Lightening the mind with audiovisual stimulation as an accessible alternative to breath-focused meditation for mood and cognitive enhancement.

In this randomized, controlled, and double-blind experiment with a relatively large sample (n = 262), a novel technique of audiovisual stimulation (AVS) was demonstrated to substantially improve self-reported mood states by reducing several negative affects, including anxiety and depression, and enhancing performance on mood-sensitive cognitive tasks. Most of the AVS effects were highly similar whether binaural beats were present or not and regardless of the duration of experience. Remarkably, the mood benefits from AVS closely aligned with those achieved through breath-focused meditation with additional evidence that a brief AVS exposure of approximately five minutes may be sufficient or even optimal for improving mood to a comparable or greater degree than meditation sessions of equal or longer durations (11-22 min). These exciting findings position AVS as a promising avenue for mood and cognition enhancement and a potentially more accessible plug-and-play alternative to meditation, which is especially relevant considering the high attrition rates commonly observed in meditation practices

Decoding Depth of Meditation: Electroencephalography Insights From Expert Vipassana Practitioners.

BACKGROUND: Meditation practices have demonstrated numerous psychological and physiological benefits, but capturing the neural correlates of varying meditative depths remains challenging. In this study, we aimed to decode self-reported time-varying meditative depth in expert practitioners using electroencephalography (EEG). METHODS: Expert Vipassana meditators (n = 34) participated in 2 separate sessions. Participants reported their meditative depth on a personally defined 1 to 5 scale using both traditional probing and a novel spontaneous emergence method. EEG activity and effective connectivity in theta, alpha, and gamma bands were used to predict meditative depth using machine/deep learning, including a novel method that fused source activity and connectivity information. RESULTS: We achieved significant accuracy in decoding self-reported meditative depth across unseen sessions. The spontaneous emergence method yielded improved decoding performance compared with traditional probing and correlated more strongly with postsession outcome measures. Best performance was achieved by a novel machine learning method that fused spatial, spectral, and connectivity information. Conventional EEG channel-level methods and preselected default mode network regions fell short in capturing the complex neural dynamics associated with varying meditation depths. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility of decoding personally defined meditative depth using EEG. The findings highlight the complex, multivariate nature of neural activity during meditation and introduce spontaneous emergence as an ecologically valid and less obtrusive experiential sampling method. These results have implications for advancing neurofeedback techniques and enhancing our understanding of meditative practices

Lightening the Mind with Audiovisual Stimulation as an Accessible Alternative to Breath-Focused Meditation for Mood and Cognitive Enhancement

In this randomized, controlled, and double-blind experiment with a relatively large sample (n=262), a novel technique of audiovisual stimulation (AVS) was demonstrated to substantially improve self-reported mood states by reducing several negative affects, including anxiety and depression, and enhancing performance on mood-sensitive cognitive tasks. Most of the AVS effects were highly similar whether binaural beats were present or not and regardless of the duration of experience. Remarkably, the mood benefits from AVS closely aligned with those achieved through breath-focused meditation with additional evidence that a brief AVS exposure of approximately five minutes may be sufficient or even optimal for improving mood to a comparable or greater degree than meditation sessions of equal or longer durations (11 or 22 minutes). These exciting findings position AVS as a promising avenue for mood and cognition enhancement and a potentially more accessible “plug-and-play” alternative to meditation, which is especially relevant considering the high attrition rates commonly observed in meditation practices

Effective Deepening of Meditative-States with Focused Ultrasound Stimulation and its Moderation by Prior-Experience

This study explores the intersection of meditation and neurostimulation, focusing on Focused Ultrasound Stimulation (FUS) as a potential aid in achieving meditative states. We compared the effects of FUS to sham stimulation in experienced and novice meditators, targeting three specific brain regions: the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), the caudate nucleus (CN), and the insular cortex (Iav). Our investigation is particularly relevant given the growing evidence of meditation's positive impact on mental health and well-being, and the challenges many face in maintaining regular meditative practice. The chosen targets are backed by empirical and theoretical support, reflecting their roles in meditative states and related cognitive functions. This study not only contributes to understanding the neural mechanisms of meditation but also explores the potential of FUS in enhancing meditative practices, especially for those who struggle to achieve these states independently

Decoding Depth of Meditation: EEG Insights from Expert Vipassana Practitioners

Meditation practices have demonstrated numerous psychological and physiological benefits, yet capturing the neural correlates of varying meditative depths remains challenging. This study aimed to decode self-reported time-varying meditative depth in expert practitioners using EEG. Expert Vipassana meditators (n=34) participated in two separate sessions. Participants reported their meditative depth on a personally defined 1-5 scale using both traditional probing and a novel "spontaneous emergence" method. EEG activity and effective connectivity in theta, alpha, and gamma bands was used to predict meditative depth using machine/deep learning, including a novel method that fused source activity and connectivity information. We achieved significant accuracy in decoding self-reported meditative depth across unseen sessions. The "spontaneous emergence" method yielded improved decoding performance to traditional probing and correlated more strongly with post-session outcome measures. Best performance was achieved by a novel machine learning method which fused spatial, spectral, and connectivity information. Conventional EEG channel-level methods and pre-selected default mode network regions fell short in capturing the complex neural dynamics associated with varying meditation depths. This study demonstrates the feasibility of decoding personally defined meditative depth using EEG. The findings highlight the complex, multivariate nature of neural activity during meditation and introduce "spontaneous emergence" as an ecologically valid and less obtrusive experiential sampling method. These results have implications for advancing neurofeedback techniques and enhancing our understanding of meditative practices

Table_1_Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation improves Long COVID symptoms in a female cohort: a pilot study.DOCX

BackgroundLong COVID, also known as Post-COVID-19 syndrome, is characterized by multisystemic symptoms that persists for weeks to years beyond acute infection. It disproportionately affects women and those with pre-existing anxiety/depression, conditions more prevalent in females. The vagus nerve, with its extensive innervation and regulation of critical bodily functions, has become a focal point for therapeutic interventions. Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (t-VNS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive treatment for COVID-19 conditions.MethodsThis pilot study assessed the efficacy of t-VNS in 24 female Long COVID patients (45.8 ± 11.7 years old; 20.2 ± 7.1 months since infection), who underwent a 10-day t-VNS intervention at home (30 min/session, twice a day). Cognition was considered the primary outcome, with anxiety, depression, sleep, fatigue, and smell as secondary outcomes. Outcomes were measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up.ResultsSignificant improvements were observed in various cognitive functions, anxiety, depression, and sleep at post-intervention, with benefits remaining or progressing at 1-month follow-up. Improvements in fatigue were delayed, reaching statistical significance at 1-month follow-up compared to baseline. No significant changes were noted in olfactory performance.ConclusionThis pilot study provides preliminary evidence supporting the potential of t-VNS as a therapeutic intervention for female Long COVID patients. The encouraging results justify further rigorous investigation through larger, randomized controlled trials to confirm the efficacy of t-VNS, assess its generalizability to male cohorts, and explore biological markers to inform personalized treatment approaches. Our findings support the allocation of resources to conduct such trials and advance the understanding of t-VNS as a potential treatment for Long COVID.</p

Facilitating Meditation with Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation: A First Investigation in Experienced Practitioners

This study aims to assess the validity of focused ultrasound (FUS) stimulation as a method for facilitating meditative development, which may have application for novice or intermediate meditators seeking to improve their practice. A growing body of work suggests profound benefits to health and wellbeing following consistent meditation practice; however, successfully maintaining such a practice proves to be difficult for many who attempt it. By leveraging what is known about the neural correlates of meditation, we investigate the possibility of lowering this barrier of entry via direct neuromodulation using FUS. Specifically, we applied ultrasound for 12 minutes to either the posterior cingulate cortex, bilateral caudate, or bilateral insula in experienced (vipassana) meditators while they engaged in their habitual mindfulness meditation across four separate one-hour sessions. Subjective effects reported during and after each meditation session involving stimulation are compared to a sham stimulation session, with significant differences considered evidence for an effect of FUS. Physiological effects are also reported. Our preliminary data (n=10) suggests a strong, significant improvement in self-reported meditative depth during/after Caudate stimulation while questionnaires taken after the meditation further suggest an augmented state of meditation as well as general mood induced by this condition. Compounding this, reduced heart rate and increased heart rate variability (compared to sham) were observed following FUS, again unique to the Caudate stimulation condition, while these measures were found to strongly correlate with reported depth, suggesting a mechanistic relationship between these adaptive changes in physiological arousal and successful meditation induced by targeting this structure