Transcendental Meditation activates brain’s natural ground state
March 5th, 2010 - 3:01 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Mar 5 (ANI): Transcendental Meditation technique has the ability to activate the default mode network-a suggested natural “ground state” of the brain, according to a new EEG study.
The three-month randomised control study was conducted on college students at American University.
The study found that the TM technique produces a unique state of “restful alertness,” as seen in the markedly higher alpha power in the frontal cortex and lower beta and gamma waves in the same frontal areas during TM practice.
It creates greater alpha coherence between the left and right hemispheres of the brain suggesting the brain is working as a whole.
The technique also enhances an individual’s sense of “self” by activating what neuroscientists call the “default mode network” in the brain.
The brain’s “default mode network” is considered the natural ground state of the brain, glimpsed by neuroscientists during eyes-closed rest but more fully activated during Transcendental Meditation practice.
The study has been published in a special issue of Cognitive Processing dedicated to the Neuroscience of Meditation and Consciousness. (ANI)
- Meditation practices differ in their ingredients, effects - Jul 21, 2010
- Scans show more brain activity when people meditate - Dec 19, 2010
- Higher brain rhythm linked to increased sleep fragility - Mar 04, 2011
- Meditation changes brain activity - Jul 08, 2011
- Meditation helps decrease stress, suppress info overload - Apr 22, 2011
- Depression shows altered brain activity - Apr 04, 2012
- Meditation is the best stress-buster for college students - Feb 25, 2009
- 'Introspection' brain networks fully formed in newborn babies - Nov 02, 2010
- Transcendental meditation slashes cardiac risks by 50 percent - Nov 17, 2009
- Brain regions can briefly go 'off-line' even while awake, causing errors - Apr 28, 2011
- Transcendental Meditation 'improves Math and English scores' - Mar 22, 2011
- Transcendental Meditation helps in depression - Apr 08, 2010
- How meditation reduces pain - Apr 06, 2011
- Transcendental Meditation may help fight depression - Apr 08, 2010
- Brain's 'radio stations' have a lot to tell scientists - Feb 09, 2011
Tags: alpha power, beta, coherence, college students, consciousness, default mode, eeg, frontal areas, frontal cortex, gamma waves, hemispheres of the brain, left and right hemispheres of the brain, meditation practice, neuroscience, restful alertness, sense of self, transcendental meditation technique