Zazen and Cardiac Variability

Lehrer, Paul M.; Sasaki, Yuji; Saito, Yoshihiro

doi:10.1097/00006842-199911000-00014

Cited by 144 publications

(109 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…As frequency of daily practice varies between meditation practitioners, using the total number of years of practice is not a sensitive metric of experience. One effect of regular meditation practice is a significant drop in respiration rate during formal practice [7,8]. We therefore tested whether changes in respiration rate between rest and meditation could serve as an objective measure of meditation experience.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other forms of yoga and meditation will likely have a similar impact on cortical structure, although each tradition would be expected to have a slightly different pattern of cortical thickening based on the specific mental exercises involved [7,8,25]. Although numerous studies have shown that indices of cortical size can decrease as a result of aging and pathology (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness

Lazar

Kerr

Wasserman³

et al. 2005

NeuroReport

1,352

837

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Previous research indicates that long-term meditation practice is associated with altered resting electroencephalogram patterns, suggestive of long lasting changes in brain activity. We hypothesized that meditation practice might also be associated with changes in the brain's physical structure. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess cortical thickness in 20 participants with extensive Insight meditation experience, which involves focused attention to internal experiences. Brain regions associated with attention, interoception and sensory processing were thicker in meditation participants than matched controls, including the prefrontal cortex and right anterior insula. Betweengroup differences in prefrontal cortical thickness were most pronounced in older participants, suggesting that meditation might offset age-related cortical thinning. Finally, the thickness of two regions correlated with meditation experience. These data provide the first structural evidence for experience-dependent cortical plasticity associated with meditation practice.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness

Lazar

Kerr

Wasserman³

et al. 2005

NeuroReport

1,352

837

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…At approximately 6 breaths per minute or 0.1 Hz, RSA synchronizes with inherent low frequency variability leading to significantly increased amplitude of heart rate variability. [15][16][17][18][19] ( Figure 1) This is the same physiology that occurs during biofeedback training to increase heart rate variability. 20 A rate of breathing of 6 breaths per minute or 0.1 Hz also coincides with and augments the intrinsic blood pressure variation known as the Mayer wave 21 , a complex phenomenon of autonomic activity that results in an approximately 10 second cycle (0.1 Hz or 6 per minute) of blood pressure.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Meditation: Should a cardiologist care?

Olex

Newberg

Figueredo

2013

International Journal of Cardiology

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“…One study in which HRV parameters were measured while participants breathed at specified rates found that total HRV amplitude peaked at four breaths per minute, as did low-frequency HRV amplitude (Song & Lehrer, 2003). This is also within the breathing frequency range utilized by Zen monks for the practice of "tanden breathing," during which their HRV increases in the low-frequency band, and decreases in the high-frequency band (Lehrer, Sasaki, & Saito, 1999). The NFB+HRV protocol utilized in the current study combined biofeedback to encourage slow, deep breathing (at 6-8 breaths per minute) with HRV biofeedback to up-train the %LF band.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Combined Neurofeedback and Heart Rate Variability Training for Individuals with Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: A Retrospective Study

White¹,

Groeneveld²,

Tittle³

et al. 2017

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Introduction.Neurofeedback (NFB) and heart rate variability (HRV) training present promising, nonpharmaceutical intervention strategies for anxiety and depression. This report is the first to address whether concurrent NFB and HRV (NFB+HRV) provides a viable intervention for symptoms of anxiety and depression, measured by the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) questionnaire. Methods. 183 children and adults with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression underwent NFB+HRV training. Psychological symptom rating, EEG, blood pressure, breathing pattern, and HRV were measured before and after treatment. Results. After NFB+HRV training, symptoms of anxiety (p < .001, d z = 1.42) and depression (p < .001, d z = 1.34) were reduced in children and adults. The majority of individuals with pretreatment symptoms of anxiety (82.8%) or depression (81.1%) experienced ASEBA improvements of clinical importance. There were also significant changes in EEG, breathing rate, and HRV. For the 16 individuals copresenting with hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly reduced. Conclusion. We present evidence that NFB+HRV training may provide an effective, nonpharmaceutical intervention to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in children and adults. Additionally, NFB+HRV training may improve EEG, blood pressure, resting breathing rate, and HRV.

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Zazen and Cardiac Variability

Cited by 144 publications

References 38 publications

Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness

Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness

Meditation: Should a cardiologist care?

Combined Neurofeedback and Heart Rate Variability Training for Individuals with Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: A Retrospective Study

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