Rajyoga meditation: effects on visual evoked potentials in migraine patients

Abstract

Light can precipitate migraine attacks, suggesting the visual system’s role in migraine pathophysiology. The present study hypothesized the positive effects of Rajyoga meditation on visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in migraineurs. This repeated-measures study included 185 migraine patients (Group A) and 51 age-matched controls (Group B). Initially, the VEPs of both groups were recorded and compared using the Mann- Whitney U test. Subsequently, group A patients followed weekly sessions of Rajyoga meditation for three months. Then, VEPs were re-recorded and compared with preintervention measurements using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test at a 5% significance level. Before the intervention, P100 latency was significantly delayed, and the P100 amplitude was significantly lower in migraine patients compared to the control group. After performing Rajyoga meditation, migraineurs showed a significant decrease in P100 latency and an increase in P100 amplitude. The present study showed favorable effects of Rajyoga meditation in migraine patients.