Travis, F., Haaga, D.H., Hagelin, J., Tanner, M., Arenander, A., Nidich, S., Gaylord-King, C., Grosswald, S., Rainforth, M., & Schneider, R. (in press). A Self-Referral Default Brain State: Patterns of Coherence, Power, and eLORETA Sources during Eyes-Closed Rest and the Transcendental Meditation Practice. Cognitive Processes.

Abstract: Midline frontal-parietal networks are active when participants think about themselves—so-called self-referential circuits.  Frontal-parietal networks are also active during eyes-closed rest—defining a so-called “default” brain state.  The Transcendental Meditation practice leads to experiences described as “pure self-awareness” and the “source of thought.” Thus, midline frontal-parietal networks might be expected to be active during Transcendental Meditation. This 10-week random-assignment study compares low (theta and alpha), middle (beta1), and high frequency (beta2 and gamma) EEG coherence, power, and eLORETA cortical sources during eyes-closed rest and Transcendental Meditation practice in 38 male and female college students, average 23.7 years old, who were randomly assigned to Transcendental Meditation or waitlist control.  The results showed that Transcendental Meditation practice was distinguished from eyes-closed rest by coherence, power and eLORETA patterns: 1) theta and beta1 fronto-frontal, fronto-central and global interhemispheric coherence, 2) alpha fronto-frontal coherence, 3) beta2 fronto-parietal and global interhemispheric coherence, 4) alpha and beta1 frontal and parietal power, 5) beta2 parietal power, 6) frontal gamma power, and by eLORETA sources in 7) theta activity in orbitofrontal cortices and the left supramarginal gyrus, 8) alpha activity in Broca’s area, and 9) beta1 activity in frontal-parietal midline cortices.  The eLORETA frontal-parietal sources were principally located in the self-referential brain network—medial prefrontal, anterior cingulate, precuneus and the supramarginal gyrus.  The significant activation of this intrinsic network during Transcendental Meditation practice, over and above that during eyes-closed rest, extends the concept and significance of the default state to include states during meditation practices, and offers the opportunity for meditation research to make significant contributions towards understanding and characterizing the full range of human awareness.