Alpha Rhythm Research Articles

A Role for Bottom-Up Alpha Oscillations in Temporal Integration.

Neural oscillations in the 8-12 Hz alpha band are thought to represent top-down inhibitory control and to influence temporal resolution: Individuals with faster peak frequencies segregate stimuli appearing closer in time. Recently, this theory has been challenged. Here, we investigate a special case in which alpha does not correlate with temporal resolution: when stimuli are presented amidst strong visual drive. Based on findings regarding alpha rhythmogenesis and wave spatial propagation, we suggest that stimulus-induced, bottom-up alpha oscillations play a role in temporal integration. We propose a theoretical model, informed by visual persistence, lateral inhibition, and network refractory periods, and simulate physiologically plausible scenarios of the interaction between bottom-up alpha and the temporal segregation. Our simulations reveal that different features of oscillations, including frequency, phase, and power, can influence temporal perception and provide a theoretically informed starting point for future empirical studies.

Alpha-band Brain Dynamics and Temporal Processing: An Introduction to the Special Focus.

For decades, the intriguing connection between the human alpha rhythm (an 8- to 13-Hz oscillation maximal over posterior cortex) and temporal processes in perception has furnished a rich landscape of proposals. The past decade, however, has seen a surge in interest in the topic, bringing new theoretical, analytic, and methodological developments alongside fresh controversies. This Special Focus on alpha-band dynamics and temporal processing provides an up-to-date snapshot of the playing field, with contributions from leading researchers in the field spanning original perspectives, new evidence, comprehensive reviews and meta-analyses, as well as discussion of ongoing controversies and paths forward. We hope that the perspectives captured here will help catalyze future research and shape the pathways toward a theoretically grounded and mechanistic account of the link between alpha dynamics and temporal properties of perception.

Alpha-Band Frequency and Temporal Windows in Perception: A Review and Living Meta-analysis of 27 Experiments (and Counting).

Temporal windows in perception refer to windows of time within which distinct stimuli interact to influence perception. A simple example is two temporally proximal stimuli fusing into a single percept. It has long been hypothesized that the human alpha rhythm (an 8- to 13-Hz neural oscillation maximal over posterior cortex) is linked to temporal windows, with higher frequencies corresponding to shorter windows and finer-grained temporal resolution. This hypothesis has garnered support from studies demonstrating a correlation between individual differences in alpha-band frequency (IAF) and behavioral measures of temporal processing. However, nonsignificant effects have also been reported. Here, we review and meta-analyze 27 experiments correlating IAF with measures of visual and audiovisual temporal processing. Our results estimate the true correlation in the population to be between .39 and .53, a medium-to-large effect. The effect held when considering visual or audiovisual experiments separately, when examining different IAF estimation protocols (i.e., eyes open and eyes closed), and when using analysis choices that favor a null result. Our review shows that (1) effects have been internally and independently replicated, (2) several positive effects are based on larger sample sizes than the null effects, and (3) many reported null effects are actually in the direction predicted by the hypothesis. A free interactive web app was developed to allow users to replicate our meta-analysis and change or update the study selection at will, making this a "living" meta-analysis (randfxmeta.streamlit.app). We discuss possible factors underlying null reports, design recommendations, and open questions for future research.

Brain Rhythm Waves Pattern before Waking Up in Children: A Single-Center Study


 
 
 
 Background and Objective: After going through the alpha wave before waking, a person usually enters the conscious phase physiologically by opening the eyes and communicating with the environment. We conducted the present study to investigate the brain rhythm wave pattern before waking up among the children admitted to the sleep clinic at Ghods Children's Hospital, Qazvin, Iran.
 Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we investigated 42 children without physical or acute respiratory diseases for brain rhythm wave patterns, 15 seconds before waking up. Data were analyzed manually from the poly- somnography (PSG) recorded during sleep. Then, we divided the children into two groups based on the results of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), i.e., mild to moderate and severe AHI. The frequency of brain waves before waking up on epochs 30s, 10s, and 1s were checked between the two groups statistically.
 Results: Alpha waves appeared before waking up as the principal brain waves. The frequency of alpha waves went through a decreasing rate until they reached 10 Hz, and then the child woke up. We observed three repetitions of 10 Hz frequencies before waking up for both groups of low-moderate and high AHI.
 Conclusion: Awakening happens with a specific trigger of alpha waves in the occipital lobe in the N2 phase at a 10 Hz frequency.
 
 
 

Brainwaves and Emotional Responses to Changes in Red Eye Shadow Brightness and Saturation

Purpose: Investigating how Munsell’s primary color (i.e., red eye shadow) influences human brain and emotional responses to establish foundational data for image formation. Methods: We analyzed the relative power differences in background brainwaves due to variations in five levels of brightness and saturation for each eye both in male and female individuals in their twenties. We used the coefficient of variation for brainwaves for our analysis. In addition, we assessed the preferences for altered red eye shadow and the emotional responses to determine the average preference index. We performed statistical analysis for brainwaves and emotional evaluations using repeated measure analysis of variance in SPSS, followed by post hoc testing with Tukey’s test at a 95% confidence level. Results: The brainwave and emotional responses obtained by presenting red eye shadow brightness and saturation modification-created stimuli revealed that both men and women exhibited beta and gamma wave activation and alpha wave inactivation upon low brightness and high saturation stimuli. Men were more sensitive to brightness stimuli, whereas women displayed higher-level variability in brainwave responses upon saturation changes. Both genders preferred red eye shadows with brightness and saturation levels of 8 and 2, respectively. The perceptual image responses indicated that stimuli with low or high brightness were perceived as modern and subtle or clear and cute, respectively. Medium or high saturation stimuli were perceived as clear and natural or associated with a modern image, respectively, by both genders. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the impact of various color stimuli on the human brain and emotions. We consider the obtained results as foundational data, which could be used in future image consulting or when crafting desired image presentations.

Investigating the Relationship between Noise Exposure and Human Cognitive Performance: Attention, Stress, and Mental Workload Based on EEG Signals Using Power Spectrum Density

A pervasive environmental stressor is one that damages mental and physical health as well as cognitive abilities by producing noise at a specific frequency and level. Current noise pollution levels pose a significant threat to public health, potentially leading to impaired cognitive function, increased stress, and other negative health consequences. This study aims to investigate the relationship between noise exposure and human cognitive abilities using a comprehensive analysis of power spectrum density (PSD) derived from EEG signals. Twenty-four participants completed the experiment to identify the effect of exposure to different noise levels (55 dB, 65 dB, 70 dB, 75 dB, 80 dB, and 85 dB) and two types of continuous and intermittent noise. The Stroop Color–Word Test and the Emotive Epoch EEG are cognitive task instruments used during experiments. Behavioral performance (accuracy and response time) and power spectrum electroencephalographic density were collected and analyzed. The methodology involved collecting EEG data from participants exposed to controlled noise stimuli and a subsequent PSD analysis to uncover frequency-specific patterns associated with cognitive processes. Attention levels were measured by examining beta wave activity, while stress responses were evaluated through an alpha wave analysis. Additionally, mental workload was assessed by considering the overall distribution of PSD through the theta-to-alpha ratio. The results revealed a significant relationship between the exposure to noise types and levels and human cognitive ability. The analysis of the power spectrum density on the cognitive aspects of attention and stress yielded results indicating that participants were in the best attention condition and in a relaxed or unstressed state when exposed to noise levels of 65 dB in both continuous and intermittent noise types. For the mental workload aspect, participants exposed to both continuous and intermittent noise types at a noise level of 70 dB began to indicate the presence of mental workload. These findings supported the importance of considering the impact of environmental noise on human cognitive well-being and demonstrated the potential of EEG monitoring as an objective tool for assessing the impact of noise on cognitive performance.

Re-exploring the relationship between skull thickness and alpha asymmetry: A CT/MR imaging correlation study

ObjectiveThe alpha rhythm has been a subject of research for the past few decades. Right-left alpha amplitude asymmetry is a common phenomenon. Several explanations have been proposed to explain this asymmetry, including differences in skull thickness. Our research aims to improve our understanding of the relationship between alpha asymmetry and skull thickness as measured by CT/MRI images. MethodsWe analyzed EEGs to study alpha rhythm characteristics. Alpha rhythm amplitude was measured using peak-to-peak values in O1 and O2 reference channels. Significant alpha asymmetry was defined as exceeding 20%. Skull thickness differences at corresponding locations were determined through CT/MRI scans. We examined the correlation between alpha and skull thickness asymmetry using Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman correlation, and median regression. ResultsWe examined 401 EEGs and images, categorizing patients into three groups based on alpha asymmetry. Group 1(n= 211) had less than 20 percent alpha asymmetry, Group 2(n=107) showed higher right-side alpha amplitudes, and Group 3(n= 83) displayed higher left-side alpha amplitudes. Our analysis revealed a significant association between groups with asymmetry and skull thickness differences (p<0.001), with a Spearman correlation (Rs) of −0.25 (p<0.001), indicating a significant negative correlation. After adjusting for age, sex, and handedness, Median Regression confirmed a statistically significant variation in skull thickness difference among the groups. SignificanceThe present study involving a large cohort, the first of its kind, demonstrated a significant relationship between alpha amplitude asymmetry and skull thickness.

Alpha and Beta Oscillations Differentially Support Word Production in a Rule-Switching Task.

Research into the role of brain oscillations in basic perceptual and cognitive functions has suggested that the alpha rhythm reflects functional inhibition while the beta rhythm reflects neural ensemble (re)activation. However, little is known regarding the generalization of these proposed fundamental operations to linguistic processes, such as speech comprehension and production. Here, we recorded magnetoencephalography in participants performing a novel rule-switching paradigm. Specifically, Dutch native speakers had to produce an alternative exemplar from the same category or a feature of a given target word embedded in spoken sentences (e.g., for the word "tuna", an exemplar from the same category-"seafood"-would be "shrimp", and a feature would be "pink"). A cue indicated the task rule-exemplar or feature-either before (pre-cue) or after (retro-cue) listening to the sentence. Alpha power during the working memory delay was lower for retro-cue compared with that for pre-cue in the left hemispheric language-related regions. Critically, alpha power negatively correlated with reaction times, suggestive of alpha facilitating task performance by regulating inhibition in regions linked to lexical retrieval. Furthermore, we observed a different spatiotemporal pattern of beta activity for exemplars versus features in the right temporoparietal regions, in line with the proposed role of beta in recruiting neural networks for the encoding of distinct categories. Overall, our study provides evidence for the generalizability of the role of alpha and beta oscillations from perceptual to more "complex, linguistic processes" and offers a novel task to investigate links between rule-switching, working memory, and word production.

The Importance of Vaccination, Variants and Time Point of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Pregnancy for Stillbirth and Preterm Birth Risk: An Analysis of the CRONOS Register Study.

Background: The risk of preterm birth (PTB) and stillbirth increases after a SARS-CoV-2 infection during gestation. We aimed to estimate the risk depending on gestational age at infection (early <28 + 0 and late ≥28 weeks of gestation, WoG), virus variants, severity of infection, and vaccination. Methods: PTB was divided into early PTB (<32 + 0) and late PTB (32 + 0-36 + 6 WoG). The prospective register COVID-19 Related Obstetrics and Neonatal Outcome Study (CRONOS) included 8032 pregnant women with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 3 April 2020 to 31 December 2022, in Germany and Austria. Results: Stillbirth and early preterm births rates were higher during the Alpha (1.56% and 3.13%) and Delta (1.56% and 3.44%) waves than during the Omicron wave (0.53% and 1.39%). Early SARS-CoV-2 infection increased the risk for stillbirth (aRR 5.76, 95% CI 3.07-10.83) and early PTB before 32 + 0 (aRR, 6.07, 95% CI 3.65-10.09). Hospital admission increased the risks further, especially in the case of ICU admission. Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 significantly reduced the risk of stillbirth (aRR 0.32, 95% CI 0.16-0.83). Conclusions: This multicentric prospective study shows an increased risk of stillbirth and preterm birth after infection early in pregnancy and therefore the importance of obstetrical surveillance thereafter. Vaccination offers effective protection.

Resting-state EEG rhythms are abnormal in post COVID-19 patients with brain fog without cognitive and affective disorders

ObjectivesSeveral persons experiencing post-covid-19 (post-COVID) with “brain fog” (e.g., fatigue, cognitive and psychiatric disorders, etc.) show abnormal resting-state electroencephalographic (rsEEG) rhythms reflecting a vigilance dysfunction. Here, we tested the hypothesis that in those post-COVID persons, abnormal rsEEG rhythms may occur even when cognitive and psychiatric disorders are absent. MethodsThe experiments were performed on post-COVID participants about one year after hospitalization for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Inclusion criteria included a “brain fog” claim, no pre-infection, and actual organic chronic disease. Matched controls (no COVID) were also enrolled. All participants underwent clinical/neuropsychological assessment (including fatigue assessment) and rsEEG recordings. The eLORETA freeware estimated regional rsEEG cortical sources at individual delta (<4 Hz), theta (4–7 Hz), and alpha (8–13 Hz) bands. Beta (14–30 Hz) and gamma (30–40 Hz) bands were pre-fixed. ResultsMore than 90% of all post-COVID participants showed no cognitive or psychiatric disorders, and 75% showed ≥ 2 fatigue symptoms. The post-COVID group globally presented lower posterior rsEEG alpha source activities than the Control group. This effect was more significant in the long COVID-19 patients with ≥ 2 fatigue symptoms. ConclusionsIn post-COVID patients with no chronic diseases and cognitive/psychiatric disorders, “brain fog” can be associated with abnormal posterior rsEEG alpha rhythms and subjective fatigue. SignificanceThese abnormalities may be related to vigilance and allostatic dysfunctions.

The Effect of Alpha Binaural Beats Auditory Stimulation on Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG) and Pain Intensity among Tension-Type Headache Patients

Tension-type headaches, the most prevalent primary headaches affecting 2-5% of the population, significantly impact sufferers' well-being. These headaches present a persistent health challenge, constituting a considerable portion of neurologist outpatient visits. Effectively managing tension-type headaches remains challenging and can lead to notable morbidity if untreated. Treatment typically involves prophylactic pharmacological therapy alongside non-pharmacological interventions. Among non-medication therapies, brainwave entrainment using binaural beats emerges as a promising option for chronic headaches. This experimental research employed a pre-test and post-test design over a 5-day period (30 minutes daily) to assess Alpha Binaural Beats Auditory stimulation's impact on the QEEG pattern and pain intensity reduction in tension-type headache patients. The study, involving 32 participants, revealed a statistically significant increase in relative alpha wave power (p-value of 0.000) and a significant decrease in relative beta wave power (p-value of 0.045) after exposure to alpha binaural beats. Additionally, the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) recorded a statistically significant decrease in pain intensity (p-value of 0.000). These findings suggest that Alpha binaural beats contribute to increased alpha wave activity, decreased beta wave activity in the QEEG pattern, and a substantial reduction in pain intensity associated with tension-type headaches. However, further research is needed to explore cumulative effects and long-term sustainability in tension-type headache patients, advancing our understanding and application of this therapy.

Влияние систематической холодовой нагрузки на спектральные характеристики тета- и альфа-ритмов ЭЭГ курсантов военного вуза

The study was focused on the features of spectral characteristics of the EEG alpha and theta ranges in the military academy cadets undergoing specific training to improve cold resistance (cold exposure training). The study was aimed to assess the impact of the military academy cadets’ incremental exposure to the graduated cold stress (cold exposure training) on spectral characteristics of the EEG alpha and theta rhythms. Students of the civil higher educational institution and military academy cadets were assessed (58 individuals in total). Cadets underwent a specific program focused on improving cold resistance (cold exposure training). Background EEG in the alpha and theta frequency ranges was recorded. Statistical data processing involved nonparametric comparison using the Mann–Whitney U test. The results were obtained suggesting that there were significant differences in spectral characteristics of alpha and theta rhythms between the group of foreign cadets and the controls. The cold exposure training program was effective in the group of Russian cadets, which had an effect on the cerebral homeostasis stability with some degree of instability of neurodynamic processes in the CNS. In foreign cadets, regular cold exposure training resulted in the pronounced disintegration of cortical-subcortical and intracortical interactions, as well as in the formation of binary alpha-theta structure of background EEG.

Effect of Adding Neurofeedback to Neuromuscular Training on Brain Waves in Athletes With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Aims This study evaluated the effects of neuromuscular training compared with neurofeedback and neuromuscular training on brain waves, foot and ankle ability, and pain intensity of table tennis players with chronic ankle instability. Methods This clinical trial study was conducted on 29 table tennis players with chronic ankle instability, which were randomly divided into combined neurofeedback+neuromuscular (Mean±SD age: 21.73±2.60 years, hieght: 173.42±5.57 cm, wieght: 77.10±10.42 kg) and neuromuscular groups (Mean±SD age: 22.14±2.53 years, Mean±SD height: 169.26±6.77 cm, Mean±SD weight:77.95±15.70 kg). ProComp Infiniti System and BioGraph Infiniti version 5 software were used to measure brain waves and perform neurofeedback protocol. The foot and ankle disability questionnaire and the visual analog scale were employed to assess foot and ankle ability and pain intensity, respectively. The rehabilitation protocol was performed for eight weeks. The paired t test and 1-way analysis of covariance were used for the data analyses. Results The paired t test results revealed a significant decrease in the amplitude of theta, alpha, and sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) waves in both groups (P&lt;0.05) and an increase in the amplitude of the beta wave only in the combined group (P&lt;0.05). In addition, ankle ability was significantly increased during daily activities and exercise in both groups (P&lt;0.05). On the other hand, the results of a 1-way analysis of covariance indicated a significant difference between the two groups regarding theta and beta amplitudes and degree of ankle disability during exercise, and the improvement was greater in the combined group (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion According to the results, combined exercises (neuromuscular and neurofeedback) can be used as rehabilitation in table tennis players with chronic ankle instability to correct brain waves, improve leg and ankle ability, and reduce pain.

The effects of mental fatigue on fine motor performance in humans and its neural network connectivity mechanism: a dart throwing study.

While it is well known that mental fatigue impairs fine motor performance, the investigation into its neural basis remains scant. Here, we investigate the impact of mental fatigue on fine motor performance and explore its underlying neural network connectivity mechanisms. A total of 24 healthy male university students were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: a mental fatigue group (MF) and a control group (Control). Both groups completed 50 dart throws, while electroencephalography (EEG) data were collected. Following the Stroop intervention, participants in the MF group exhibited a decrease in Stroop task accuracy and throwing performance, and an increase in reaction time along with VAS and NASA scores. The EEG data during dart-throwing revealed that the network connectivity strength of theta oscillations in the frontal and left central regions was significantly higher in the MF group compared with the Control group, while the network connectivity strength of alpha oscillations in the left parietal region was significantly enhanced. The interregional connectivity within the theta and alpha rhythm bands, particularly in the frontal-central-parietal network connections, also showed a significant increase in the MF group. Mental fatigue impairs dart throwing performance and is accompanied by increased connectivity in alpha and theta.

Deciphering the Mysteries of Aromatic Incentive of Lemongrass Essential Oil Inhalation on Brain Activities in Healthy Adults

With the rapid advancement in brain science and imaging technology, there is a growing interest in investigating the connection between aromatherapy and its effects on the brain. This study employs Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG) to examine the impacts of exposure to the fragrance of lemongrass essential oil (LEO) on specific brain regions. The objective is to assess the influence of inhaling the scent of LEO on EEG patterns in awake, healthy adult females using power spectral analysis. In this experimental study, 30 healthy adult female participants were exposed to a water mist as a control after baseline recordings. Subsequently, participants inhaled LEO aromatic mist diffused into the room air, and their brain activity was recorded. Data from specific scalp electrode readings were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed Rank Test. The results revealed a significant increase in the relative power of alpha waves in the prefrontal, frontal and occipital regions, accompanied by heightened theta power and decreased beta power. These results suggests that the inhalation of LEO oil modulates brainwave activities, inducing relaxing effects on the brain.

The association between posterior resting-state EEG alpha rhythms and functional MRI connectivity in older adults with subjective memory complaint

Resting-state eyes-closed electroencephalographic (rsEEG) alpha rhythms are dominant in posterior cortical areas in healthy adults and are abnormal in subjective memory complaint (SMC) persons with Alzheimer’s disease amyloidosis. This exploratory study in 161 SMC participants tested the relationships between those rhythms and seed-based resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) connectivity between thalamus and visual cortical networks as a function of brain amyloid burden, revealed by positron emission tomography and cognitive reserve, measured by educational attainment. The SMC participants were divided into 4 groups according to 2 factors: Education (Edu+ and Edu-) and Amyloid burden (Amy+ and Amy-). There was a statistical interaction (p < 0.05) between the two factors, and the subgroup analysis using estimated marginal means showed a positive association between the mentioned rs-fMRI connectivity and the posterior rsEEG alpha rhythms in the SMC participants with low brain amyloidosis and high CR (Amy-/Edu+). These results suggest that in SMC persons, early Alzheimer’s disease amyloidosis may contrast the beneficial effects of cognitive reserve on neurophysiological oscillatory mechanisms at alpha frequencies and connectivity between the thalamus and visual cortical networks.

Coherent categorical information triggers integration-related alpha dynamics.

To create coherent visual experiences, the brain spatially integrates the complex and dynamic information it receives from the environment. We previously demonstrated that feedback-related alpha activity carries stimulus-specific information when two spatially and temporally coherent naturalistic inputs can be integrated into a unified percept. In this study, we sought to determine whether such integration-related alpha dynamics are triggered by categorical coherence in visual inputs. In an EEG experiment, we manipulated the degree of coherence by presenting pairs of videos from the same or different categories through two apertures in the left and right visual hemifields. Critically, video pairs could be video-level coherent (i.e., stem from the same video), coherent in their basic-level category, coherent in their superordinate category, or incoherent (i.e., stem from videos from two entirely different categories). We conducted multivariate classification analyses on rhythmic EEG responses to decode between the video stimuli in each condition. As the key result, we significantly decoded the video-level coherent and basic-level coherent stimuli, but not the superordinate coherent and incoherent stimuli, from cortical alpha rhythms. This suggests that alpha dynamics play a critical role in integrating information across space, and that cortical integration processes are flexible enough to accommodate information from different exemplars of the same basic-level category.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our brain integrates dynamic inputs across the visual field to create coherent visual experiences. Such integration processes have previously been linked to cortical alpha dynamics. In this study, the integration-related alpha activity was observed not only when snippets from the same video were presented, but also when different video snippets from the same basic-level category were presented, highlighting the flexibility of neural integration processes.

Comparison of power spectra from overnight electroencephalography between patients with Down syndrome and matched control subjects.

Electroencephalograms can capture brain oscillatory activities during sleep as a form of electrophysiological signals. We analysed electroencephalogram recordings from full-night in-laboratory polysomnography from 100 patients with Down syndrome, and 100 age- and sex-matched controls. The ages of patients with Down syndrome spanned 1 month to 31 years (median 4.4 years); 84 were younger than 12 years, and 54 were male. From each electroencephalogram, we extracted relative power in six frequency bands or rhythms (delta, theta, alpha, slow sigma, fast sigma, and beta) from six channels (frontal F3 and F4, central C3 and C4, and occipital O1 and O2) during five sleep stages (N3, N2, N1, R and W)-180 features in all. We examined differences in relative power between Down syndrome and control electroencephalograms for each feature separately. During wake and N1 sleep stages, alpha rhythms (8.0-10.5 Hz) had significantly lower power in patients with Down syndrome than controls. Moreover, the rate of increase in alpha power with age during rapid eye movement sleep was significantly slower in Down syndrome than control subjects. During wake and N1 sleep, delta rhythms (0.25-4.5 Hz) had higher power in patients with Down syndrome than controls. During N2 sleep, slow sigma rhythms (10.5-12.5 Hz) had lower power in patients with DS than controls. These findings extend previous research from routine electroencephalogram studies demonstrating that patients with Down syndrome had reduced circadian amplitude-the difference between wake alpha power and deep sleep delta power was smaller in Down syndrome than control subjects. We envision that these brain oscillatory activities may be used as surrogate markers for clinical trials for patients with Down syndrome.

Yoga meditation: A path to holistic health and healing

The word meditation is derived from a Latin word ‘madri’ which means “to heal”. Meditation can certainly be considered as a great healing process - spiritual, mental, and emotional - with proven benefits to physical well-being. In the current communication, an attempt has been made to explain some of these benefits and provide science based evidence to explain them. Meditation develops our ability to maintain inner peace at all times in our actions and thereby achieve the best physical and mental health. With psychosomatic ailments, meditation provides the vital element that modern therapies lack. During Yogic breathing, some of the oxygen generates •OH free radicals according to the Haber Weiss process, which immediately react with glucose molecules to oxidize them. Some of these oxidation products are very useful, such as gluconic acid, which removes some undesirable metals from the body. Additionally, glucuronic acid is another product, and it is part of the natural detoxification process found in the body. It removes harmful toxins and is used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Another product, D-glucarate, has been shown to decrease lung, skin, liver, breast, and colon cancers by 60%. The product Calcium-D-glucarate lowers cholesterol by 12%, LDL by 28%, and triglycerides by 43%. Lastly, D-glucono 1,4 lactone, with further reactions with •OH, is converted to D-glucaro 1,4 lactone and is a powerful liver detoxifier. Meditation boosts intelligence, IQ score, and increases the gray matter of the brain. The relaxation response decreases breathing rate and oxygen consumption by 20%. It lowers heart rate and brings blood pressure to normal levels. During meditation alpha waves of the brain are generated. This brings relaxation and serenity of mind, helping people to better cope with stress. According to the British Heart Foundation, 15 minutes of meditation a day can reduce the risk of death, heart attack and stroke by 48%. According to Dr. Dean Ornish, meditation can help in reversing heart disease. Meditation has the power to change our negativity of mind and reshape our thoughts into a more positive direction to improve our mental well-being.

Mechanistic role of alpha oscillations in a computational model of working memory.

Brain oscillations are believed to be involved in the different operations necessary to manipulate information during working memory tasks. We propose a mechanistic role for the observed inhibition effect of the alpha rhythm based on its interference with the theta rhythm. Using the Lisman-Idiart model for multi-item working memory, we show that the interaction between these two oscillations is capable of creating a long lasting destructive interference that prevents the cyclic reactivation of neuronal ensembles and, as a consequence, memory maintenance. Additionally, to ensure robustness we propose a modular version of the model and implement oscillations as traveling waves. Using this model, we show that the interactions between theta and gamma determine the allocation of multiple memories in distinct modules, while the interference between theta and alpha disrupts the maintenance of the information already stored in them. The effect of alpha in erasing or blocking storage is robust and seems fairly independent of frequency, as long as it stays within the alpha range. This model helps us to understand why the alpha and theta oscillations, which have close frequency bands, could have opposite roles in working memory.