Three Case Reports of the Metabolic and Electroencephalographic Changes during Advanced Buddhist Meditation Techniques

Benson, Herbert; Malhotra, Manu; Goldman, Rachel; Jacobs, Gregg D.; Hopkins, Philip

doi:10.1080/08964289.1990.9934596

Cited by 120 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Paradoxically, early EEG studies of meditation consistently detected a-wave activity across the frontal lobe (Anand, China, & Singh, 1961;Banquent, 1972;Benson, Mahlotra, Goldman, Jacobs, & Hopkins, 1990;Corby, Roth, Zarcone, & Kopell, 1978). a-Activity consists of regular, smooth medium-frequency waves, which are produced when subjects are neither particularly aroused nor excited, and are not engaged in strenuous mental activity such as problem solving.…”

Section: Meditationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis

Dietrich

2003

Consciousness and Cognition

377

275

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It is the central hypothesis of this paper that the mental states commonly referred to as altered states of consciousness are principally due to transient prefrontal cortex deregulation. Supportive evidence from psychological and neuroscientific studies of dreaming, endurance running, meditation, daydreaming, hypnosis, and various druginduced states is presented and integrated. It is proposed that transient hypofrontality is the unifying feature of all altered states and that the phenomenological uniqueness of each state is the result of the differential viability of various frontal circuits. Using an evolutionary approach, consciousness is conceptualized as hierarchically ordered cognitive function. Higher-order structures perform increasingly integrative functions and thus contribute more sophisticated content. Although this implies a holistic approach to consciousness, such a functional hierarchy localizes the most sophisticated layers of consciousness in the zenithal higher-order structure: the prefrontal cortex. The hallmark of altered states of consciousness is the subtle modification of behavioral and cognitive functions that are typically ascribed to the prefrontal cortex. The theoretical framework presented yields a number of testable hypotheses.

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Section: Meditationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis

Dietrich

2003

Consciousness and Cognition

377

275

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“…This is accompanied by changes in neuroelectrical activity and indicated by increases in alpha, gamma and theta waves (e.g. Anand et al, 1961;Banquet, 1972;Corby et al, 1978;Benson et al, 1990). Under meditation -as compared to relaxationan increase in alpha amplitudes was observed (Wallace, 1970;Wallace and Benson, 1972;Banquet, 1973;Glueck and Stroebel, 1975) which appeared to be most pronounced in the frontal cortex (Kesterson, 1989;Sudsuang et al, 1991;Jevning et al, 1992).…”

Section: Meditationmentioning

confidence: 91%

Plasticity changes in the brain in hypnosis and meditation

Halsband

Mueller

Hinterberger

et al. 2009

Contemporary Hypnosis

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Neuroscientifi c evidence interprets both hypnotic trance induction and different meditation traditions as modifi ed states of consciousness that emphasize attention, concentration and the letting go of thoughts, but they differ in terms of sensory input, processing, memory, and the sense of time. Furthermore, hypnosis is based on the suggestibility of a person and meditation on mindfulness; therefore it is not surprising to fi nd differential brain plasticity changes. We analysed shared and non-shared neural substrates using electroencephalography (EEG), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Most pronounced EEG changes were in deep as compared to light hypnosis (step-by-step induction) and in arm levitation where suggested movement was perceived as external. In a within-subject-design changes in brain activity during hypnosis and Tibetan Buddhist meditation were compared. High amplitudes in alpha frequency bands were most pronounced with meditation at frontal positions and with hypnosis in central and temporal locations. Signifi cantly greater activity in theta 2 band was observed only with hypnosis in both hemispheres. PET cerebral activation patterns of imagery-mediated learning were analysed in hypnosis in a withinsubject-design. Compared with baseline the learning of high-imagery words was associated with (i) more pronounced bilateral activation in the occipital cortex and prefrontal areas and (ii) improved memory performance. Visual illusion in hypnosis was studied with fMRI, analysed with Granger Causality Mapping, showing changes in the effective connectivity relations of fusiform gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex and intraparietal sulcus. Little is known about the neurobiological basis of the process of enhancing cognitive and emotional traits in meditation. In a longitudinal fMRI study attention abilities through intensive Soto-Zen meditation were investigated before (baseline), after training (6 months) and at follow-up (9 months). After six months differences were observed in the left inferior and left superior frontal gyrus; after 9 months activations in the left precuneus. Taken together, the fi ndings advance understanding of the neural mechanisms that underlie hypnosis and meditation. Further studies with a greater sample size are needed to explore the differences and commonalities of hypnosis and different meditation techniques.

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“…From both the vantage point of critical textual analysis as well as from the habitus-based insights gained through a kind of "laboratory immersion" in Tantric sādhanā it has become clear to me that contrary to the stilling practices of Patañjali Yoga or Theravāda Buddhism, the meditative and ritual practices of Tantra (whether Buddhist or Hindu) are fashioned not solely to activate the parasympathetic functions, as research on the topic shows, but rather to activate both the sympathetic and parasympathetic functions simultaneously [4]. My initial hypothesis is that this intentional "bi-activation" serves the end of awakening the latent potential of the human neurological system and presupposes what we can identify as a proto-scientific Tantric neurology or Tantric proto-science of the body.…”

Section: There's More To It Than Just Being Quiet and Peacefulmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Potential of the Bi-Directional Gaze: A Call for Neuroscientific Research on the Simultaneous Activation of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems through Tantric Practice

Lidke

2016

Religions

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This paper is a call for the development of a neuroscientific research protocol for the study of the impact of Tantric practice on the autonomic nervous system. Tantric texts like Abhinavagupta's Tantrāloka map out a complex meditative ritual system in which inward-gazing, apophatic, sense-denying contemplative practices are combined with outward-gazing, kataphatic sense-activating ritual practices. Abhinavagupta announces a culminating "bi-directional" state (pratimīlana-samādhi) as the highest natural state (sahaja-samādhi) in which the practitioner becomes a perfected yogi (siddhayogi). This state of maximized cognitive capacities, in which one's inward gaze and outward world-engagement are held in balance, appears to be one in which the anabolic metabolic processes of the parasympathetic nervous system and the catabolic metabolic processes of the sympathetic nervous systems are simultaneously activated and integrated. Akin to secularized mindfulness and compassion training protocols like Emory's CBCT, I propose the development of secularized "Tantric protocols" for the development of secular and tradition-specific methods for further exploring the potential of the human neurological system.

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Three Case Reports of the Metabolic and Electroencephalographic Changes during Advanced Buddhist Meditation Techniques

Cited by 120 publications

References 11 publications

Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis

Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis

Plasticity changes in the brain in hypnosis and meditation

The Potential of the Bi-Directional Gaze: A Call for Neuroscientific Research on the Simultaneous Activation of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems through Tantric Practice

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