Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG study
Meditation practice can lead to what have been referred to as 'altered states of consciousness'. One of the phenomenological characteristics of these states is a joint alteration in the sense of time, space and body. Here, we set out to study the unique experiences of alteration in t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2013-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00912/full |
| _version_ | 1818022885361451008 |
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| author | Aviva eBerkovich-Ohana Yair eDor-Ziderman Joseph eGlicksohn Joseph eGlicksohn Abraham eGoldstein Abraham eGoldstein |
| author_facet | Aviva eBerkovich-Ohana Yair eDor-Ziderman Joseph eGlicksohn Joseph eGlicksohn Abraham eGoldstein Abraham eGoldstein |
| author_sort | Aviva eBerkovich-Ohana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Meditation practice can lead to what have been referred to as 'altered states of consciousness'. One of the phenomenological characteristics of these states is a joint alteration in the sense of time, space and body. Here, we set out to study the unique experiences of alteration in the sense of time and space by collaborating with a select group of 12 long-term Mindfulness meditation practitioners in a neurophenomenological setup, utilizing first-person data to guide the neural analyses. We hypothesized that the underlying neural activity accompanying alterations in the sense of time and space would be related to alterations in bodily processing.The participants were asked to volitionally bring about distinct states of 'Timelessness' (outside time) and 'Spacelessness' (outside space) while their brain activity was recorded by MEG. In order to rule out the involvement of attention, memory or imagination, we used control states of 'Then' (past) and 'There' (another place). MEG sensors evidencing alterations in power values were identified, and the brain regions underlying these changes were estimated via spatial filtering (beamforming). Particularly, we searched for similar neural activity hypothesized to underlie both the state of 'Timelessness' and 'Spacelessness'. The results were mostly confined to the theta band, and showed that: 1) the 'Then' / 'There' overlap yielded activity in regions related to autobiographic memory and imagery (right posterior parietal lobule, right precentral / middle frontal gyrus, bilateral precuneus); 2) 'Timelessness' / 'Spacelessness' conditions overlapped in a different network, related to alterations in the sense of the body (posterior cingulate, right temporoparietal junction, cerebellum); and 3) phenomenologically-guided neural analyses enabled us to dissociate different levels of alterations in the sense of the body. This study illustrates the utility of employing experienced contemplative practitioners within a neurophenomen |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e07d772372f6404c96739078a06d25a2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T03:35:32Z |
| publishDate | 2013-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e07d772372f6404c96739078a06d25a22022-12-22T02:03:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782013-12-01410.3389/fpsyg.2013.0091265877Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG studyAviva eBerkovich-Ohana0Yair eDor-Ziderman1Joseph eGlicksohn2Joseph eGlicksohn3Abraham eGoldstein4Abraham eGoldstein5The Weizmann Institute of ScienceBar-Ilan UniversityBar-Ilan UniversityBar-Ilan UniversityBar-Ilan UniversityBar-Ilan UniversityMeditation practice can lead to what have been referred to as 'altered states of consciousness'. One of the phenomenological characteristics of these states is a joint alteration in the sense of time, space and body. Here, we set out to study the unique experiences of alteration in the sense of time and space by collaborating with a select group of 12 long-term Mindfulness meditation practitioners in a neurophenomenological setup, utilizing first-person data to guide the neural analyses. We hypothesized that the underlying neural activity accompanying alterations in the sense of time and space would be related to alterations in bodily processing.The participants were asked to volitionally bring about distinct states of 'Timelessness' (outside time) and 'Spacelessness' (outside space) while their brain activity was recorded by MEG. In order to rule out the involvement of attention, memory or imagination, we used control states of 'Then' (past) and 'There' (another place). MEG sensors evidencing alterations in power values were identified, and the brain regions underlying these changes were estimated via spatial filtering (beamforming). Particularly, we searched for similar neural activity hypothesized to underlie both the state of 'Timelessness' and 'Spacelessness'. The results were mostly confined to the theta band, and showed that: 1) the 'Then' / 'There' overlap yielded activity in regions related to autobiographic memory and imagery (right posterior parietal lobule, right precentral / middle frontal gyrus, bilateral precuneus); 2) 'Timelessness' / 'Spacelessness' conditions overlapped in a different network, related to alterations in the sense of the body (posterior cingulate, right temporoparietal junction, cerebellum); and 3) phenomenologically-guided neural analyses enabled us to dissociate different levels of alterations in the sense of the body. This study illustrates the utility of employing experienced contemplative practitioners within a neurophenomenhttp://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00912/fullSpace PerceptionTheta RhythmTime PerceptionBody perceptionMagnetoencephalography (MEG)neurophenomenology |
| spellingShingle | Aviva eBerkovich-Ohana Yair eDor-Ziderman Joseph eGlicksohn Joseph eGlicksohn Abraham eGoldstein Abraham eGoldstein Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG study Frontiers in Psychology Space Perception Theta Rhythm Time Perception Body perception Magnetoencephalography (MEG) neurophenomenology |
| title | Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG study |
| title_full | Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG study |
| title_fullStr | Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG study |
| title_short | Alterations in the sense of time, space and body in the Mindfulness-trained brain: A neurophenomenologically-guided MEG study |
| title_sort | alterations in the sense of time space and body in the mindfulness trained brain a neurophenomenologically guided meg study |
| topic | Space Perception Theta Rhythm Time Perception Body perception Magnetoencephalography (MEG) neurophenomenology |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00912/full |
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