Attempt to identify meditative state by objective index and reproduce meditative EEG state by conditioned stimulus

Abstract

Meditation has been used to control the mind since ancient times. Recently, mindfulness-based meditation research is a typical meditation research. It has been scientifically shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and it is used for the purpose of improving concentration or mind condition in psychiatry place and even in corporate training. Previous studies reported that the appearance of α-waves in the frontal region and the appearance of θ-waves as features of EEG signal during meditation. On the other hand, the appearance of θ-waves in the midline of the frontal region has been reported as a characteristic during concentration, suggesting a relationship between meditation and concentration, but there is no report directly clarified the relationship. In this study, we identified the “ meditative state ” by an objective physiological index and verified the increase in concentration due to the meditation. As a result, the intensity of θ-wave power during meditation and the intensity of θ-wave power during task performance were correlated, directly suggesting the enhancement of concentration by meditation. It was suggested that the parasympathetic system became dominant after meditation, and it was confirmed that the meditation state could be defined by the EEG and the electrocardiogram. Thus, the meditative states were confirmed as EEG and heartbeat states, we are currently investing whether these states can be reproduced by classical conditioning.