Meditation may predispose to epilepsy: an insight into the alteration in brain environment induced by meditation
Introduction
There is global increase in stress and strain of today’s life, both at home front and job place. The global competitiveness and challenges of modern life are taking a great toll on physical and mental health that is being reflected by an alarming rise in stress induced diseases.
Counseling and/or drug therapy have not been much effective in relieving stress in most of the cases. In addition, these methods cannot be applicable in many situations. Also, in those cases where they have been able to produce significant relief, the effect has been short lived.
An increasing tendency towards adapting practice of meditation for relief of stress is being observed universally as it is devoid of side effects of drugs and great compromise with life style that one is used to. Meditation is a complex process, during the course and attainment of which, multiple changes in mental, neuro-hormonal and autonomic functions occur. These changes vary from being subtle to sometimes being easily perceptible by the meditator. Due to the complexity, mystique and fascination of the mental processes and changes associated with meditation, it still remains a phenomenon of great interest to researchers and shall continue to do so for several years to come.
The biological autonomic effects on heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and skin resistance have been studied to a significant extent. However, with the advent of neuro-imaging techniques like EEG, fMRI, PET and SPECT [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], the cerebral and mental processes associated with meditation have attracted much interest to researchers. Undoubtedly, it is these processes that form the underlying basis of the composite effect of meditation on body and mind.
Section snippets
EEG changes
A number of investigators have studied EEG changes in normal meditators. The effects have mainly been on alpha rhythm as observed by Bagchi & Wenger [28] and Kasamatsu & Hirai [29]. In 1961, Anand et al. [30] observed increasing amplitude and slowing frequency of alpha rhythm, which gradually spread from its normal predominant locality i.e., occipital to frontal regions. Banquet [6] also found high amplitude alpha rhythm during meditation and coined the term ‘hypersynchrony’ [6], [7]. It needs
Conclusion
Thus, each of the above-cited effects, which invariably occur at sometime during the course of meditation can present a potential risk for epileptogenesis and/or precipitating attack(s) in an epileptic patient. Needless to say, the concurrent presence of two or more of these effects can contribute tremendously to epileptogenesis, even to the extent of rendering a normal person epilepsy-prone.
Meditation is known to produce relaxation and epilepsy after relaxation is a well-known entity [27].
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EEG-guided meditation: A personalized approach
2015, Journal of Physiology ParisCitation Excerpt :However, adverse (or negative) effects associated with the practice of meditation have been reported by researchers for some time, though without much attention from the public or media. A number of studies have documented negative short- and long-term side-effects induced by meditation practices, such as panic attacks and anxiety (Heide and Borkovec, 1983, 1984; Cohen et al., 1985; Lazarus and Mayne, 1990); depersonalization syndrome (Kennedy, 1976; Lukoff, 1998); high blood pressure (Canter and Ernst, 2004); over-excitation of the central nervous system (Roldan and Dostalek, 1983, 1985) and brain epileptisation (Jaseja, 2005, 2006a,b; Nicholson, 2006; Lansky and St Louis, 2006). From a clinical study of twenty-seven long-term meditators, Shapiro (1992) found that 62.9% of them reported at least one adverse effect, and 7.4% suffered profound adverse effects.
Can hyper-synchrony in meditation lead to seizures? Similarities in meditative and epileptic brain states
2014, Medical HypothesesCitation Excerpt :This evidence suggests that meditators do report symptoms consistent with the occurrence of simple partial seizures, though these symptoms are rarely interpreted as such. It has been speculated that there are close correspondences between the neuronal environment found in meditation and in epilepsy [19,20]. Building on suggestions that high synchrony brain activity may be important in understanding the link [7,21], the subsequent section, titled “High neuronal synchrony and excitability in epilepsy and meditation”, surveys the emerging literature on the role of high frequency neuronal oscillations in meditation and in epilepsy.
Mindfulness meditation practise as a healthcare intervention: A systematic review
2010, International Journal of Osteopathic MedicineCitation Excerpt :Moreover, it is unclear what conditions may be amenable to treatment by mindfulness training, as it may have both stabilising and destabilising effects.120–122 For example patients with epilepsy have experienced negative effects from mindfulness meditation.123 The cultural heritage of mindfulness may also limit the patient populations who will participate.6,124
EEG fast oscillations and epileptogenesis during meditation: Corroborative empirical evidence
2010, Epilepsy and BehaviorPotential role of self-induced EEG fast oscillations in predisposition to seizures in meditators
2010, Epilepsy and BehaviorCitation Excerpt :One such adverse effect that has been intensely debated is the potential for meditation to predispose to epileptogenesis [1–15]. The epileptogenic influence has been based largely on meditation-induced alterations in neurophysiology and neurochemistry in the brain environment [1], in disagreement with which some researchers have advocated meditation as an effective therapeutic measure in epilepsy [8,11,13]. This article attempts to shed light on the role and mechanism of self-induced EEG fast oscillations in the predisposition to seizures in meditators under epileptogenic states.
Meditation: Epileptogenic versus antiepileptic influence
2009, Epilepsy and Behavior