Fast fourier transform transformed, electroencephalography correlates of introduction to meditation and transcendence shift in novices

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to explore the fast Fourier transformation (FFT)-transformed individual alpha frequency (IAF)-based electroencephalographic (EEG) correlates of introduction to a special type of meditation, and transcendence shift in meditation novices.Methods: The study was conducted on 34 healthy male student volunteers. The participants were introduced to 15 min of a special type of meditation under the supervision of an expert. EEG was recorded from 19 scalp locations according to the 10–20 international system of electrode placement. To overcome the problems of the fixed band system, IAF-based band method was adopted. The outcome measures were FFT-transformed absolute powers (APs) in the six bands at 19 electrode positions. These outcome measures were analysed for early, middle and late phases (5 min each) of the meditation and compared with the relaxed eyes-closed mental state as the control in the same participants. Results: The special type of meditation showed a trend of decrease in AP over increasing electrodes' positions in theta, lower 1 alpha and lower 2 alpha with progression. However, power in the beta band was consistently decreased, while upper alpha (except in C3) and gamma-band power remained unchanged throughout the meditation. Conclusions: Introduction to a special type of meditation has distinct EEG correlates and resembles a deeper relaxed focus of attention and partial transcendence as compared to the simple relaxation with eyes-closed-state in the novice's participants.