ArticlePDF Available

Analysis of Neuro Cognitive Effects on Meditation

Authors:
Tanya Susan Mathews
Tanya Susan Mathews
Tanya Susan Mathews
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Yeshaswini Nagaraj at University of Groningen | University Medical College Groningen
Yeshaswini Nagaraj
  • University of Groningen | University Medical College Groningen
Karthika Kumaran
Karthika Kumaran
Karthika Kumaran
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Download full-text PDF
Read full-text
Download citation

Abstract and Figures

An effort was made to analyze the cerebral electrical activity of fifteen meditators by means of EEG recordings. The Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a physiological electrical signal recorded from the scalp to study the brain function. EEG is recorded before and after meditation inside and outside the pyramid.EEG after Meditation may provide an access to the mental states beyond normal consciousness. It is an attempt to score the meditation course by studying the variation in EEG parameters. Many of the previous referred papers have no indication of quantitative analysis. Our aim is to do the quantitative and qualitative analysis. We conducted a study of EEG patterns of 15 subjects who were made to meditate under pyramid. The first set of data was taken prior to meditation and the second set of data was taken after the meditation inside the pyramid.. The EEG signal consists of five bands namely, Alpha (8-12 Hz), Beta (12-30 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), Delta (0.5-4Hz) and Gamma above 30Hz. The EEG is acquired using BIOPAC Student Lab with suitably placed silver/silver chloride electrodes to study the effects of meditation on rhythms of subjects EEG.
Figures - uploaded by Yeshaswini Nagaraj
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by Yeshaswini Nagaraj
Content may be subject to copyright.
Content uploaded by Yeshaswini Nagaraj
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Yeshaswini Nagaraj on Aug 20, 2015
Content may be subject to copyright.
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 36– No.1, December 2011
6
Analysis of Neuro Cognitive Effects on Meditation
Vijayalakshmi.K
Department of Medical
Electronics, BMS College of
Engineering, Bangalore
Mamatha B. V, Tanya
Susan Mathews
Department of Medical
Electronics, BMS College of
Engineering, Bangalore
Yashashwini Nagaraj,
Karthika Kumaran
Department of Medical
Electronics, BMS College of
Engineering, Bangalore
ABSTRACT
An effort was made to analyze the cerebral electrical activity
of fifteen meditators by means of EEG recordings. The
Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a physiological electrical
signal recorded from the scalp to study the brain function.
EEG is recorded before and after meditation inside and
outside the pyramid.EEG after Meditation may provide an
access to the mental states beyond normal consciousness. It is
an attempt to score the meditation course by studying the
variation in EEG parameters.
Many of the previous referred papers have no indication of
quantitative analysis. Our aim is to do the quantitative and
qualitative analysis. We conducted a study of EEG patterns of
15 subjects who were made to meditate under pyramid. The
first set of data was taken prior to meditation and the second
set of data was taken after the meditation inside the pyramid..
The EEG signal consists of five bands namely, Alpha (8-12
Hz), Beta (12-30 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), Delta (0.5-4Hz) and
Gamma above 30Hz. The EEG is acquired using BIOPAC
Student Lab with suitably placed silver/silver chloride
electrodes to study the effects of meditation on rhythms of
subjects EEG.
Keywords
EEG, meditation, data acquisition, alpha waves, beta waves,
theta waves, delta waves.
1. INTRODUCTION
Meditation process reflects a brain state completely differing
from the normal consciousness or the sleep states. Meditation
usually refers to a state of extreme relaxation and
concentration, in which the body is generally at rest and the
mind quieted of surface thoughts .Some people use repetitive
activities such as deep breathing, humming or chanting to help
induce a meditative state. Meditation is being used
extensively
in health care in relieving a person from stress and pain.
Meditation is known for reducing heart rate and blood
pressure of a person. This is practiced as a brief and practical
self help stress management strategy. It also helps in the
regulation of metabolism by lowering the biochemical
byproducts of stress. [1][2]
1.1 About Pyramid Valley
Pyramid Valley is located on Kanakapura Road 35Km south
of Bengaluru, India. It is located amidst natural rocks, hills
and water bodies. It is an ideal place for a person to relax and
be one with nature. The main attraction of the Pyramid Valley
is the Maitreya- Buddha Pyramid. Maitreya- Buddha Pyramid
stands 104 ft tall, within a campus of 40 acre. With a capacity
of 5,000 people, it is the World’s Largest Pyramid built solely
for practicing intensive meditation. It has a base area of 160ft.
x 160ft. and is as tall as a ten storied building at 104ft. height.
This Pyramid is constructed on the principles of Giza
Pyramid, oriented exactly in the North – South direction,
having the golden angle of inclination at 51° 51’ and the
King’s Chamber located at the center at 1/3rd the height of the
Pyramid.
Fig 1: Maitreya- Buddha Pyramid
1.2 Information on EEG bands:
ALPHA:
Alpha is the frequency range from 8 Hz to 12 Hz, seen in the
posterior regions of the head on both sides, higher in
amplitude on the dominant side. It emerges with closing of the
eyes and with relaxation, and attenuates with eye opening or
mental exertion. The posterior basic rhythm is actually slower
than 8 Hz in young children.
BETA:
Beta is the frequency range from 12 Hz to about 30 Hz. It is
seen usually on both sides in symmetrical distribution and is
most evident frontally. Low amplitude beta with multiple and
varying frequencies is often associated with active, busy or
anxious thinking and active concentration. It is the dominant
rhythm in subjects who are alert or anxious or who have their
eyes open.
DELTA:
Delta is the frequency range up to 4 Hz. It tends to be the
highest in amplitude and the slowest waves. It is seen
normally in adults in slow wave sleep. It is also seen normally
in babies.
THETA:
Theta is the frequency range from 4 Hz to 7 Hz. Theta is seen
normally in young children. It may be seen in drowsiness or
arousal in older children and adults; it can also be seen in
meditation.
GAMMA:
Gamma is the frequency range approximately 30–100 Hz.
Gamma rhythms are thought to represent binding of different
populations of neurons together into a network for the purpose
of carrying out a certain motor function.
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 36– No.1, December 2011
7
2. DATA ACQUISITION
Recording is done using BIOPAC with a 4 channel Data
acquisition system, A/D conversion of 24 bits, sampling
frequency of 256 Hz, inbuilt filter setting options and self
calibration mechanism. The data acquisition system can be
connected to a personal Computer via USB. The SS2L
electrodes and transducers which receive the signals employ
sensors that allow the software to communicate with the
subjects. SS2L leads having electrodes were connected to
channel 1 of BIOPAC [1].
2.1 Data Acquisition Electrode Placement
Three electrodes were placed on the subjects scalp. The first
electrode was placed on the ear lobe (ground), second on the
occipital lobe (negative) and the third on the parietal lobe
(positive).
Fig 2: BIOPAC Data Acquisition System
3. RECORDING SYSTEM SETUP AND
METHODS
Fifteen subjects were considered in the age group from 19 -45
yrs, both male and female. The setup consisted of a PC,
BIOPAC Student Lab using 24 bits A/D converter,
headphones and suitable disposable pre-gelled EEG
electrodes.
Subjects were made to meditate for twenty minutes inside the
pyramid valley, after which the EEG is recorded using
BIOPAC. During the recording process subjects were made to
relax with their eyes closed and the readings were taken for
30seconds. The electrodes were secured to their positions
using a swimming cap. The room was kept quite to help the
subject relax mentally. First the calibration procedure was
carried out to establish the hardware's internal parameters
such as gain, offset and scaling. Calibration is critical for
optical performance. Then the recording of the EEG signal
was done. This procedure was followed for each of the
subjects, both before and after meditation at the pyramid
valley.
Fig 3: Shows the recording setup and EEG recorded after
20 minutes of meditation
4. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Statistical analysis is carried out in Time domain, Using BSL
Pro software. Two parameters mean and Standard deviation
was studied. [3]-[5]
Mean: Mean is the average of set of readings.
=
=1
Standard Deviation: Standard deviation is a statistical measure
of spread or variability. The standard deviation is the root
mean square (RMS) deviation of the values from their
arithmetic mean.
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 36– No.1, December 2011
8
5. RESULTS
Fig 4: Plot of variation in mean of Alpha wave
Fig 5: Plot of variation in Standard Deviation in alpha wave
Fig 6: Plot of variation in Mean of theta wave.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Subject 1
Subject 2
Subject 3
Subject 4
Subject 5
Subject 6
Subject 7
Subject 8
Subject 9
Subject 10
Subject 11
Subject 12
Subject 13
Subject 14
Subject 15
Std Deviation before
Meditation(uV)
Std Dev after Meditation(uV)
-0.03
-0.02
-0.01
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
MEAN BEFORE (uV)
-0.015
-0.01
-0.005
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
MEAN Before Meditation (uV)
MEAN after Meditation(uV)
International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887)
Volume 36– No.1, December 2011
9
Fig 7: Plot of variation in Std Deviation of theta wave
6. CONCLUSION
The variation in mean and standard deviation of Alpha and
theta waves are Analyzed.
From the analysis we observed that the Mean value of alpha
wave for thirteen subjects showed an increase whereas two
subjects showed a decrease After Meditation. That is 86.67%
of the subjects showed an increase while 13.33% of the
subjects showed a decrease in alpha activity. The amplitude of
theta parameters for 14 subjects showed an increase which
accounts for 93.34% while 1 subject showed a decrease which
accounts for 6.66%. Also amplitude of delta shows an
increase of 73.34% and a decrease of 26.67%.Thus increase in
the Alpha and Theta parameters showed the suggestive of
relaxation after meditation.
Scope and Advantages of Meditation from the literature are;
the mental exercise of meditation is especially beneficial for
people with high blood pressure. Indulging in meditation
helps the body fight against chronic diseases, like arthritis.
Meditation lowers the risk of high cholesterol levels and
cardiovascular diseases. Those who meditate on a regular
basis develop immunity against various kinds of allergies.
Meditating improves the flow of air to the lungs. It may also
increase the lung capacity, if done on a regular basis.
Meditation provides significant relief from various breathing
problems, like asthma. A person who indulges in meditation,
regularly, has a better control on his/her mood swings and
behavior. In this analysis four channel data acquisition system
is used. For better analysis 16 channel data acquisition system
with 10-20 electrode system can be used. Larger numbers of
subjects need to be studied to define these changes further.
[6][7]
7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We extend our gratitude towards Brahmarshri Patriji, the
founder and chairman of Pyramid Spiritual Societies
Movement, Hyderabad for giving permission for our studies.
.We would also like to thank Mr. P.S.R.K.Prasad founder of
Akiveedu Pyramid Spiritual Society, Bangalore.
We would like to acknowledge all the subjects for their
voluntary participation in a three day meditation course and
the data acquisition process.
8. REFERENCES
[1] Vijayalakshmi.K “Estimation of Effects of Alpha Music
on EEG Parameters by time and frequency domain
Analysis” .IEEE Indexed conference. International
Conference on Computer & Communication
Engineering. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 2010.
[2] Kabat-Zinn, Jon; Lipworth L, Burney R. (1985). "The
clinical use of mindfulness meditation for the self-
regulation of chronic pain". Journal of Behavioral
Medicine 8 (2): 163–190.
[3] Ospina MB, Bond TK, Karkhaneh M, Tjosvold L,
Vandermeer B, Liang Y, Bialy L, Hooton N, Buscemi N,
Dryden DM, Klassen TP. "Meditation Practices for
Health: State of the Research". Evidence
Report/Technology Assessment No. 155. (Prepared by
the University of Alberta Evidence-based Practice Center
under Contract No. 290-02-0023.) AHRQ Publication
No. 07-E010. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare
Research and Quality. June 2007.
[4] Barlow, J. S. (1985). Methods of analysis of nonstationary
EEGs, witemphasis on segmentation techniques: A
comparative review. Clinical Neurophysiology, 2, 267–
304.
[5] Buchheld, N., Grossman, P., & Walach, H. (2001).
Measuring mindfulnessin insight meditation (Vipassana)
and meditation-based psychotherapy: The development
of the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). Journalfor
Meditation and Meditation Research, 1, 11–34.
[6] West, M. A. (1980a). Meditation and the EEG.
Psychological Medicine,10, 369 –375
[7] Delmonte, M. M. (1984a). Electrocortical activity and
related phenomena associated with meditation practice:
A literature review. International Journal of
Neuroscience, 24, 217–231.
-0.08
-0.06
-0.04
-0.02
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
Std deviation before(uV)
Std deviation after (uV)
... Vijayalakshmi et al. [141] conducted an EEG study of 15 subjects who were instructed to meditate under the Maitreya-Buddha pyramid (India), the largest in the world built on the principles of the Giza pyramid exclusively for intensive meditation practice. EEG data were recorded both before and after the meditation inside the pyramid and the variation of the mean and standard deviation of α-and θ-waves were analyzed. ...
... Accordingly, Oomen et al. [146] did not observe significant changes in expression of GSR in response to a singing bowl sound projected in different room sizes. In the present study, we observe that different geometrical shapes of the room evoke distinct differences in arousal, as also confirmed by previous studies [141][142], and this effect is pronounced independent of the stimulus type. In contrast, effects related to room size were consistently found to be stimulus-dependent in previous studies [145][146]. ...
Resonant Phenomena of Sound Waves and their Expression in Physiology
Preprint
  • Jun 2024
Music and sounds activate numerous physiological effects associated with the functioning of the autonomic nervous system and involved in the maintenance of homeostasis. As such, sound interventions can play an important role in supporting human wellbeing. Physiological responses are dependent on the sound type and frequency, as well as the spatial conditions and the presence of the subject in the acoustic environment. To arrive at a more articulate understanding of these dependencies, response of subjects (n=44) to sound reproduction of two different singing bowls with fundamental frequencies at 73 Hz and 110 Hz in spatial projection of nine different geometric shapes were monitored by acoustic and physiological measurement. Contrary to other studies, we find no discrete effects related to the sound type or frequency. Observed effects indicating focused attention, relaxation and improved homeostasis were consistently dependent on the combination of sound frequency and spatial condition. Notably, we observe that the 73 Hz stimulus induced significant changes in the Gamma band of Electroencephalography (EEG) in projection of a Tetrahedron and Cube, while the 110 Hz stimulus induced significant changes in the Theta and Beta bands for the same shapes. Discrete effects of spatial shapes were observed in the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) of subjects. Arousal was significantly decreased during projection of a Cube, Icosahedron and Dodecahedron and significantly increased during Pyramid, Tetrahedron and Sphere, regardless of the frequency. Discrete effects of stimulus duration were observed in GSR and Electromyography (EMG) of subjects, regardless of the frequency and spatial condition. Arousal and muscle tension were significantly increased during the first 15 minutes and decreased until 40 minutes of exposure. We observe highly significant deviations in projected sound waves in the presence of a subject. The localized amplitude difference of sound waves was highly correlated to localization and power of significant changes in brain activity of subjects, while the phase shift of sound wave frequency was predictive of the frequency of brain activity. Significant expressions of Heart Rate (HR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) of subjects were highly correlated to the mean, variability and standard deviation of amplitude difference and phase shift of the fundamental frequency and the average across frequencies. We present a model in the form of a transfer function that accurately predicts various physiological expressions in response to sound stimuli on the basis of observed sound wave deviations. We discuss the benefits of such a model and the future work necessary to develop the model to its full predictive capacity.
View
... Vijayalakshmi et al. [141] conducted an EEG study of 15 subjects who were instructed to meditate under the Maitreya-Buddha pyramid (India), the largest in the world built on the principles of the Giza pyramid exclusively for intensive meditation practice. EEG data were recorded both before and after the meditation inside the pyramid and the variation of the mean and standard deviation of α-and θ-waves were analyzed. ...
... Accordingly, Oomen et al. [146] did not observe significant changes in expression of GSR in response to a singing bowl sound projected in different room sizes. In the present study, we observe that different geometrical shapes of the room evoke distinct differences in arousal, as also confirmed by previous studies [141][142], and this effect is pronounced independent of the stimulus type. In contrast, effects related to room size were consistently found to be stimulus-dependent in previous studies [145][146]. ...
Resonant Phenomena of Sound Waves and their Expression in Physiology
Preprint
Full-text available
  • May 2024
Music and sounds activate numerous physiological effects associated with the functioning of the autonomic nervous system and involved in the maintenance of homeostasis. As such, sound interventions can play an important role in supporting human wellbeing. Physiological responses are dependent on the sound type and frequency, as well as the spatial conditions and the presence of the subject in the acoustic environment. To arrive at a more articulate understanding of these dependencies, response of subjects (n=44) to sound reproduction of two different singing bowls with fundamental frequencies at 73 Hz and 110 Hz in spatial projection of nine different geometric shapes were monitored by acoustic and physiological measurement. Contrary to other studies, we find no discrete effects related to the sound type or frequency. Observed effects indicating focused attention, relaxation and improved homeostasis were consistently dependent on the combination of sound frequency and spatial condition. Notably, we observe that the 73 Hz stimulus induced significant changes in the Gamma band of Electroencephalography (EEG) in projection of a Tetrahedron and Cube, while the 110 Hz stimulus induced significant changes in the Theta and Beta bands for the same shapes. Discrete effects of spatial shapes were observed in the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) of subjects. Arousal was significantly decreased during projection of a Cube, Icosahedron and Dodecahedron and significantly increased during Pyramid, Tetrahedron and Sphere, regardless of the frequency. Discrete effects of stimulus duration were observed in GSR and Electromyography (EMG) of subjects, regardless of the frequency and spatial condition. Arousal and muscle tension were significantly increased during the first 15 minutes and decreased until 40 minutes of exposure. We observe highly significant deviations in projected sound waves in the presence of a subject. The localized amplitude difference of sound waves was highly correlated to localization and power of significant changes in brain activity of subjects, while the phase shift of sound wave frequency was predictive of the frequency of brain activity. Significant expressions of Heart Rate (HR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) of subjects were highly correlated to the mean, variability and standard deviation of amplitude difference and phase shift of the fundamental frequency and the average across frequencies. We present a model in the form of a transfer function that accurately predicts various physiological expressions in response to sound stimuli on the basis of observed sound wave deviations. We discuss the benefits of such a model and the future work necessary to develop the model to its full predictive capacity.
View
... The EEG patterns were studied for 15 people, where a set of measurements outside the pyramid was taken before meditating and compared with same set of measurements after meditating inside the pyramid. The analysis of the results showed an increase in the Mean value of alpha brain waves for 13 people, while it decreased for only 2 people, and the amplitude of "Theta" brain waves showed an increase for 14 people, while it decreased for only one person, therefore the increase in both Alpha and Theta brain waves reflecting a state of relaxation after practicing meditation inside the pyramid compared to the meditation outside it, which confirms the effect of the pyramid on the brain's state [33]. ...
View
... The EEG patterns were studied for 15 people, where a set of measurements outside the pyramid was taken before meditating and compared with same set of measurements after meditating inside the pyramid. The analysis of the results showed an increase in the Mean value of alpha brain waves for 13 people, while it decreased for only 2 people, and the amplitude of "Theta" brain waves showed an increase for 14 people, while it decreased for only one person, therefore the increase in both Alpha and Theta brain waves reflecting a state of relaxation after practicing meditation inside the pyramid compared to the meditation outside it, which confirms the effect of the pyramid on the brain's state [33]. ...
Impact of the place on human health during pandemic and methods to enhance
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2022
The spread of Covid-19 worldwide pushed many governments to impose curfews on citizens, that lead a major number of people to stay longer times at certain places in their homes. This is descriptive research, as this paper demonstrates the possibility of impact of the place on its occupant’s health, also it reviews the literature to present a framework to deal with that case in the future, whether there is a need for a new building or for just some modifications in existing ones. The research results showed that there is a certain impact of the place on the human physical and mental health, which results from one or both, the natural earth electromagnetic field and the shape design and proportions. In conclusion there are many methods and theories to deal with the energies of the place that have a negative impact on humans, one of them is to apply a regulatory energy that eliminates the negative impact of the existing energies, whether natural or artificial.
View
View
Electrocortical Activity and Related Phenomena Associated with Meditation Practice: A Literature Review
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 1984
The state effects of meditation appear to include decreased electrocortical arousal. There is also evidence that meditators more readily demonstrate alpha and theta activity than nonmeditators, even when not meditating. It is not clear whether prospective meditators as a group already possessed this characteristic, or whether the state effects of meditation practice eventually generalize to become traits. However, certain individuals, namely the psychologically "healthy" and those with a capacity for relaxed absorbed attention, appear to be more favourably disposed to meditation. Meditators appear to show both stronger orienting and recovery responses to stressors while meditating than controls. Meditation practice may begin with left hemisphere type activity, which gives way to functioning more characteristic of the right hemisphere. However, it appears that during advanced meditation ("no thought") both left and right hemisphere activity are largely inhibited or suspended. Depending on the individual, inexperienced meditators may report sleep, hypnogogic reverie, trance or abreaction during practice. The evidence to date does not support the notion of unique state effects associated with the practice of meditation.
View
Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research
Article
Full-text available
  • Jul 2007
To review and synthesize the state of research on a variety of meditation practices, including: the specific meditation practices examined; the research designs employed and the conditions and outcomes examined; the efficacy and effectiveness of different meditation practices for the three most studied conditions; the role of effect modifiers on outcomes; and the effects of meditation on physiological and neuropsychological outcomes. Comprehensive searches were conducted in 17 electronic databases of medical and psychological literature up to September 2005. Other sources of potentially relevant studies included hand searches, reference tracking, contact with experts, and gray literature searches. A Delphi method was used to develop a set of parameters to describe meditation practices. Included studies were comparative, on any meditation practice, had more than 10 adult participants, provided quantitative data on health-related outcomes, and published in English. Two independent reviewers assessed study relevance, extracted the data and assessed the methodological quality of the studies. Five broad categories of meditation practices were identified (Mantra meditation, Mindfulness meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong). Characterization of the universal or supplemental components of meditation practices was precluded by the theoretical and terminological heterogeneity among practices. Evidence on the state of research in meditation practices was provided in 813 predominantly poor-quality studies. The three most studied conditions were hypertension, other cardiovascular diseases, and substance abuse. Sixty-five intervention studies examined the therapeutic effect of meditation practices for these conditions. Meta-analyses based on low-quality studies and small numbers of hypertensive participants showed that TM(R), Qi Gong and Zen Buddhist meditation significantly reduced blood pressure. Yoga helped reduce stress. Yoga was no better than Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction at reducing anxiety in patients with cardiovascular diseases. No results from substance abuse studies could be combined. The role of effect modifiers in meditation practices has been neglected in the scientific literature. The physiological and neuropsychological effects of meditation practices have been evaluated in 312 poor-quality studies. Meta-analyses of results from 55 studies indicated that some meditation practices produced significant changes in healthy participants. Many uncertainties surround the practice of meditation. Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. Future research on meditation practices must be more rigorous in the design and execution of studies and in the analysis and reporting of results.
View
Methods of analysis of nonstationary EEGs, with emphasis on segmentation techniques: a comparative review
Article
  • Jul 1985
  • J CLIN NEUROPHYSIOL
Methods for analysis of nonstationary EEGs, that is, EEGs whose patterns undergo changes with time (e.g., alpha blocking, paroxysmal slow waves, onset of drowsiness/sleep, but excluding spikes/sharp waves) are reviewed. The concepts of stationarity and nonstationarity, and general techniques for their evaluation, are discussed. Simpler methods for monitoring for nonstationarity include running determinations of average amplitude and average period or interval. Piecewise stationary analysis includes characterization, by spectra obtained by fast Fourier transform or by autoregressive modeling, of sections of EEGs preselected to be stationary. In Kalman filtering, the autoregressive model itself becomes time-varying. Segmentation of the EEG into stationary lengths can be carried out on a fixed-interval basis (i.e., of successive, e.g., 1-s intervals), with clustering (grouping) or classification according to the features (e.g., spectra) of each interval, and concatenation of adjacent similar intervals. Alternatively, in adaptive (variable-interval) segmentation, the EEG is continuously monitored automatically for any significant departure from stationarity, and segment boundaries are placed accordingly. A number of applications of the various methods are included, with examples of succinct summary displays. Problems and prospects are discussed.
View
Estimation of effects of Alpha music on EEG components by time and frequency domain analysis
Article
  • May 2010
The acute central system effects of relaxation techniques have not been systematically studied. We conducted a study of the EEG patterns of 10 subjects who were given an audio stimulus of Alpha music. The EEG is acquired using BIOPAC Student Lab with suitably placed silver/silver chloride electrodes to study the effects of Alpha music on Alpha and Beta rhythms of the subjects EEG. Research shows Alpha waves are predominantly observed in healthy relaxed individuals. Since anxiety and stress are major emotional contents of human beings, the goal of this experiment is to assess the means of relaxation and concentration using Alpha music, which influence the alpha and beta rhythms significantly. For each subject, three EEG recordings were taken. One before the alpha music stimulus, one after 6 minutes of Alpha music and the last towards the end of alpha music. There was an increase in the maximum amplitudes of Alpha waves either after 6 minutes or after 12 minutes of alpha music. However, the maximum amplitude of beta waves showed a decline of up to 40% from the initial value. The standard deviation of both Alpha and Beta waves are almost stable between the mid and final recording. These results, namely, the increase in Alpha activity and decrease in Beta activity indicate that subjects experience `relaxed alertness'. Under the influence of Alpha music, subjects reported a dramatic reduction in feelings of stress and an increased sense of physical relaxation compared to normal state.
View
Meditation and the EEG
Article
  • May 1980
  • PSYCHOL MED
SYNOPSIS Previous research on meditation and the EEG is described, and findings relating to EEG patterns during meditation are discussed. Comparisons of meditation with other altered states are reviewed and it is concluded that, on the basis of existing EEG evidence, there is some reason for differentiating between meditation and drowsing. Research on alpha-blocking and habituation of the blocking response during meditation is reviewed, and the effects of meditation on EEG patterns outside of meditation are described. In conclusion, the need for more precisely formulated research is pointed out.
View
The Clinical Use of Mindfulness Meditation for the Self-Regulation of Chronic Pain
Article
  • Jul 1985
Ninety chronic pain patients were trained in mindfulness meditation in a 10-week Stress Reduction and Relaxation Program. Statistically significant reductions were observed in measures of present-moment pain, negative body image, inhibition of activity by pain, symptoms, mood disturbance, and psychological symptomatology, including anxiety and depression. Pain-related drug utilization decreased and activity levels and feelings of self-esteem increased. Improvement appeared to be independent of gender, source of referral, and type of pain. A comparison group of pain patients did not show significant improvement on these measures after traditional treatment protocols. At follow-up, the improvements observed during the meditation training were maintained up to 15 months post-meditation training for all measures except present-moment pain. The majority of subjects reported continued high compliance with the meditation practice as part of their daily lives. The relationship of mindfulness meditation to other psychological methods for chronic pain control is discussed.
View
Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research (Prepared by the University of Alberta Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-02-0023.) AHRQ Publication No. 07-E010
  • Jul 2007
  • Mb Ospina
  • Tk Bond
  • M Karkhaneh
  • L Tjosvold
  • B Vandermeer
  • Y Liang
  • L Bialy
  • N Hooton
  • N Buscemi
  • Dm Dryden
  • Tp Klassen
Ospina MB, Bond TK, Karkhaneh M, Tjosvold L, Vandermeer B, Liang Y, Bialy L, Hooton N, Buscemi N, Dryden DM, Klassen TP. "Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research". Evidence Report/Technology Assessment No. 155. (Prepared by the University of Alberta Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-02-0023.) AHRQ Publication No. 07-E010. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. June 2007.
Estimation of Effects of Alpha Music on EEG Parameters by time and frequency domain Analysis
  • May 2010
  • Vijayalakshmi
Vijayalakshmi.K "Estimation of Effects of Alpha Music on EEG Parameters by time and frequency domain Analysis".IEEE Indexed conference. International Conference on Computer & Communication Engineering. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, May 2010.