EEG Meditation Study: Gamma Synchrony Options

[Lao_Tzu]

See attachment... jargon-tolerant neuroscientists may be interested.

Brief abstract: "We tested some monks who were accomplished practitioners of compassion practices and measured their brainwaves. At first we thought our machines were broken, but then we realised they were all like that. Intense gamma activity across the board. Woah guy, this shit is for real."



Source: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/101/46/16369

[Joesus]

Although I can't seem to download the file, this idea is not new.
The TM group has done lots of research following Maslow and his research into the peak experience.
I was tested by a neurologist in Washington back in 97 using the meditation practice I use and the results were consistent with the information I am familiar with in that meditation reduces the analytical meandering and enhances the more intuitive functions that are more active in the dream states.


The statement made in the report that not much is known about what happens during the brain is synonymous with western science but not consistent with eastern spiritual sciences. The eastern spiritual teachings have been promoting what western science is just now learning about, for several centuries.

I think its great that western science has found the inclination to approach the mechanics of spirituality with a thought of some interest rather than outright condemnation and latent superstitious ignorance.

Well, some western sciences anyway.....

[Orbz]

Although I can't seem to download the file

The article is available open access from the PNAS website.

This article's methods are similar to the methods I'm incorporating into my studies, which is how I originally knew about the article. I like it because most previous EEG research into meditation has merely shown that people's brain wave's get slower, which is the equivalent of falling asleep. But this is not what meditation is and more happens in meditation than falling asleep. I suppose EEG research had to wait for new methods of EEG analysis to show that there is more going on neurophysiologically during meditation than just slower predominant EEG frequencies. We were stuck with alpha, beta, theta and delta emphasis for a long time, research in the last decade or so is now also starting to focus on gamma frequencies. Gamma synchronous activity is quite interesting, and it seems to fit a lot of requirements for some aspects of consicousness i.e. it's reasonably fast and temporally precise, so it serves as good coding for linking separate parts of the brain together so that we can experience 'things' as one cohesive 'bit'. It may underlie a whole host of experiential phenomena. It may not.

[Lao_Tzu]

Very interesting, Orbz, thank you...