBA - CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
This paper introduces a new construct, the 'pivotal mental state', which is defined as a hyper-plastic state aiding rapid and deep learning that can mediate psychological transformation. We believe this new construct bears relevance to a broad range of psychological and psychiatric phenomena. We argue that pivotal mental states serve an important evolutionary function, that is, to aid psychological transformation when actual or perceived environmental pressures demand this. We cite evidence that chronic stress and neurotic traits are primers for a pivotal mental state, whereas acute stress can be a trigger. Inspired by research with serotonin 2A receptor agonist psychedelics, we highlight how activity at this particular receptor can robustly and reliably induce pivotal mental states, but we argue that the capacity for pivotal mental states is an inherent property of the human brain itself. Moreover, we hypothesize that serotonergic psychedelics hijack a system that has evolved to mediate rapid and deep learning when its need is sensed. We cite a breadth of evidences linking stress via a variety of inducers, with an upregulated serotonin 2A receptor system (e.g. upregulated availability of and/or binding to the receptor) and acute stress with 5-HT release, which we argue can activate this primed system to induce a pivotal mental state. The pivotal mental state model is multi-level, linking a specific molecular gateway (increased serotonin 2A receptor signaling) with the inception of a hyper-plastic brain and mind state, enhanced rate of associative learning and the potential mediation of a psychological transformation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ari Brouwer
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Huels ER, Kim H, Lee U, Bel-Bahar T, Colmenero AV, Nelson A, Blain-Moraes S, Mashour GA, Harris RE. Neural Correlates of the Shamanic State of Consciousness. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:610466. [PMID: 33815077 PMCID: PMC8012721 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.610466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychedelics have been recognized as model interventions for studying altered states of consciousness. However, few empirical studies of the shamanic state of consciousness, which is anecdotally similar to the psychedelic state, exist. We investigated the neural correlates of shamanic trance using high-density electroencephalography (EEG) in 24 shamanic practitioners and 24 healthy controls during rest, shamanic drumming, and classical music listening, followed by an assessment of altered states of consciousness. EEG data were used to assess changes in absolute power, connectivity, signal diversity, and criticality, which were correlated with assessment measures. We also compared assessment scores to those of individuals in a previous study under the influence of psychedelics. Shamanic practitioners were significantly different from controls in several domains of altered states of consciousness, with scores comparable to or exceeding that of healthy volunteers under the influence of psychedelics. Practitioners also displayed increased gamma power during drumming that positively correlated with elementary visual alterations. Furthermore, shamanic practitioners had decreased low alpha and increased low beta connectivity during drumming and classical music and decreased neural signal diversity in the gamma band during drumming that inversely correlated with insightfulness. Finally, criticality in practitioners was increased during drumming in the low and high beta and gamma bands, with increases in the low beta band correlating with complex imagery and elementary visual alterations. These findings suggest that psychedelic drug-induced and non-pharmacologic alterations in consciousness have overlapping phenomenal traits but are distinct states of consciousness, as reflected by the unique brain-related changes during shamanic trance compared to previous literature investigating the psychedelic state.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma R. Huels
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Hyoungkyu Kim
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - UnCheol Lee
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Tarik Bel-Bahar
- Division of Translational Epidemiology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
| | - Angelo V. Colmenero
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | - Amanda Nelson
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Stefanie Blain-Moraes
- School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - George A. Mashour
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Center for Consciousness Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Richard E. Harris
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
|
28
|
Mota-Rolim SA, Bulkeley K, Campanelli S, Lobão-Soares B, de Araujo DB, Ribeiro S. The Dream of God: How Do Religion and Science See Lucid Dreaming and Other Conscious States During Sleep? Front Psychol 2020; 11:555731. [PMID: 33123040 PMCID: PMC7573223 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.555731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Lucid dreaming (LD) began to be scientifically studied in the last century, but various religions have highlighted the importance of LD in their doctrines for a much longer period. Hindus’ manuscripts dating back over 2,000 years ago, for example, divide consciousness in waking, dreaming (including LD), and deep sleep. In the Buddhist tradition, Tibetan monks have been practicing the “Dream Yoga,” a meditation technique that instructs dreamers to recognize the dream, overcome all fears when lucid, and control the oneiric content. In the Islamic sacred scriptures, LD is regarded as a mental state of great value, and a special way for the initiated to reach mystical experiences. The Christian theologian Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD) mentions LD as a kind of preview of the afterlife, when the soul separates from the body. In the nineteenth century, some branches of the Spiritism religion argue that LD precedes out-of-body experiences during sleep. Here we reviewed how these religions interpret dreams, LD and other conscious states during sleep. We observed that while Abrahamic monotheisms (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) recognize dreams as a way to communicate with God to understand the present and predict the future, the traditional Indian religions (Buddhism and Hinduism) are more engaged in cultivating self-awareness, thus developed specific techniques to induce LD and witnessing sleep. Teachings from religious traditions around the world offer important insights for scientific researchers today who want to understand the full range of LD phenomenology as it has emerged through history.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio A Mota-Rolim
- Brain Institute - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,Physiology and Behavior Department - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,Onofre Lopes University Hospital - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Kelly Bulkeley
- The Sleep and Dream Database - Portland, OR, United States
| | - Stephany Campanelli
- Biophysics and Pharmacology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Bruno Lobão-Soares
- Biophysics and Pharmacology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Draulio B de Araujo
- Brain Institute - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.,Onofre Lopes University Hospital - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Sidarta Ribeiro
- Brain Institute - Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Cofré R, Herzog R, Mediano PA, Piccinini J, Rosas FE, Sanz Perl Y, Tagliazucchi E. Whole-Brain Models to Explore Altered States of Consciousness from the Bottom Up. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E626. [PMID: 32927678 PMCID: PMC7565030 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The scope of human consciousness includes states departing from what most of us experience as ordinary wakefulness. These altered states of consciousness constitute a prime opportunity to study how global changes in brain activity relate to different varieties of subjective experience. We consider the problem of explaining how global signatures of altered consciousness arise from the interplay between large-scale connectivity and local dynamical rules that can be traced to known properties of neural tissue. For this purpose, we advocate a research program aimed at bridging the gap between bottom-up generative models of whole-brain activity and the top-down signatures proposed by theories of consciousness. Throughout this paper, we define altered states of consciousness, discuss relevant signatures of consciousness observed in brain activity, and introduce whole-brain models to explore the biophysics of altered consciousness from the bottom-up. We discuss the potential of our proposal in view of the current state of the art, give specific examples of how this research agenda might play out, and emphasize how a systematic investigation of altered states of consciousness via bottom-up modeling may help us better understand the biophysical, informational, and dynamical underpinnings of consciousness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Cofré
- CIMFAV-Ingemat, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Rubén Herzog
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2360103, Chile;
| | - Pedro A.M. Mediano
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK;
| | - Juan Piccinini
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina; (J.P.); (Y.S.P.); (E.T.)
- Buenos Aires Physics Institute and Physics Department, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Fernando E. Rosas
- Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Science, Imperial College London, London SW7 2DD, UK;
- Data Science Institute, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Centre for Complexity Science, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Yonatan Sanz Perl
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina; (J.P.); (Y.S.P.); (E.T.)
- Departamento de Matemáticas y Ciencias, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires B1644BID, Argentina
| | - Enzo Tagliazucchi
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina; (J.P.); (Y.S.P.); (E.T.)
- Buenos Aires Physics Institute and Physics Department, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Deolindo CS, Ribeiro MW, Aratanha MA, Afonso RF, Irrmischer M, Kozasa EH. A Critical Analysis on Characterizing the Meditation Experience Through the Electroencephalogram. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 14:53. [PMID: 32848645 PMCID: PMC7427581 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2020.00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Meditation practices, originated from ancient traditions, have increasingly received attention due to their potential benefits to mental and physical health. The scientific community invests efforts into scrutinizing and quantifying the effects of these practices, especially on the brain. There are methodological challenges in describing the neural correlates of the subjective experience of meditation. We noticed, however, that technical considerations on signal processing also don't follow standardized approaches, which may hinder generalizations. Therefore, in this article, we discuss the usage of the electroencephalogram (EEG) as a tool to study meditation experiences in healthy individuals. We describe the main EEG signal processing techniques and how they have been translated to the meditation field until April 2020. Moreover, we examine in detail the limitations/assumptions of these techniques and highlight some good practices, further discussing how technical specifications may impact the interpretation of the outcomes. By shedding light on technical features, this article contributes to more rigorous approaches to evaluate the construct of meditation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mona Irrmischer
- Department of Integrative Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Amsterdam Neuroscience, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|