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Published in: Brain Topography 3/2009

01-11-2009 | Original Paper

Meditators and Non-Meditators: EEG Source Imaging During Resting

Authors: Shisei Tei, Pascal L. Faber, Dietrich Lehmann, Takuya Tsujiuchi, Hiroaki Kumano, Roberto D. Pascual-Marqui, Lorena R. R. Gianotti, Kieko Kochi

Published in: Brain Topography | Issue 3/2009

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Abstract

Many meditation exercises aim at increased awareness of ongoing experiences through sustained attention and at detachment, i.e., non-engaging observation of these ongoing experiences by the intent not to analyze, judge or expect anything. Long-term meditation practice is believed to generalize the ability of increased awareness and greater detachment into everyday life. We hypothesized that neuroplasticity effects of meditation (correlates of increased awareness and detachment) would be detectable in a no-task resting state. EEG recorded during resting was compared between Qigong meditators and controls. Using LORETA (low resolution electromagnetic tomography) to compute the intracerebral source locations, differences in brain activations between groups were found in the inhibitory delta EEG frequency band. In the meditators, appraisal systems were inhibited, while brain areas involved in the detection and integration of internal and external sensory information showed increased activation. This suggests that neuroplasticity effects of long-term meditation practice, subjectively described as increased awareness and greater detachment, are carried over into non-meditating states.
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Metadata
Title
Meditators and Non-Meditators: EEG Source Imaging During Resting
Authors
Shisei Tei
Pascal L. Faber
Dietrich Lehmann
Takuya Tsujiuchi
Hiroaki Kumano
Roberto D. Pascual-Marqui
Lorena R. R. Gianotti
Kieko Kochi
Publication date
01-11-2009
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Brain Topography / Issue 3/2009
Print ISSN: 0896-0267
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6792
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10548-009-0107-4

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