A Quantitative Electroencephalographic Study of Meditation and Binaural Beat Entrainment

Lavallee, Christina F.; Koren, Stanley A.; Persinger, Michael A.

doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0691

Cited by 31 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…However, there is no unequivocal definition of relaxation in the literature. Investigations of meditation (Lavallee et al 2011), seem to provide some useful scientific information, where different types of meditation might be considered as procedures with the relaxation effect (Aftanas and Golocheikine 2001;Travis 2001). With the increase in meditation time, the depth of relaxation is observed, reflected by the subjective and other physiological parameters, such as respiratory rate or electrical cutaneous conductibility.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Audio-Visual and Autogenic Relaxation Alter Amplitude of Alpha EEG Band, Causing Improvements in Mental Work Performance in Athletes

Mikicin¹,

Kowalczyk²

2015

Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback

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The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of regular audio-visual relaxation combined with Schultz's autogenic training on: (1) the results of behavioral tests that evaluate work performance during burdensome cognitive tasks (Kraepelin test), (2) changes in classical EEG alpha frequency band, neocortex (frontal, temporal, occipital, parietal), hemisphere (left, right) versus condition (only relaxation 7-12 Hz). Both experimental (EG) and age-and skill-matched control group (CG) consisted of eighteen athletes (ten males and eight females). After 7-month training EG demonstrated changes in the amplitude of mean electrical activity of the EEG alpha bend at rest and an improvement was significantly changing and an improvement in almost all components of Kraepelin test. The same examined variables in CG were unchanged following the period without the intervention. Summing up, combining audio-visual relaxation with autogenic training significantly improves athlete's ability to perform a prolonged mental effort. These changes are accompanied by greater amplitude of waves in alpha band in the state of relax. The results suggest usefulness of relaxation techniques during performance of mentally difficult sports tasks (sports based on speed and stamina, sports games, combat sports) and during relax of athletes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Audio-Visual and Autogenic Relaxation Alter Amplitude of Alpha EEG Band, Causing Improvements in Mental Work Performance in Athletes

Mikicin¹,

Kowalczyk²

2015

Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback

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“…The results evidenced that novices had less power theta and increased gamma in 15 Hz condition. This result suggest experienced meditators have developed techniques, over the years of practice, to maintain a deep state of meditation while blocking external stimuli (Lavallee et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lavallee and Koren (2011) conducted a study with 8 subjects, of whom half were expert meditators and half rookies, subjected to two different binaural stimulation, 7 Hz to facilitate meditation and the other 15 Hz to hinder meditation (Lavallee et al, 2011). The results evidenced that novices had less power theta and increased gamma in 15 Hz condition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Binaural Stimulation on Attention and EEG

Crespo¹,

Recuero²,

Gálvez³

et al. 2013

Archives of Acoustics

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When two pure tones of slightly different frequency are presented separately to each ear, the listener perceives a third single tone with amplitude variations at a frequency that equals the difference between the two tones; this perceptual illusion is known as the binaural auditory beat (BB). There are anecdotal reports that suggest that the binaural beat can entrain EEG activity and may affect the arousal levels, although few studies have been published.There is a need for double-blind, well-designed studies in order to establish a solid foundation for these sounds, as most of the documented benefits come from self-reported cases that could be affected by placebo effect. As BBs are a cheap technology (it even exists a free open source programmable binauralbeat generator on the Internet named Gnaural), any achievement in this area could be of public interest. The aim in our research was to explore the potential of BBs in a particular field: tasks that require focus and concentration. In order to detect changes in the brain waves that could relate to any particular improvement, EEG recordings of a small sample of individuals were also obtained.In this study we compare the effect of different binaural stimulation in 7 EEG frequency ranges. 78 participants were exposed to 20-min binaural beat stimulation. The effects were obtained both qualitative with cognitive test and quantitative with EEG analysis. Results suggest no significant statistical improvement in 20-min stimulation.

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“…Entrainment is also a robust physiological phenomenon at the micro-level of electrochemical activity in neuronal groupings in various parts of the mammalian brain (Ward, 2003; Gomez-Ramirez et al, 2011; Lavallee et al, 2011; Heinrichs-Graham and Wilson, 2012; Henry and Obleser, 2012). Entrainment at the level of neuronal oscillations has been directly or indirectly linked to how entrainment influences human behavior at the macro-level, such as generating faster reaction speed (Stefanics et al, 2010), enhanced attention (Jones et al, 2002; Henry and Obleser, 2012), less depression (Cantor and Stevens, 2009), and improved intentional motor behavior (Thaut et al, 1997; Sommer and Rönnqvist, 2009; Johansson et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recovery after aerobic exercise is manipulated by tempo change in a rhythmic sound pattern, as indicated by autonomic reaction on heart functioning

Wallert

Madison

2014

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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Physical prowess is associated with rapid recovery from exhaustion. Here we examined whether recovery from aerobic exercise could be manipulated with a rhythmic sound pattern that either decreased or increased in tempo. Six men and six women exercised repeatedly for six minutes on a cycle ergometer at 60 percent of their individual maximal oxygen consumption, and then relaxed for six minutes while listening to one of two sound pattern conditions, which seemed to infinitely either decrease or increase in tempo, during which heart and breathing activity was measured. Participants exhibited more high-frequent heart rate variability when listening to decreasing tempo than when listening to increasing tempo, accompanied by a non-significant trend towards lower heart rate. The results show that neuropsychological entrainment to a sound pattern may directly affect the autonomic nervous system, which in turn may facilitate physiological recovery after exercise. Applications using rhythmic entrainment to aid physical recovery are discussed.

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A Quantitative Electroencephalographic Study of Meditation and Binaural Beat Entrainment

Cited by 31 publications

References 15 publications

Audio-Visual and Autogenic Relaxation Alter Amplitude of Alpha EEG Band, Causing Improvements in Mental Work Performance in Athletes

Audio-Visual and Autogenic Relaxation Alter Amplitude of Alpha EEG Band, Causing Improvements in Mental Work Performance in Athletes

Effect of Binaural Stimulation on Attention and EEG

Recovery after aerobic exercise is manipulated by tempo change in a rhythmic sound pattern, as indicated by autonomic reaction on heart functioning

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