Neural oscillations
How does mindfulness meditation quiet the neural sense of self?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
By directing their attention, experienced meditators can turn down distinct brain networks that produce our everyday sense of identity and immediate physical experience.
How this study connects
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MEG can track frequency-specific neural dynamics, demonstrating that transitions between different states of self-awareness are associated with localized reductions in gamma-band and beta-band oscillations.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
Study at a glance
- Design
- Human experiment — MEG during mindfulness-induced selflessness in experienced meditators with phenomenological reports
- N
- N=12 · 16 experienced practitioners recruited; 2 discarded for tiredness/pain; further exclusions to n = 12
- Population
- Experienced meditation practitioners
- Outcome
- MEG markers of mindfulness-induced selflessness aligned with first-person reports
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How does mindfulness meditation quiet the neural sense of self?
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
12 long-term mindfulness practitioners
To this end we tested 12 long-term mindfulness meditators using a neurophenomenological study design, incorporating both magnetoencephalogram (MEG) recordings and first person descriptions.
3 distinct conditions
The session included 3 conditions, each repeated 3 times in succession for 30 s.
Key findings
When meditators shifted from a narrative self to a minimal self, they showed a decrease in high-frequency gamma-band activity in the medial prefrontal cortex. Dropping the minimal self to enter a selfless state was linked to decreased beta-band brainwaves in the right inferior parietal lobule, especially for those experiencing a total lack of ownership over their thoughts. These neural changes corresponded with a significant drop in negative emotions during the present-centered states.
Methodology
Researchers recorded brain activity using magnetoencephalography in 12 long-term mindfulness practitioners as they generated different states of self-awareness. The practitioners mentally projected 3 distinct conditions: a narrative self focused on identity, a minimal self focused on present physical experience, and a selfless state. Each condition lasted for 30 seconds and was repeated 3 times. Following the recording, participants provided verbal descriptions of their subjective experiences.
Limitations
The study is limited by a small sample of only 12 participants, all of whom practice a specific style of meditation, making it hard to generalize to other populations or other meditation styles. Because the design is correlational, it cannot prove that the observed changes in brain activity directly cause the subjective feeling of selflessness. Additionally, the retrospective interviews relied on participants' memory of their experiences, which could introduce bias or inaccuracies.
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