title: Entrainment of chaotic activities in brain and heart during MBSR mindfulness training.
abstract: The activities of the brain and the heart are dynamic, chaotic, and possibly intrinsically coordinated. This study aims to investigate the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on the chaoticity of electronic activities of the brain and the heart, and to explore their potential correlation. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were recorded at the beginning of an 8-week standard MBSR training course and after the course. EEG spectrum analysis was carried out, wavelet entropies (WE) of EEG (together with reconstructed cortical sources) and heart rate were calculated, and their correlation was investigated. We found enhancement of EEG power of alpha and beta waves and lowering of delta waves power during MBSR training state as compared to normal resting state. Wavelet entropy analysis indicated that MBSR mindfulness meditation could reduce the chaotic activities of both EEG and heart rate as a change of state. However, longitudinal change of trait may need more long-term training. For the first time, our data demonstrated that the chaotic activities of the brain and the heart became more coordinated during MBSR training, suggesting that mindfulness training may increase the entrainment between mind and body. The 3D brain regions involved in the change in mental states were identified.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Alzheimer's Disease Research Network, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Junling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jicong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Bonnie Wai Yan
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Zhiguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, PR China.
authors.forename: Chunqi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Yeung-Sam
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Peter Chin Wan
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.affiliation: Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: hinhung@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Hin Hung
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Sik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019277:Entropy; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation; D064866:Mindfulness
keywords: Brain–heart coordination; EEG; MBSR; Source analysis; Wavelet entropy