Izvorni znanstveni članak

CHANGES IN TRAIT BRAINWAVE POWER AND COHERENCE, STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY AFTER THREE-MONTH TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION (TM) PRACTICE

Helena Tomljenović ; Department of Psychology, Centre for Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Dražen Begić ; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Zora Maštrović ; Nuclear medicine specialist and research assistent, retired

Sažetak

Background: The amount of studies showing different benefits of practicing meditation is growing. EEG brainwave patterns
objectively reflect both the cognitive processes and objects of meditation. This study aimed to examine the effects of transcendental
meditation (TM) practice on baseline EEG brainwave patterns (outside of meditation) and to examine weather TM reduces state and
trait anxiety.
Subjects and methods: Standard EEG recordings were conducted on volunteer participants (N=12), all students or younger
employed people, before and after a three-month meditation training. Artifact-free 100-second epochs were selected and analyzed by
Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) analysis. Endlers Multidimensional Anxiety Scales (EMAS) were used to assess anxiety levels.
Power (μV²) and coherence levels were compared in the alpha, beta, theta and delta frequency band.
Results: Changes in EEG patterns after meditation practice were found mostly in the theta band. An interaction effect was found
on the left hemisphere (p<0.10). Theta power decreased on the left, but not on the right hemisphere. Increased theta coherence was
found overall and in the central, temporal and occipital areas (p<0.10). Decrease in alpha power was found on channels T3
(p<0.10), O1 (p<0.05) and O2 (p<0.10). An interaction effect was found in the delta frequency band (p<0.06), too. A trend for
power decreasing was found on the left, and a trend for power increasing on the right hemisphere. Also, power decreased on channel
O1 (p<0.10). In the beta frequency band, a decrease was found on channel O2 (p<0.10). Trait anxiety did not differ, but a decrease
in state anxiety and cognitive worry was found (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Obtained results confirm the effects of TM on some baseline EEG brainwave patterns and state anxiety, suggesting
that the left hemisphere is more sensitive to meditation practice. Most of the changes were found in the occipital and temporal areas,
less in the central and frontal areas. State anxiety decreased after TM practice. Findings suggest TM practice could be helpful in
treating different kinds of disorders, especially anxiety disorders.

Ključne riječi

transcendental meditation (TM) – qEEG - brainwave coherence - state anxiety - trait anxiety

Hrčak ID:

154758

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/154758

Datum izdavanja:

29.3.2016.

Posjeta: 1.926 *