17/11/2017
Vipassana Meditation and Well-Being: A Neuro-Psycho- Physiological Study
Context of the Study
To achieve genuine well-being that is not contingent on external or internal stimuli, Vipassana meditation entails radical transformation of individual consciousness primarily through psycho-cognitive refinements. These refinements allow the meditator to appreciate subtle sensations occurring constantly within him/her. With continued practice the meditator comprehends the fleeting, unsatisfactory and insubstantial nature of these sensations and trains him/her to remain equanimous to the sensations. Overtime, objective comprehension of the characteristics (fleeting, insubstantial, unsatisfactory) of the body phenomena results in cognitive re-appraisal of ongoing psycho-physical experiences which in turn initiate cognitive control mechanisms in the brain. These psycho-cognitive alterations eventually lead to improved mental balance, health and well-being. Psycho-cognitive alterations lead to corresponding changes in the body physiology as well.
The functional and structural neural alterations brought in by long term practice of Vipassana meditation are amenable to neuro-physiological and psychological measures such as EEG (Electroencephalography), ERP (Event Related Potentials) and psychological assessment scales. Several neurophysiological and imaging studies have attempted to uncover the underlying neural mechanisms of superior cognitive and psycho-physiological wellbeing in long term meditators. In this context, the present study highlights the neuro-cognitive and psychological alterations in Advanced Vipassana meditators and attempts to relate these to the psycho-philosophical underpinnings of Vipassana meditation.
Methodology of the Study
The study is a correlational study and included three categories of Vipassana practitioners (trained in the tradition of Sayagyi UBA Khin as taught by Acharya S.N Goenka) with varying degree of meditative experience. To overcome some of the pitfalls of earlier studies, a large sample size of sixty-nine Vipassana meditators was recruited for the study with permissions from VRI, Mumbai. The meditators were categorized into three groups as Novices (n=25), Seniors (n=23) and Teachers (n=21) based on self-reported profiles.
High resolution Geodesic EEG System 300 (Electrical Geodesics, Inc., USA) with 128 channel Hydrocel Sensor Nets and Net Station software version 4.5.6 using Eprime 2.0 stimulus presentation software was used to acquire the EEG and ERP data to measure objective neural changes. Vipassana based well-being questionnaires and Western based positive psychology questionnaires were used to measure subjective experience of well-being.
Study Design
EEG/ERP sessions were carried out from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the cognitive research lab, Department of Neurophysiology, NIMHANS. Participants were then requested to answer psychological questionnaires on well-being.
Session1: EEG recording of brain functions was carried out for one hour - during rest and during meditative states of Anapana, Vipassana and Metta. This test was carried out to assess the distinct neural markers of each of the above states. We expected to find meditation proficiency related neural transformations pertaining to theta-alpha networks, since these are functionally linked to psycho-cognitive processing.
Session2: ERP recording was carried out while participants performed game based cognitive task specifically designed to assess meditation associated cognitive alterations.
Session3: Psychological survey of well-being among meditator groups of different proficiency levels was carried out using Positive Psychology (adapted for Indian Context) and Vipassana based questionnaires (developed from Abhidhamma texts).
Method of Analysis
EEG/ERP data analysis was carried out using EEGLAB toolbox with MATLAB scripts. Statistical analysis was performed using the ‘STUDY’ function of EEGLAB. IBM’s SPSS with appropriate statistical tests was utilized to analyze psychological survey data.
Results and Inference
Session1: Functional changes in Brain (Electroencephalography-EEG)
EEG results during meditation showed increased theta-alpha power in Rest states of experienced practitioners compared to novice practitioners. It is important to note that non-meditators /normal controls do not show such high theta-alpha power in rest.
In normal controls, default function of brain activity has a specific functional connotation with the thought processes revolving around one-self as opposed to current events. As opposed to this observation the presence of increased theta-alpha power in Rest states of proficient meditators hint at altered default brain functioning suggestive of a decrease in self-referential thought processing and improved objective stance (towards self).
This state of alteration in Rest reflects the cumulative influence of all the meditative states and cannot be ascribed to any one component such as ‘mindfulness’.
Session2: Study Results of Cognitive Assessments (Event Related Potential-ERP Study)
Results of cognitive tests indicated a change in information processing mechanisms of brain in proficient meditators. Proficient meditators unlike novice practitioners do not process all the incoming information that reaches their senses. They are observed to regulate the information flow either by increase or decrease in alpha powers. (Proficient meditators increase alpha power to block information and reduce alpha power to allow information). This indicates that Vipassana meditative training enhances “selectivity” in information processing.
Additional tests on “performance monitoring” showed that meditative training alters conflict handling mechanisms of the brain.
There is heightened awareness to errors committed in advanced practitioners compared to novice practitioners.
Advanced practitioners exhibited substantial decreases in thought deliberation and thought fixation. They showed a decreased tendency to ruminate.
Session3: Results of Well-being Survey
The results of the survey indicated positive correlation between meditation proficiency and composite well-being (increase in kusala and decrease in akusala states). Advanced practitioners also reported decreases in negative affect “(mood) compared to novices. It is important to note that the improved well-being in advanced practitioners is more due to decrease in akusala rather than to an increase in kusala components.
Overall, improved experience of well-being in advanced practitioners seems to be an outcome of meditative training induced fundamental alterations in perceptual mechanisms.
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The above study is carried out with permissions from VRI at Cognitive Research Lab, NIMHANS during 2012-15.
Principal Researcher: Dr. Ratna Jyothi. K
Study has been carried out under the guidance of sanjeev dhir ,
Dr. Bindu M. Kutty, Dr. Ravindra Panth, Dr. Seema Mehrotra
