Practicing meditation while focusing on a sound or a symbol influenced midlatency auditory evoked potentials (MLAEPs). Cyclic meditation (CM) is a technique combining yoga postures with meditation while supine, which has influenced the P300 event-related potential. The effects of CM on MLAEPs have not been previously studied.
The MLAEPs were studied before and after the practice of CM compared to an equal duration of supine rest (SR) in 47 male volunteers (group mean age 26.5 ± 4.4 years), recorded from the vertex referenced to linked earlobes. The sessions were one day apart and subjects were randomly assigned to each session.
The Pa wave peak latency and Nb wave peak latency significantly increased following CM compared to before CM (repeated measures ANOVA, post-hoc analysis with least significant difference, p<0.05). There was a significant increase in the peak amplitude of the Nb wave (p<0.05) compared to before CM. Post SR there was a significant increase in the peak latency of the Na wave (p<0.05) compared to before SR.
In conclusion following CM the latencies of neural generators corresponding to cortical areas is prolonged, whereas following SR a similar change occurs at mesencephalic-diencephalic levels.
NagendraHR. Yoga Its Basis and Applications. Bangalore: Swami Vivekananda Yoga Prakashana; 2004.
2.
NiranjananandaSwami Saraswati. Prana, Pranayama, Pranavidya. Munger, Bihar: Yoga Publication Trust, Bihar School of Yoga: 1994.
3.
TaiminiIK. The Science of Yoga. Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House; 1986.
4.
NagendraHRNagarathnaR. New Perspectives in Stress Management. Bangalore: Swami Vivekananda Yoga Prakashan; 1997.
5.
TellesSReddySKNagendraHR. Oxygen consumption and respiration following two yoga relaxation techniques. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback2000; 25(4): 221–227.
6.
SarangPSTellesS. Oxygen consumption and respiration during and after two yoga relaxation techniques. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback2006; 31(2): 143–153.
7.
SarangPTellesS. Effects of two yoga based relaxation techniques on heart rate variability. Int J Stress Manag2006; 13(4): 460–475.
8.
SarangSPTellesS. Changes in P300 following two yoga-based relaxation techniques. Int J Neurosci2006; 116(12): 1419–1430.
9.
PolichJP300 in clinical applications. In: NiedermeyerELopes daSilva F, (eds). Electroencephalography: Basic Principles, Clinical Applications and Related Fields. Baltimore-Munich: Urban and Schwarzenberg; 1999: 1073–1091.
10.
BrownDP. A model for the levels of concentrative meditation. Int J Clin Exp Hypn1977; 25(4): 236–273.
11.
DesirajuTNeurophysiology and consciousness: an integrated non-dualist evolutionary theory. In: GarlickDGKornerPI (eds). Frontiers in Physiological Research. Canberra: Australian Academy of Science, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1984; 325–333.
12.
StenadeMLlinasRR. The functional states of the thalamus and the associated neuronal interplay. Physiol Rev1988; 68: 649–742.
13.
PribramKHMcGuinessD. Brain systems involved in attention and para-attentional processing. Ann NY Acad Sci1992; 658: 65–92.
14.
TellesSNagarathnaRNagendraHR. Alterations in auditory middle latency evoked potentials during meditation on a meaningful symbol “OM”, Int J Neurosci1994; 76: 87–93.
15.
DeiberMPIbañezVFischerCPerrinFMauguiéreF. Sequential mapping favors the hypothesis of distinct generators for Na and Pa middle latency auditory evoked potentials. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1988; 71(3): 187–197.
16.
WoodsDLClayworthCC. Click spatial position influences middle latency auditory evoked potentials (MLAEPs) in humans. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1985; 60: 122–129.
17.
TellesSNaveenKV. Changes in middle latency auditory evoked potentials during meditation. Psychol Rep2004; 94: 398–400.
18.
PanjwaniUSelvamurthyWSinghSHGuptaHLMukhopadhyaySThakurL. Effect of Sahaja yoga meditation on auditory evoked potentials (AEP) and visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) in epileptics. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback2000; 1: 1–12.
19.
YadavATandonOPVaneyN. Auditory evoked responses during different phases of menstrual cycle. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol2002; 46(4): 449–456.
20.
JasperHH. The ten-twenty electrode system of the International Federation. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1958; 10: 371–375.
21.
MorletDBertrandOSalordFBoulieuRPernierJFischerC. Dynamics of MLAEP changes in midazolam-induced sedation. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1997; 104: 1437–1446.
SarangSPTellesS. Immediate effect of two yoga based relaxation techniques on performance in a letter-cancellation task. Percept Mot Skills2007; 105(2): 379–385.
KilenyPPacciorettiDWilsonAF. Effects of cortical lesions on middle-latency auditory evoked responses (MLR). Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1987; 66: 108–120.
26.
Liégeois-ChauvelCMusolinoABadierJMMarquisPChauvelP. Evoked potentials recorded from the auditory cortex in man: evaluation and topography of the middle latency components. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1994; 92: 204–214.
27.
MalhotraA. Auditory Evoked Response in Clinical Practice. New York: Springer- Verlag; 1997.
28.
TellesSDesirajuT. Recording of auditory middle latency evoked potentials during the practice of meditation with the syllable “OM”. Indian J Med Res1993; [B] 98: 237–239.
29.
StreeterCCJensenJEPerlmutterRMCabralHJTianHTerhuneDB. Yoga asana sessions increase brain GABA levels: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med2007; 13(4): 419–426.
30.
KandelERSchwartzJHJessellTM. Principles of Neural Science. 4th ed.New York: McGraw-Hill; 2000.
31.
HenryJL. Future basic science directions into mechanisms of neuropathic pain. J Orofac Pain2004; 18(4): 306–310.
32.
MaCLKellyJBWuSH. Presynaptic modulation of GABAergic inhibition by GABA(B) receptors in the rat's inferior colliculus. Neurosci2002; 114(1): 207–215.
33.
PatraSTellesS. Positive impact of cyclic meditation on sleep. Med Sci Monit2009; 15(6): In Press.
34.
HalgrenEMarinkovicKChauvelP. Generators of the late cognitive potentials in auditory and visual oddball tasks. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1998; 106: 156–164.
