title: The Sensorium: Psychophysiological Evaluation of Responses to a Multimodal Neurofeedback Environment.
abstract: The Sensorium is a multimodal neurofeedback environment that reflects a person's physiological state by presenting physiological signals via orchestral sounds from a speaker and multi-coloured lights projected onto a white surface. The software manages acquisition, real-time processing, storage, and sonification of various physiological signals such as the electroencephalogram (EEG) or electrocardiogram (ECG). Each of the 36 participants completed 6 interventional conditions consisting of three different Sensorium-phases with EEG and ECG feedback, a mindfulness meditation, a guided body scan exercise, and a Pseudo-Sensorium using pre-recorded data that did not reflect the subject's own physiology. During all phases EEG, ECG, skin conductance, and respiration were recorded. A feedback questionnaire assessed the participants' subjective reports of changes in well-being, perception, and life-spirit. The results indicate that the Sensorium sessions were not statistically inferior compared to their corresponding active control conditions with respect to improvements in subjective reports concerning well-being and perception. Additionally, the Sensorium was rated as being a more extraordinary experience, as compared to meditation. During the Sensorium conditions the EEG showed lower levels of theta2 (7-8.5 Hz), alpha (9-12 Hz) and beta (12.5-25 Hz) activity. Since participants reported benefit from the Sensorium experience regardless of any prior experience with meditation, we propose this novel method of meditative and extraordinary self-experience to be utilized as a modern alternative to more traditional forms of meditation.
authors.affiliation: Research Section of Applied Consciousness Sciences, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Joseph-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany. Thilo.Hinterberger@ukr.de.
authors.forename: Thilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hinterberger
authors.affiliation: Research Section of Applied Consciousness Sciences, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, Franz-Joseph-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fürnrohr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods*; D064866:Mindfulness; D058765:Neurofeedback / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011603:Psychophysiology; D012119:Respiration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: EEG; Meditation; Mindfulness; Neurofeedback; Sensorium