title: Human prefrontal cortical response to the meditative state: a spectroscopy study.
abstract: The effect of Qigong meditation on the hemodynamics of the prefrontal cortex was investigated by spectroscopy with a single-wavelength probe (650 nm) and confirmed by standard near-infrared spectroscopy with a dual-wavelength probe. Deoxyhemoglobin changes were recorded with the single-wavelength probe over the left prefrontal cortex during meditation by Qigong practitioners, and non-practitioners instructed in the technique. Practitioners showed a significant decrease in deoxyhemoglobin levels suggesting an increase in prefrontal activation during meditation. The results were confirmed in a second set of experiments with the standard dual-wavelength probe, in which significant differences in the decrease in deoxyhemoglobin and increase in oxyhemoglobin concentrations were observed in practitioners as compared with non-practitioners. The study thus provides evidence that Qigong meditation has a significant effect on prefrontal activation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Richard W F
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Donald S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Borrett
authors.forename: Weyland
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hon C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: Richard S S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000502:physiology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000523:psychology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010108:Oxyhemoglobins; C100003:deoxyhemoglobin