Default mode network activation and Transcendental Meditation practice: Focused Attention or Automatic Self-transcending?
Travis, Frederick; Parim, Niyazi (2017). Default mode network activation and Transcendental Meditation practice: Focused Attention or Automatic Self-transcending?. Brain and Cognition, 111, 86–94.
EEG source analysis and subjective reports from 87 practitioners with one month to five years of TM experience, comparing TM, eyes-closed rest and a task.
- Year
- 2017
- Journal
- Brain and Cognition
- Publication type
- Journal
- Paper type
- Empirical
- Section
- Electrophysiological and Electroencephalographic Changes
Findings (2)
During the Practice—Electroencephalographic
Rest and TM showed theta/alpha activation in default-mode-network regions, while the task activated central-executive-network regions.
Transcendental Meditation · State changes with control condition · During TM
Reported transcending did not increase with years of practice; the authors argue against classifying TM as focused-attention meditation.
Transcendental Meditation · State changes with control condition · During TM