Self-transcending meditation is good for mental health: why this should be the case

Novel machine learning-driven comparative analysis of CSP, STFT, and CSP-STFT fusion for EEG data classification across multiple meditation and non-meditation sessions in BCI pipeline

This study focuses on classifying multiple sessions of loving kindness meditation (LKM) and non-meditation electroencephalography (EEG) data. This novel study focuses on using multiple sessions of EEG data from a single individual to train a machine learning pipeline, and then using a new session data from the same individual for the classification. Here, two meditation techniques, LKM-Self and LKM-Others were compared with non-meditation EEG data for 12 participants. Among many tested, three BCI pipelines we built produced promising results, successfully detecting features in meditation/ non-meditation EEG data. While testing different feature extraction algorithms, a common neural network structure was used as the classification algorithm to compare the performance of the feature extraction algorithms. For two of those pipelines, Common Spatial Patterns (CSP) and Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT) were successfully used as feature extraction algorithms where both these algorithms are significantly new for meditation EEG. As a novel concept, the third BCI pipeline used a feature extraction algorithm that fused the features of CSP and STFT, achieving the highest classification accuracies among all tested pipelines. Analyses were conducted using EEG data of 3, 4 or 5 sessions, totaling 3960 tests on the entire dataset. At the end of the study, when considering all the tests, the overall classification accuracy using SCP alone was 67.1%, and it was 67.8% for STFT alone. The algorithm combining the features of CSP and STFT achieved an overall classification accuracy of 72.9% which is more than 5% higher than the other two pipelines. At the same time, the highest mean classification accuracy for the 12 participants was achieved using the pipeline with the combination of CSP STFT algorithm, reaching 75.5% for LKM-Self/ non-meditation for the case of 5 sessions of data. Additionally, the highest individual classification accuracy of 88.9% was obtained by the participant no. 14. Furthermore, the results showed that the classification accuracies for all three pipelines increased with the number of training sessions increased from 2 to 3 and then to 4. The study was successful in classifying a new session of EEG meditation/ non-meditation data after training machine learning algorithms using a different set of session data, and this achievement will be beneficial in the development of algorithms that support meditation.

Neurobiological Changes Induced by Mindfulness and Meditation: A Systematic Review

Background and Objectives: Meditation and mindfulness, rooted in ancient traditions, enhance mental well-being by cultivating awareness and emotional control. It has been shown to induce neuroplasticity, increase cortical thickness, reduce amygdala reactivity, and improve brain connectivity and neurotransmitter levels, leading to improved emotional regulation, cognitive function, and stress resilience. This systematic review will synthesize research on neurobiological changes associated with mindfulness and meditation practices. Materials and Methods: Studies were identified from an online search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases without any search time range. This review has been registered on Open OSF (n) GV2JY. Results: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) enhances brain regions related to emotional processing and sensory perception, improves psychological outcomes like anxiety and depression, and exhibits unique mechanisms of pain reduction compared to placebo. Conclusions: This review highlights that mindfulness, particularly through MBSR, improves emotional regulation and brain structure, reduces anxiety, and enhances stress resilience. Future research should focus on diverse populations and naturalistic settings to better understand and optimize these benefits.

Psychiatrists' Illustration of Awe in Empathic Listening Assessments: A Pilot Study

Background "Awe" is typically an inspiring emotional response to perceptually vast stimuli signifying the transcendence beyond all cognitive frames of reference when we encounter the unexpected. Physicians' experience of awe in clinical care interactions has not been studied in an empirical, evidence-based way. We aim to present a focused study of awe in a psychiatrist's empathic listening (EL) assessments and propose an evidence-based framework to study it. Methodology This is an exploratory case series of a psychiatrist's EL interactions (mean duration/x̄ of 46.17 minutes) with six patients (two males and four females) aged 32-72 years (x̄ =54.67, σ = 16.64). Using the method of autoethnography, the verbal and nonverbal aspects of the EL assessments were analyzed and open-coded to generate qualitative data. Results The study revealed that the data in all the case studies could be classed into two thematic groups, namely, mindfulness and transpersonal mindfulness. The emotions of "awe" and "non-agency" were ubiquitous in all six case studies both for the psychiatrist and patients. Conclusions Recognizing the awe and non-agency in EL interaction is essential in conceptualizing the "mindfulness-to-transcendence" framework and the first step toward the evidence-based study of transcendence/metaphysics in phenomenological psychiatry.

Common spatial pattern for classification of loving kindness meditation EEG for single and multiple sessions

While a very few studies have been conducted on classifying loving kindness meditation (LKM) and non-meditation electroencephalography (EEG) data for a single session, there are no such studies conducted for multiple session EEG data. Thus, this study aims at classifying existing raw EEG meditation data on single and multiple sessions to come up with meaningful inferences which will be highly beneficial when developing algorithms that can support meditation practices. In this analysis, data have been collected on Pre-Resting (before-meditation), Post-Resting (after-meditation), LKM-Self and LKM-Others for 32 participants and hence allowing us to conduct six pairwise comparisons for the four mind tasks. Common Spatial Patterns (CSP) is a feature extraction method widely used in motor imaginary brain computer interface (BCI), but not in meditation EEG data. Therefore, using CSP in extracting features from meditation EEG data and classifying meditation/non-meditation instances, particularly for multiple sessions will create a new path in future meditation EEG research. The classification was done using Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) where both meditation techniques (LKM-Self and LKM-Others) were compared with Pre-Resting and Post-Resting instances. The results show that for a single session of 32 participants, around 99.5% accuracy was obtained for classifying meditation/Pre-Resting instances. For the 15 participants when using five sessions of EEG data, around 83.6% accuracy was obtained for classifying meditation/Pre-Resting instances. The results demonstrate the ability to classify meditation/Pre-Resting data. Most importantly, this classification is possible for multiple session data as well. In addition to this, when comparing the classification accuracies of the six mind task pairs; LKM-Self, LKM-Others and Post-Resting produced relatively lower accuracies among them than the accuracies obtained for classifying Pre-Resting with the other three. This indicates that Pre-Resting has some features giving a better classification indicating that it is different from the other three mind tasks.

'Mental health and self-rated health among U.S. South Asians: the role of religious group involvement'

Objectives: Only one community-based study has assessed religious group involvement and health outcomes among South Asians in the U.S., with mixed results. Here, using a large, South Asian community-based sample, the effects of six religious group involvement predictors - religious tradition, attendance, group prayer, giving/receiving congregational emotional support, congregational neglect, and congregational criticism - were examined in relation to four health outcomes: self-rated health, positive mental health functioning, trait anxiety, and trait anger.Design: The study used a new religion/spirituality questionnaire in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis Among South Asians Living in America (MASALA), the largest study of mental and physical well-being among U.S. South Asians. Associations were assessed cross-sectionally using OLS regression in both the full sample (N = 928) and a subsample of congregation members (N = 312).Results: Jains reported better self-rated health compared to Hindus and Muslims. Group prayer involvement, when measured ordinally, was positively associated with self-rated health and mental health functioning. In reference group comparisons, individuals who participated in group prayer once/day or more had lower levels of anxiety and anger compared to several comparison groups in which individuals prayed less than once a day. Religious service attendance was associated with higher levels of anxiety. Giving/receiving congregational emotional support was positively associated with self-rated health and mental health functioning, and inversely associated with anxiety. Congregational criticism was associated with higher levels of anger and anxiety.Conclusions: This study provided a new assessment of religious group involvement and health in the U.S. South Asian population. Religious group participation was associated with mental and self-rated health in well-controlled models, indicating this is a fruitful area for further research. Group religious involvement may be a health-promoting resource for U.S. South Asians who are religiously active, but it is not an unalloyed boon.

Association between Cyclic Meditation and Creative Cognition: Optimizing Connectivity between the Frontal and Parietal Lobes

Background

Important stages of creativity include preparation, incubation, illumination, and verification. Earlier studies have reported that some techniques of meditation promote creativity but have not specified which stage is enhanced. Here, we report the influence of cyclic meditation (CM) on creative cognition measured by a divergent thinking task. Our aim was to determine the degree of association between the two.

Methods

Twenty-four university students were randomly assigned to an experimental group (CM) and controls (Supine Rest), 35 min/day for 7 days. Creativity performance was assessed pre and post using Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults (ATTA), while 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) was used to measure brain activity during both CM/SH and the creativity test.

Results

Results indicated that CM training improved creativity performance, producing a shift to predominant gamma activity during creativity compared controls who showed delta activity. Furthermore, the experimental group showed more activation of frontal and parietal regions (EEG leads F3, F4 and P3, P4) than controls, i.e., the regions of the executive network responsible for creative cognition, our particular regions of interest where specialized knowledge is being stored.

Conclusion

Improvement on creativity test performance indicates that CM increases association and strengthens the connectivity between frontal and parietal lobes, the major nodes of default mode network and executive attention network, enhancing the important stages of creativity such as preparation, incubation, and illumination.

Improved Self-Esteem in Artists After Participating in the "Building Confidence and Self-Esteem Toolbox Workshop"

Performing and creative artists have unique occupational and lifestyle stresses and challenges that can negatively affect self-esteem. Low self-esteem not only has serious implications for their psychological and physical health, it can also affect their performance, and creativity. There is a need to establish effective interventions to deal with this issue. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reported studies specific to workshops or interventions on enhancing self-esteem for artists. The Al and Malka Green Artists' Health Centre at the Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a unique multidisciplinary, and integrative clinic serving the special needs of the artist population. We developed a workshop entitled “Building Confidence and Self Esteem Toolbox Workshop” to address this need. We then designed a single-blind, randomized, prospective, pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of the workshop on enhancing self-esteem in artists, and to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of using the recommended tools in maintaining a healthy self-esteem, as well as maintaining physical and emotional health. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. A validated “Self-Esteem Checkup” questionnaire was administered pre- and immediately post workshop, as well as at 2, 6, and 12 months post workshop. Open-ended questions were posed to study participants via email at 2 and 12 months following the workshop, and at 6 months in in-person interviews. Thirty-five professional artists consented to participate in the study, with 26 completing all study visits. Mean scores for all time points, and the individual questionnaire statement mean scores for the five timepoints increased significantly post-workshop and remained statistically significantly improved by the 3rd follow-up 12 months later (p < 0.001). The mean self-esteem rating score increased significantly post-workshop and remained statistically significantly improved by the 3rd follow-up 12 months later (p < 0.01). Qualitative data showed positive feedback on the utilization of the tools learned in the workshop that helped maintain this improvement over a 1-year period. This workshop may be an effective means of addressing the issue of self-esteem in artists. Further controlled studies of larger sample size and longer duration are needed to confirm these findings.

Collaborating With the Fortress Around Early Childhood Trauma: A Depth Psychotherapy Process

PURPOSE

A depth psychotherapy process is a deepening of experience facilitating access into a fortress of body and mind defenses that aims to protect although may imprison the adult survivor of early childhood trauma.

CONCLUSIONS

When psychotherapy moves beyond managing manifest symptoms and behavior, individuals have an opportunity to connect with their authentic self and experience wholeness in their personality and relationships.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

A theoretical and practical approach including the therapeutic frame, therapeutic alliance, and body psychotherapy attempts to collaborate with a fortress to encourage its cooperation in the release of its captive.

Change in Sense of Nondual Awareness and Spiritual Awakening in Response to a Multidimensional Well-Being Program

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the effects of a comprehensive mind-body program on sense of nondual awareness and spiritual awakening.

DESIGN AND INTERVENTION

The study compared the effects of participation in an intensive 6-day Ayurveda-based mind-body program that addressed physical, emotional, and spiritual domains as compared with a control condition.

SETTING

Resort setting.

SUBJECTS

Participants were 69 healthy women and men (mean age 53.9 years; range 32-86).

OUTCOME MEASURE

The primary outcome was the Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (NETI).

RESULTS

A significant group by time interaction (p = 0.029) indicated that after the intervention, participants in the mind-body program showed a significant increase in NETI scores (p < 0.03), which was sustained 1 month later (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that an intensive program providing holistic instruction and experience in mind-body practices can lead to a significant and sustained shift in perception of self-awareness, one that is likely favorable to well-being.

Brain Responses to a 6-Hz Binaural Beat: Effects on General Theta Rhythm and Frontal Midline Theta Activity

A binaural beat is a beat phenomenon that is generated by the dichotic presentation of two almost equivalent pure tones but with slightly different frequencies. The brain responses to binaural beats remain controversial; therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate theta activity responses to a binaural beat by controlling factors affecting localization, including beat frequency, carrier tone frequency, exposure duration, and recording procedure. Exposure to a 6-Hz binaural beat on a 250 Hz carrier tone for 30 min was utilized in this study. Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) was utilized as the recording modality. Twenty-eight participants were divided into experimental and control groups. Emotional states were evaluated by Brunel Mood Scale (BRMUS) before and after exposing to the stimulus. The results showed that theta activity was induced in the entire cortex within 10 min of exposure to the stimulus in the experimental group. Compared to the control group, theta activity was also induced at the frontal and parietal-central regions, which included the Fz position, and left hemisphere dominance was presented for other exposure durations. The pattern recorded for 10 min of exposure appeared to be brain functions of a meditative state. Moreover, tension factor of BRUMS was decreased in experimental group compared to control group which resembled the meditation effect. Thus, a 6-Hz binaural beat on a 250 Hz carrier tone was suggested as a stimulus for inducing a meditative state.

Acupuncture Meridian Energies in Patients Who Are Mentally Disturbed

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Acupuncture medicine states that different pathologies exhibit different patterns of excitation in the 24 main acupuncture meridians. Previous exploratory work has shown that groups of patients with the same pathology exhibit such characteristic patterns when limited numbers of acupuncture points are measured with the AcuGraph meridian energy measuring device. This study reports patterns of meridian energies observed in an exploratory assessment of different classes of patient with mental disturbance.

METHODS

This study was a three-group cross-sectional design. Participants were patients who had been diagnosed by their GP with anxiety (n = 21) and depression (n = 26) and who were entering a treatment program, along with age- and sex-matched controls (n = 44). Patients diagnosed with mild mental disturbance who were aged 20-50 years were eligible to take part. Patients with any cut, wart, or mole on their fingertips or with excess sweating, which would interfere with conductance measurements, were excluded. The assessment comprised conductance values at Jing-Well acupuncture points by AcuGraph4 on entry into the treatment program.

RESULTS

Patients with anxiety had higher meridian energy levels (81.84 ± 38.63) and significant Upper-Lower imbalances (p < 0.05) favoring the upper meridians. Patients with depression had lower energy levels and lower standard deviations (53.36 ± 33.48) as a group. Controls exhibited intermediate energy levels but recorded the lowest scoring variances (62.61 ± 27.05) of the three groups. Kidney meridians had the lowest energy for both of the pathology groups. For the group suffering with anxiety, bladder meridians were also low.

CONCLUSION

Higher variances in AcuGraph4 measurements were observed in patients with either anxiety or depression compared with controls whose variances were the lowest. These results are in accordance with previous observations of greater variance in conductance values in pathology groups. With regard to meridian energies, the lowest were in those with depression, while those with anxiety were the highest. Controls exhibited intermediate energy levels.