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Kumar G P, Panda R, Sharma K, Adarsh A, Annen J, Martial C, Faymonville ME, Laureys S, Sombrun C, Ganesan RA, Vanhaudenhuyse A, Gosseries O. Changes in high-order interaction measures of synergy and redundancy during non-ordinary states of consciousness induced by meditation, hypnosis, and auto-induced cognitive trance. Neuroimage 2024; 293:120623. [PMID: 38670442 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120623] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
High-order interactions are required across brain regions to accomplish specific cognitive functions. These functional interdependencies are reflected by synergistic information that can be obtained by combining the information from all the sources considered and redundant information (i.e., common information provided by all the sources). However, electroencephalogram (EEG) functional connectivity is limited to pairwise interactions thereby precluding the estimation of high-order interactions. In this multicentric study, we used measures of synergistic and redundant information to study in parallel the high-order interactions between five EEG electrodes during three non-ordinary states of consciousness (NSCs): Rajyoga meditation (RM), hypnosis, and auto-induced cognitive trance (AICT). We analyzed EEG data from 22 long-term Rajyoga meditators, nine volunteers undergoing hypnosis, and 21 practitioners of AICT. We here report the within-group changes in synergy and redundancy for each NSC in comparison with their respective baseline. During RM, synergy increased at the whole brain level in the delta and theta bands. Redundancy decreased in frontal, right central, and posterior electrodes in delta, and frontal, central, and posterior electrodes in beta1 and beta2 bands. During hypnosis, synergy decreased in mid-frontal, temporal, and mid-centro-parietal electrodes in the delta band. The decrease was also observed in the beta2 band in the left frontal and right parietal electrodes. During AICT, synergy decreased in delta and theta bands in left-frontal, right-frontocentral, and posterior electrodes. The decrease was also observed at the whole brain level in the alpha band. However, redundancy changes during hypnosis and AICT were not significant. The subjective reports of absorption and dissociation during hypnosis and AICT, as well as the mystical experience questionnaires during AICT, showed no correlation with the high-order measures. The proposed study is the first exploratory attempt to utilize the concepts of synergy and redundancy in NSCs. The differences in synergy and redundancy during different NSCs warrant further studies to relate the extracted measures with the phenomenology of the NSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Kumar G
- MILE Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Rajanikant Panda
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Centre du Cerveau, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Kanishka Sharma
- MILE Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - A Adarsh
- MILE Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Jitka Annen
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Centre du Cerveau, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Martial
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Centre du Cerveau, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville
- Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Arsene Bruny Integrated Oncological Center, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Steven Laureys
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Centre du Cerveau, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | | | - Ramakrishnan Angarai Ganesan
- MILE Lab, Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India; Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India
| | - Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse
- Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Algology Interdisciplinary Center, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- Coma Science Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA-Consciousness, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium; Centre du Cerveau, University Hospital of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
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2
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Grégoire C, Sombrun C, Lenaif P, Marie N, Giovine A, Walter M, Gosseries O, Vanhaudenhuyse A. Phenomenological characteristics of auto-induced cognitive trance and Mahorikatan ® trance. Neurosci Conscious 2024; 2024:niae024. [PMID: 38817828 PMCID: PMC11138962 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niae024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Trance states include various practices characterized by a modulation of consciousness, but with their own specific characteristics and induction techniques. They have been very seldom scientifically studied, and their phenomenological similarities and differences are poorly documented. This paper will focus on two types of Western trances developed after the leaders were trained in traditional shamanic communities: the auto-induced cognitive trance (AICT) and the Mahorikatan® trance (MT). Twenty-five AICT and 26 MT participants who were able to self-induce the trance state completed questionnaires about their trance practice (e.g. context of the first trance episode, frequency of practice, and consequences on personal life) and the phenomenological characteristics (i.e. emotional, physical, and cognitive) of the trance episodes they experienced. These characteristics were compared to explore similarities and differences between the two trance states. AICT and MT are characterized by the expression of different emotions, modification of various perceptions, a feeling of unicity (i.e. being completely oneself), and an expansion of consciousness. AICT participants commonly reported body movements, vocalizations, as well as increased creativity, visions of entities and/or places, and feeling of interaction with the environment. MT participants commonly reported a feeling of body dissolution. Most participants in both groups reported positive effects of their trance practice on their personal life. These results helped characterize AICT and MT, as well as their similarities and differences. Further studies should continue to explore the characteristics of such trance states, as well as their potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Grégoire
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 1, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Corine Sombrun
- TranceScience Research Institute, Rue de Monceau, 7bis, Paris 75008, France
| | - Philippe Lenaif
- The Call of Souls Project Foundation, Heid du Moulin, 9, Plainevaux 4122, Belgium
| | - Nolwenn Marie
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 1, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Aurélie Giovine
- Institute for the Analysis of Change in Contemporary and Historical Societies, Faculty of Economic, Social and Political Sciences and Communication, Catholic University of Louvain, Place Montesquieu, 1, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium
| | - Marion Walter
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 1, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 1, Liège 4000, Belgium
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l’Hôpital, 1, Liège 4000, Belgium
- Centre du cerveau2, CHU of Liège, Avenue de l’Hôpital, 1, Liège 4000, Belgium
| | - Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 1, Liège 4000, Belgium
- Algology Interdisciplinary Center, CHU of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 1, Liège 4000, Belgium
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3
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Oswald V, Vanhaudenhuyse A, Annen J, Martial C, Bicego A, Rousseaux F, Sombrun C, Harel Y, Faymonville ME, Laureys S, Jerbi K, Gosseries O. Autonomic nervous system modulation during self-induced non-ordinary states of consciousness. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15811. [PMID: 37737222 PMCID: PMC10516905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42393-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-induced cognitive trance (SICT) is a voluntary non-ordinary state of consciousness characterized by a lucid yet narrowed awareness of the external surroundings. It involves a hyper-focused immersive experience of flow, expanded inner imagery, modified somatosensory processing, and an altered perception of self and time. SICT is gaining attention due to its potential clinical applications. Similar states of non-ordinary state of consciousness, such as meditation, hypnosis, and psychedelic experiences, have been reported to induce changes in the autonomic nervous system. However, the functioning of the autonomic nervous system during SICT remains poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of SICT on the cardiac and respiratory signals of 25 participants proficient in SICT. To accomplish this, we measured various metrics of heart rate variability (HRV) and respiration rate variability (RRV) in three conditions: resting state, SICT, and a mental imagery task. Subsequently, we employed a machine learning framework utilizing a linear discriminant analysis classifier and a cross-validation scheme to identify the features that exhibited the best discrimination between these three conditions. The results revealed that during SICT, participants experienced an increased heart rate and a decreased level of high-frequency (HF) HRV compared to the control conditions. Additionally, specific increases in respiratory amplitude, phase ratio, and RRV were observed during SICT in comparison to the other conditions. These findings suggest that SICT is associated with a reduction in parasympathetic activity, indicative of a hyperarousal state of the autonomic nervous system during SICT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Oswald
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B34, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
- Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Département, University of Montréal, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B34, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
- Interdisciplinary Algology Center, CHU, University Hospital of Liège, B35, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Jitka Annen
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Charlotte Martial
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Aminata Bicego
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B34, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Floriane Rousseaux
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B34, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Yann Harel
- Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Département, University of Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville
- Interdisciplinary Algology Center, CHU, University Hospital of Liège, B35, Liège, Belgium
- Arsène Burny Center, Hospital of Liège University, Liège, Belgium
| | - Steven Laureys
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Centre du Cerveau, Hospital of Liège University, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B34, 4000, Liège, Belgium
- CERVO Research Institute, Laval University, Quebec, Canada
| | - Karim Jerbi
- Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Département, University of Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B34, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- Centre du Cerveau, Hospital of Liège University, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B34, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
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4
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Harry BB, Margulies DS, Falkiewicz M, Keller PE. Brain networks for temporal adaptation, anticipation, and sensory-motor integration in rhythmic human behavior. Neuropsychologia 2023; 183:108524. [PMID: 36868500 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
Human interaction often requires the precise yet flexible interpersonal coordination of rhythmic behavior, as in group music making. The present fMRI study investigates the functional brain networks that may facilitate such behavior by enabling temporal adaptation (error correction), prediction, and the monitoring and integration of information about 'self' and the external environment. Participants were required to synchronize finger taps with computer-controlled auditory sequences that were presented either at a globally steady tempo with local adaptations to the participants' tap timing (Virtual Partner task) or with gradual tempo accelerations and decelerations but without adaptation (Tempo Change task). Connectome-based predictive modelling was used to examine patterns of brain functional connectivity related to individual differences in behavioral performance and parameter estimates from the adaptation and anticipation model (ADAM) of sensorimotor synchronization for these two tasks under conditions of varying cognitive load. Results revealed distinct but overlapping brain networks associated with ADAM-derived estimates of temporal adaptation, anticipation, and the integration of self-controlled and externally controlled processes across task conditions. The partial overlap between ADAM networks suggests common hub regions that modulate functional connectivity within and between the brain's resting-state networks and additional sensory-motor regions and subcortical structures in a manner reflecting coordination skill. Such network reconfiguration might facilitate sensorimotor synchronization by enabling shifts in focus on internal and external information, and, in social contexts requiring interpersonal coordination, variations in the degree of simultaneous integration and segregation of these information sources in internal models that support self, other, and joint action planning and prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronson B Harry
- The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Daniel S Margulies
- Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Université de Paris, Paris, France; Max Planck Research Group for Neuroanatomy and Connectivity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marcel Falkiewicz
- Max Planck Research Group for Neuroanatomy and Connectivity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Peter E Keller
- The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia; Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University & The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Aarhus, Denmark.
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5
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Campbell B. Transcendental medication: The evolution of mind, culture, and healing. ChrisLynn, Routledge, 2022. 130 pp. Am J Hum Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Campbell
- Department of Anthropology University of Wisconsin‐Milwaukee Milwaukee Wisconsin USA
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Bruder J. The Algorithms of Mindfulness. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & HUMAN VALUES 2022; 47:291-313. [PMID: 35103028 PMCID: PMC8796153 DOI: 10.1177/01622439211025632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This paper analyzes notions and models of optimized cognition emerging at the intersections of psychology, neuroscience, and computing. What I somewhat polemically call the algorithms of mindfulness describes an ideal that determines algorithmic techniques of the self, geared at emotional resilience and creative cognition. A reframing of rest, exemplified in corporate mindfulness programs and the design of experimental artificial neural networks sits at the heart of this process. Mindfulness trainings provide cues as to this reframing, for they detail each in their own way how intermittent periods of rest are to be recruited to augment our cognitive capacities and combat the effects of stress and information overload. They typically rely on and co-opt neuroscience knowledge about what the brains of North Americans and Europeans do when we rest. Current designs for artificial neural networks draw on the same neuroscience research and incorporate coarse principles of cognition in brains to make machine learning systems more resilient and creative. These algorithmic techniques are primarily conceived to prevent psychopathologies where stress is considered the driving force of success. Against this backdrop, I ask how machine learning systems could be employed to unsettle the concept of pathological cognition itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Bruder
- Institute of Experimental Design and Media Cultures/Critical Media Lab, FHNW Academy of Art and Design, Basel, Switzerland
- Milieux - Institute for Arts, Culture, Technology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Grégoire C, Marie N, Sombrun C, Faymonville ME, Kotsou I, van Nitsen V, de Ribaucourt S, Jerusalem G, Laureys S, Vanhaudenhuyse A, Gosseries O. Hypnosis, Meditation, and Self-Induced Cognitive Trance to Improve Post-treatment Oncological Patients' Quality of Life: Study Protocol. Front Psychol 2022; 13:807741. [PMID: 35222195 PMCID: PMC8866821 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.807741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction A symptom cluster is very common among oncological patients: cancer-related fatigue (CRF), emotional distress, sleep difficulties, pain, and cognitive difficulties. Clinical applications of interventions based on non-ordinary states of consciousness, mostly hypnosis and meditation, are starting to be investigated in oncology settings. They revealed encouraging results in terms of improvements of these symptoms. However, these studies often focused on breast cancer patients, with methodological limitations (e.g., small sample size, no control group, and no follow-up). Another non-ordinary state of consciousness may also have therapeutic applications in oncology: self-induced cognitive trance (SICT). It seems to differ from hypnosis and meditation, as it involves the body more directly. Thus, investigating its clinical applications, along with hypnosis and meditation interventions, could improve available therapeutic options in oncology. This article details the study protocol of a preference-based longitudinal controlled superiority trial aiming to assess the effectiveness of 3 group interventions (hypnosis, meditation, and SICT) to improve oncological patients’ quality of life, and more specifically CRF, emotional distress, sleep, pain, and cognitive difficulties (primary outcomes). Methods and analysis A power analysis required a total sample of 160 patients. Main inclusion criteria are: cancer diagnosis, active treatments completed for less than a year, no practice of hypnosis, meditation, or SICT, and presence of at least one of these four symptoms: fatigue, sleep difficulties, depression, or anxiety. Each participant will choose the intervention in which they want to participate (hypnosis, mindful self-compassion meditation, SICT, or no intervention—control group). To test the effectiveness of the interventions, data will be collected by questionnaires and neurobiological measures and directly from the medical record at four time points: before inclusion in the study (baseline); immediately after the intervention; and at 3- and 12-month follow-up. The longitudinal data in each group will then be measured. Discussion In addition to standard cancer therapies, there is a growing interest from patients in complementary approaches, such as hypnosis, meditation, and SICT. The results of this study will be useful to increase knowledge about short- and long-term effectiveness of 3 group interventions for CRF, emotional distress, sleep, pain, and cognitive difficulties in patients with different cancers. Clinical Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov/ (NCT04873661). Retrospectively registered on the 29th of April 2021. url: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04873661
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Grégoire
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nolwenn Marie
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Arsène Burny Cancerology Institute, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Ilios Kotsou
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Free University of Brussels and Emergences Association, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Valérie van Nitsen
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Free University of Brussels and Emergences Association, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sybille de Ribaucourt
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Free University of Brussels and Emergences Association, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guy Jerusalem
- Medical Oncology Department, CHU Liège and University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Steven Laureys
- Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Centre du Cerveau2, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Algology Interdisciplinary Center, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Olivia Gosseries
- Sensation and Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Centre du Cerveau2, CHU Liège, Liège, Belgium
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8
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Rogerson RG, Barnstaple RE, DeSouza JFX. Neural Correlates of a Trance Process and Alternative States of Consciousness in a Traditional Healer. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11040497. [PMID: 33919770 PMCID: PMC8070722 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11040497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Trance processes are a form of altered states of consciousness (ASC) widely reported across cultures. Entering these states is often linked to auditory stimuli such as singing, chanting, or rhythmic drumming. While scientific research into this phenomenon is relatively nascent, there is emerging interest in investigating the neural correlates of altered states of consciousness such as trance. This report aims to add to this field of ASC through exploring how the perception of an experienced Sangoma (traditional South African healer) entering a trance process correlates to blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal modulation with auditory stimuli. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data were analyzed using a General Linear Model comparing music versus no music condition multiplied by the percept of experiencing trance (High or Low). Positive BOLD activation was shown in the auditory cortex in both hemispheres during a trance process. Other brain regions tightly correlated to trance perception were the right parietal, right frontal, and area prostriata (p < 0.05, Bonferroni corrected). The orbitofrontal cortex (part of the Default Mode Network) was negatively activated and most correlated with music when trance was high, showing the largest differential between high and low trance perception. This is the first study to directly correlate BOLD signal variations in an expert subject’s percept of trance onset and intensity, providing insight into the neural signature and dynamics of this unique form of ASC. Future studies should examine in greater detail the perception of trance processes in expert subjects, adding other neuroimaging modalities to further investigate how these brain regions are modulated by trance expertise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca G. Rogerson
- Centre for Vision Research and Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, York University, Toronto, ON M3P 1P3, Canada;
| | - Rebecca E. Barnstaple
- Centre for Vision Research, Department of Dance and Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, ON M3P 1P3, Canada;
- Centre for Vision Research, Department of Psychology, Biology, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Canadian Action and Perception Network-CAPnet, Vision Science to Application-VISTA, York University, Toronto, ON M3P 1P3, Canada
| | - Joseph FX DeSouza
- Centre for Vision Research, Department of Psychology, Biology, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Canadian Action and Perception Network-CAPnet, Vision Science to Application-VISTA, York University, Toronto, ON M3P 1P3, Canada
- Correspondence:
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9
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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.
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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
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10
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The multimodal Ganzfeld-induced altered state of consciousness induces decreased thalamo-cortical coupling. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18686. [PMID: 33122651 PMCID: PMC7596232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75019-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Different pharmacologic agents have been used to investigate the neuronal underpinnings of alterations in consciousness states, such as psychedelic substances. Special attention has been drawn to the role of thalamic filtering of cortical input. Here, we investigate the neuronal mechanisms underlying an altered state of consciousness (ASC) induced by a non-pharmacological procedure. During fMRI scanning, N = 19 human participants were exposed to multimodal Ganzfeld stimulation, a technique of perceptual deprivation where participants are exposed to intense, unstructured, homogenous visual and auditory stimulation. Compared to pre- and post-resting-state scans, the Ganzfeld data displayed a progressive decoupling of the thalamus from the cortex. Furthermore, the Ganzfeld-induced ASC was characterized by increased eigenvector centrality in core regions of the default mode network (DMN). Together, these findings can be interpreted as an imbalance of sensory bottom-up signaling and internally-generated top-down signaling. This imbalance is antithetical to psychedelic-induced ASCs, where increased thalamo-cortical coupling and reduced DMN activity were observed.
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Hoogeveen S, Snoek L, van Elk M. Religious belief and cognitive conflict sensitivity: A preregistered fMRI study. Cortex 2020; 129:247-265. [PMID: 32535377 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In the current preregistered fMRI study, we investigated the relationship between religiosity and behavioral and neural mechanisms of conflict processing, as a conceptual replication of the study by Inzlicht et al., (2009). Participants (N=193) performed a gender-Stroop task and afterwards completed standardized measures to assess their religiosity. As expected, the task induced cognitive conflict at the behavioral level and at a neural level this was reflected in increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, individual differences in religiosity were not related to performance on the Stroop task as measured in accuracy and interference effects, nor to neural markers of response conflict (correct responses vs. errors) or informational conflict (congruent vs. incongruent stimuli). Overall, we obtained moderate to strong evidence in favor of the null hypotheses that religiosity is unrelated to cognitive conflict sensitivity. We discuss the implications for the neuroscience of religion and emphasize the importance of designing studies that more directly implicate religious concepts and behaviors in an ecologically valid manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Hoogeveen
- University of Amsterdam, Department of Social Psychology, 1001, NK Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Lukas Snoek
- University of Amsterdam, Department of Brain and Cognition, 1001, NK Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Michiel van Elk
- University of Amsterdam, Department of Social Psychology, 1001, NK Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Hidalgo-Lopez E, Mueller K, Harris T, Aichhorn M, Sacher J, Pletzer B. Human menstrual cycle variation in subcortical functional brain connectivity: a multimodal analysis approach. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:591-605. [PMID: 31894405 PMCID: PMC7046575 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-02019-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that endogenous sex steroid changes affect human brain functional connectivity, which could be obtained by resting-state fMRI (RS-fMRI). Nevertheless, RS studies on the menstrual cycle (MC) are underrepresented and yield inconsistent results. We attribute these inconsistencies to the use of various methods in exploratory approaches and small sample sizes. Hormonal fluctuations along the MC likely elicit subtle changes that, however, may still have profound impact on network dynamics when affecting key brain nodes. To address these issues, we propose a ROI-based multimodal analysis approach focusing on areas of high functional relevance to adequately capture these changes. To that end, sixty naturally cycling women underwent RS-fMRI in three different cycle phases and we performed the following analyses: (1) group-independent component analyses to identify intrinsic connectivity networks, (2) eigenvector centrality (EC) as a measure of centrality in the global connectivity hierarchy, (3) amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) as a measure of oscillatory activity and (4) seed-based analyses to investigate functional connectivity from the ROIs. For (2)–(4), we applied a hypothesis-driven ROI approach in the hippocampus, caudate and putamen. In the luteal phase, we found (1) decreased intrinsic connectivity of the right angular gyrus with the default mode network, (2) heightened EC for the hippocampus, and (3) increased ALFF for the caudate. Furthermore, we observed (4) stronger putamen–thalamic connectivity during the luteal phase and stronger fronto-striatal connectivity during the pre-ovulatory phase. This hormonal modulation of connectivity dynamics may underlie behavioural, emotional and sensorimotor changes along the MC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esmeralda Hidalgo-Lopez
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Karsten Mueller
- Methods and Development Group Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - TiAnni Harris
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Markus Aichhorn
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Julia Sacher
- Research Group EGG (Emotions and neuroimaGinG)-Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 16, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria.
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Philips KH, Brintz CE, Moss K, Gaylord SA. Didgeridoo Sound Meditation for Stress Reduction and Mood Enhancement in Undergraduates: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Glob Adv Health Med 2019; 8:2164956119879367. [PMID: 31632840 PMCID: PMC6769210 DOI: 10.1177/2164956119879367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND College students report feeling frequently stressed, which adversely impacts health. Meditation is one effective method for reducing stress, but program length and required effort are potential obstacles. Research on sound meditation, involving focused listening to sounds, is nascent but may appeal to undergraduates. The effects of listening to didgeridoo, an Australian wind instrument producing a low, resonant, droning sound, have not been studied. OBJECTIVE This study compared the effect of a 30-minute didgeridoo sound meditation versus silent meditation with focus on one's breath on acute self-perceived stress and mood in undergraduates without prior meditation experience. METHODS Seventy-four undergraduates were randomized to 2 interventions: (1) didgeridoo meditation (n = 40) performed live by a musician or (2) silent meditation (n = 34) taught by a meditation instructor. Immediate pre-post effects of the session were examined using the 4-Dimension Mood Scale and an item assessing acute self-perceived stress. Intervention acceptability was assessed postintervention. RESULTS Two-way mixed analyses of variance were performed. Both groups reported significantly increased relaxation after meditation (Group D, P = .0001 and Group S, P = .0005). Both groups reported decreased negative arousal (Group D, P = .02 and Group S, P = .02), energy (Group D, P = .0001 and Group S, P = .003), tiredness (Group D, P = .0001 and Group S, P = .005), and acute stress (Group D, P = .0001 and Group S, P = .0007). Group Didgeridoo experienced significantly more relaxation (P = .01) and less acute stress (P = .03) than Group Silent. Fifty-three percent of silent participants and 80% of didgeridoo participants agreed that they would attend that type of meditation again. Forty-seven percent of silent participants and 80% of didgeridoo participants enjoyed the meditation. CONCLUSION Didgeridoo sound meditation is as effective as silent meditation for decreasing self-perceived negative arousal, tiredness, and energy and more effective than silent meditation for relaxation and acute stress in undergraduates. Didgeridoo meditation participants reported higher levels of enjoyment and higher likelihood of attending another session. Further investigation into didgeridoo and sound meditation is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamaira Hartley Philips
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Program on Integrative Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Carrie E Brintz
- Program on Integrative Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kevin Moss
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Susan A Gaylord
- Program on Integrative Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Zhang L, Luo L, Zhou Z, Xu K, Zhang L, Liu X, Tan X, Zhang J, Ye X, Gao J, Luo B. Functional Connectivity of Anterior Insula Predicts Recovery of Patients With Disorders of Consciousness. Front Neurol 2018; 9:1024. [PMID: 30555407 PMCID: PMC6283978 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: We hypothesize that the anterior insula is important for maintenance of awareness. Here, we explored the functional connectivity alterations of the anterior insula with changes in the consciousness level or over time in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) and determined potential correlation with clinical outcomes. Methods: We examined 20 participants (9 patients with DOC and 11 healthy controls). Each patient underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and a standardized Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) assessment on the same day. We categorized the patients according to the prognosis: those who emerged from a minimally conscious state (recovery group, n = 4) and those who remained in the unconscious state (unrecovery group, n = 5). Two rs-fMRI scans were obtained from all patients, and the second scan of patients in the recovery group was obtained after they regained consciousness. We performed seed-based fMRI analysis and selected the left ventral agranular insula (vAI) and dorsal agranular insula (dAI) as the regions of interest. Correlations with CRS-R were determined with the Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: Compared with healthy controls, the functional connectivity between dAI and gyrus rectus of patients who recovered was significantly increased (p < 0.001, cluster-wise family-wise error rate [FWER] < 0.05). The second rs-fMRI scan of patients who remained with DOC showed a significant decreased functional connectivity between the dAI to contralateral insula, pallidum, bilateral inferior parietal lobule (IPL), precentral gyrus, and middle cingulate cortex (p < 0.001, cluster-wise FWER < 0.05) as well as the functional connectivity between vAI to caudate and cingulum contrast to controls (p < 0.001, cluster-wise FWER < 0.05). Finally, the functional connectivity strength of dAI-temporal pole (Spearman r = 0.491, p < 0.05) and dAI-IPL (Spearman r = 0.579, p < 0.05) were positively correlated with CRS-R scores in all DOC patients. The connectivity of dAI-IPL was also positively correlated with clinical scores in the recovery group (Spearman r = 0.807, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the recovery of consciousness is associated with an increased connectivity of the dAI to IPL and temporal pole. This possibly highlights the role of the insula in human consciousness. Moreover, longitudinal variations in dAI-IPL and dAI-temporal pole connectivity may be potential hallmarks in the outcome prediction of DOC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lunjie Luo
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhen Zhou
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kaibin Xu
- Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Hangzhou Hospital of Zhejiang CAPR, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Department of Neurology and Brain Medical Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xufei Tan
- Department of Neurology and Brain Medical Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangming Ye
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Gao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Hangzhou Hospital of Zhejiang CAPR, Hangzhou, China
| | - Benyan Luo
- Department of Neurology and Brain Medical Centre, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Abstract
From the beginning of therapeutic research with psychedelics, music listening has been consistently used as a method to guide or support therapeutic experiences during the acute effects of psychedelic drugs. Recent findings point to the potential of music to support meaning-making, emotionality, and mental imagery after the administration of psychedelics, and suggest that music plays an important role in facilitating positive clinical outcomes of psychedelic therapy. This review explores the history of, contemporary research on, and future directions regarding the use of music in psychedelic research and therapy, and argues for more detailed and rigorous investigation of the contribution of music to the treatment of psychiatric disorders within the novel framework of psychedelic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick S Barrett
- a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit , Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore , MD , USA
| | - Katrin H Preller
- b Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics , University Hospital for Psychiatry Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.,c Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven , CT , USA
| | - Mendel Kaelen
- d Psychedelic Research Group, Department of Medicine , Imperial College London , London , UK.,e Wavepaths Ltd , London , UK
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Abstract
AbstractSingh's cultural evolutionary theory posits that methods of inducing shamanic altered states of consciousness differ, resulting in profoundly different cognitive states. We argue that, despite different methods of induction, altered states of consciousness share neurophysiological features and cause shared cognitive and behavioral effects. This common foundation enables further cross-cultural comparison of shamanic activities that is currently left out of Singh's theory.
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Abstract
Singh proposes a cultural evolutionary theory of shamanic practices, including trance. We argue that cultural factors are deeply intertwined with biological aspects in shaping shamanic practices, and the underlying biology is critical. We discuss the neural underpinnings of rhythm-induced trance, how they can facilitate insight, and how altered states can promote healing.
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Holt NJ. Using the experience-sampling method to examine the psychological mechanisms by which participatory art improves wellbeing. Perspect Public Health 2017; 138:55-65. [PMID: 29130867 DOI: 10.1177/1757913917739041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To measure the immediate impact of art-making in everyday life on diverse indices of wellbeing ('in the moment' and longer term) in order to improve understanding of the psychological mechanisms by which art may improve mental health. METHODS Using the experience-sampling method, 41 artists were prompted (with a 'beep' on a handheld computer) at random intervals (10 times a day, for one week) to answer a short questionnaire. The questionnaire tracked art-making and enquired about mood, cognition and state of consciousness. This resulted in 2,495 sampled experiences, with a high response rate in which 89% of questionnaires were completed. RESULTS Multi-level modelling was used to evaluate the impact of art-making on experience, with 2,495 'experiences' (experiential-level) nested within 41 participants (person-level). Recent art-making was significantly associated with experiential shifts: improvement in hedonic tone, vivid internal imagery and the flow state. Furthermore, the frequency of art-making across the week was associated with person-level measures of wellbeing: eudemonic happiness and self-regulation. Cross-level interactions, between experiential and person-level variables, suggested that hedonic tone improved more for those scoring low on eudemonic happiness, and further that, those high in eudemonic happiness were more likely to experience phenomenological features of the flow state and to experience inner dialogue while art-making. CONCLUSION Art-making has both immediate and long-term associations with wellbeing. At the experiential level, art-making affects multiple dimensions of conscious experience: affective, cognitive and state factors. This suggests that there are multiple routes to wellbeing (improving hedonic tone, making meaning through inner dialogue and experiencing the flow state). Recommendations are made to consider these factors when both developing and evaluating public health interventions that involve participatory art.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola J Holt
- Senior Lecturer, Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
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Mainieri AG, Peres JFP, Moreira-Almeida A, Mathiak K, Habel U, Kohn N. Neural correlates of psychotic-like experiences during spiritual-trance state. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2017; 266:101-107. [PMID: 28644996 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies indicate high levels of psychotic experiences in the general population. Here, we report a functional imaging study with 8 mentally healthy spiritual mediums and 8 matched controls. The mediums entered a mediumistic-trance state using a standardized manner by closing their eyes and actively seeking to ignore external and internal stimuli to achieve a 'state of emptiness'; in a control condition, they were instructed to re-enact the same mediumistic experience that they had during the mediumistic-trance condition but in a non-trance state (imaginative-trance). Both mediums and controls took part in a resting state session. The results indicate stronger activation in the lateral occipital cortex, posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), temporal pole, middle temporal gyrus and orbitofrontal cortex during the mediumistic-trance state. We also observe increased functional connectivity within auditory and sensorimotor Resting State Networks (RSN) during mediumistic-trance compared to resting and imaginative-trance conditions. Comparing spiritual mediums and controls, no differences in RSN were found. These data show preserved engagement of prefrontal cortex and connectivity of the default-mode network that indicate maintained introspective control over non-pathological psychotic-like experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Ghinato Mainieri
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; JARA - Translational Brain Medicine, Germany; Research Center in Spirituality and Health, Medical School, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Av. Eugênio do Nascimento s/nº, 36038-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil.
| | - Julio Fernando Prieto Peres
- PROSER, Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovídio Pires de Campos 785, 01060-970 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alexander Moreira-Almeida
- Research Center in Spirituality and Health, Medical School, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Av. Eugênio do Nascimento s/nº, 36038-330 Juiz de Fora, Brazil
| | - Klaus Mathiak
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Nils Kohn
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging, RadboudUMC, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Abstract
Shamans, including medicine men, mediums, and the prophets of religious movements, recur across human societies. Shamanism also existed among nearly all documented hunter-gatherers, likely characterized the religious lives of many ancestral humans, and is often proposed by anthropologists to be the "first profession," representing the first institutionalized division of labor beyond age and sex. In this article, I propose a cultural evolutionary theory to explain why shamanism consistently develops and, in particular, (1) why shamanic traditions exhibit recurrent features around the world; (2) why shamanism professionalizes early, often in the absence of other specialization; and (3) how shifting social conditions affect the form or existence of shamanism. According to this theory, shamanism is a set of traditions developed through cultural evolution that adapts to people's intuitions to convince observers that a practitioner can influence otherwise unpredictable, significant events. The shaman does this by ostensibly transforming during initiation and trance, violating folk intuitions of humanness to assure group members that he or she can interact with the invisible forces that control uncertain outcomes. Entry requirements for becoming a shaman persist because the practitioner's credibility depends on his or her "transforming." This contrasts with dealing with problems that have identifiable solutions (such as building a canoe), in which credibility hinges on showing results and outsiders can invade the jurisdiction by producing the outcome. Shamanism is an ancient human institution that recurs because of the capacity of cultural evolution to produce practices adapted to innate psychological tendencies.
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Flor-Henry P, Shapiro Y, Sombrun C. Brain changes during a shamanic trance: Altered modes of consciousness, hemispheric laterality, and systemic psychobiology. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2017.1313522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yakov Shapiro
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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van Elk M, Aleman A. Brain mechanisms in religion and spirituality: An integrative predictive processing framework. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 73:359-378. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Rhythmic entrainment as a musical affect induction mechanism. Neuropsychologia 2017; 96:96-110. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Revised: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Agres K, Herremans D, Bigo L, Conklin D. Harmonic Structure Predicts the Enjoyment of Uplifting Trance Music. Front Psychol 2017; 7:1999. [PMID: 28119641 PMCID: PMC5222838 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An empirical investigation of how local harmonic structures (e.g., chord progressions) contribute to the experience and enjoyment of uplifting trance (UT) music is presented. The connection between rhythmic and percussive elements and resulting trance-like states has been highlighted by musicologists, but no research, to our knowledge, has explored whether repeated harmonic elements influence affective responses in listeners of trance music. Two alternative hypotheses are discussed, the first highlighting the direct relationship between repetition/complexity and enjoyment, and the second based on the theoretical inverted-U relationship described by the Wundt curve. We investigate the connection between harmonic structure and subjective enjoyment through interdisciplinary behavioral and computational methods: First we discuss an experiment in which listeners provided enjoyment ratings for computer-generated UT anthems with varying levels of harmonic repetition and complexity. The anthems were generated using a statistical model trained on a corpus of 100 uplifting trance anthems created for this purpose, and harmonic structure was constrained by imposing particular repetition structures (semiotic patterns defining the order of chords in the sequence) on a professional UT music production template. Second, the relationship between harmonic structure and enjoyment is further explored using two computational approaches, one based on average Information Content, and another that measures average tonal tension between chords. The results of the listening experiment indicate that harmonic repetition does in fact contribute to the enjoyment of uplifting trance music. More compelling evidence was found for the second hypothesis discussed above, however some maximally repetitive structures were also preferred. Both computational models provide evidence for a Wundt-type relationship between complexity and enjoyment. By systematically manipulating the structure of chord progressions, we have discovered specific harmonic contexts in which repetitive or complex structure contribute to the enjoyment of uplifting trance music.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kat Agres
- Centre for Digital Music, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
| | - Dorien Herremans
- Centre for Digital Music, Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
| | - Louis Bigo
- Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique Paris, France
| | - Darrell Conklin
- Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHUSan Sebastián, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for ScienceBilbao, Spain
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