EEG analysis for application of mind EEG analysis for application of mind machines, relaxation, and meditation.machines, relaxation, and meditation.

Strategy for anomalous researchStrategy for anomalous research

Michal TeplanMichal Teplan

Institute of Measurement Science, Slovak Academy of SciencesInstitute of Measurement Science, Slovak Academy of Sciences, , Bratislava, Bratislava, SlovakiaSlovakia

brain

neuron

synapsy

Electroencephalography

19201920’’

2000’2000’

Amplifying unitAmplifying unit

no. of channelsno. of channels:: 8 8

amplifying gainamplifying gain:: 402 402 xx

sampling sampling frefrequencyquency:: 500 Hz 500 Hz

A/D converter resolutionA/D converter resolution:: 16 bit 16 bit

noisenoise max max.:.: 4.1 4.1 VV

low pass filterlow pass filter:: 234 Hz234 Hz

high passhigh pass filter filter:: 0.07 Hz 0.07 Hz

resolutionresolution:: 0.46 0.46 V V

Utilized methods of Utilized methods of EEG signEEG signaall analanalysisysis

SpeSpectral ctral characharaccteristiteristicscs::

- absol- absoluteute a andnd relativerelative powers in frequency bands powers in frequency bands (δ, θ, α, β, γ)(δ, θ, α, β, γ)- - spectral edge frequencyspectral edge frequency

Complexity measuresComplexity measures::

- e- entropiesntropies - - correlation correlation dimensiondimension- spe- spectral ctral exponentexponent

Interdependency measuresInterdependency measures::

- - ccorrelation coefficientorrelation coefficient - - coherence coherence - - mutual informationmutual information

Subjective assessmentSubjective assessment

? Mind machines ?

Audio-visual stimulation of the brainAudio-visual stimulation of the brain

Human brain stimulation by simple repetitive sound and visual stimuliHuman brain stimulation by simple repetitive sound and visual stimuli

Clinical studiesClinical studies: : head injuries and acheshead injuries and aches, , brain strokesbrain strokes, , dental anxietydental anxiety, , cognitive disfunctionscognitive disfunctions, , diagnostics of diagnostics of neurologicneurological disordersal disorders, EEG , EEG biofeedbackbiofeedback

Basic researchBasic research: : direct and short-term effect on EEGdirect and short-term effect on EEG; anal; analysis by tysis by tradiraditionaltional mmeasureseasures

Commercial useCommercial use: : personal development with Apersonal development with AVSVS, relaxation, peak physical , relaxation, peak physical or mental performance, learning of languagesor mental performance, learning of languages

Setup of Setup of AVS experimentAVS experiment

6+2 6+2 volunteersvolunteers, 20 min. stimula, 20 min. stimulationtion program (17-2-15 Hz), 25- program (17-2-15 Hz), 25-timestimes duringduring 2 2 mmonthsonths

EEG EEG fromfrom 8 8 channel channel (front(frontaal, centrl, centraal, ol, occcipitcipitaal) l) during during 3 blo3 blockscks: 3 min. : 3 min. beforebefore, 20 min. , 20 min. duringduring a 3 min. a 3 min. afterafter stimul stimulationation

3 min. blo3 min. blockscks: subje: subjectscts in instructed to relax with close eyesstructed to relax with close eyes

ddigitigitalal filtr filtrationation, transform, transformation to differenceation to difference ssignignaallss, , excluding of technical excluding of technical and sleep artefactsand sleep artefacts

Brain wave entrainmentBrain wave entrainment

Mind machine -Mind machine -

course ofcourse of the the stimulstimulationation::

Brain response -Brain response -

EEG speEEG specctrogram:trogram:

Direct effects of stimulationDirect effects of stimulation

evaluation with ratios of relative powersevaluation with ratios of relative powers in narrow frequency bandin narrow frequency band::

during during stimulstimulation ation referenreferenced toced to interval interval prior toprior to stimul stimulationation

high statistical significancy of AVS effecthigh statistical significancy of AVS effect, , quite large variationsquite large variations

the strongest effect at visual cortex and for higher frequenciesthe strongest effect at visual cortex and for higher frequencies

Long-termLong-term stimul stimulationation

F-test F-test of of linelineaar regresr regresssiionon, test, testinging difference of slope from zerodifference of slope from zero + + criteriumcriterium of the same of the same trendtrend direction in majority of direction in majority of subjesubjectscts

increase of powers in 4 – 10 Hz band in increase of powers in 4 – 10 Hz band in centrcentraal al andnd front frontaal l regionregion

decreased complexity: correlation dimension & spectral decaydecreased complexity: correlation dimension & spectral decay

hemisphere’s synchronization: general improvement not observed, partially hemisphere’s synchronization: general improvement not observed, partially in gamma coherencein gamma coherence

subjesubjective assessment:ctive assessment: increased release during the training processincreased release during the training process

Spectral decay

1.9

2.4

2.9

1 25Session number

Rest & rRest & relaxelaxationation

unknown unknown EEG charaEEG characcteristiteristicscs of rest and of rest and relaxrelaxationationdifferentdifferent physiological correlates:physiological correlates: breath and heart ratebreath and heart rate, , skin skin conductance and temperatureconductance and temperature

8 subje8 subjectscts, 11 EEG me, 11 EEG measurements from each;asurements from each; EEG montage:EEG montage: 8 8 channelschannels (front (frontaal, centrl, centraal, ol, occcipitcipitaal) l) during during 3 3

minminuuttesessubjesubjectscts were instructed to release with closed eyeswere instructed to release with closed eyes

subjesubjective assessment of release level: ctive assessment of release level: 7-7-unit bipolar scaleunit bipolar scalechoice of choice of 4 4 “worse” “worse” aandnd 4 4 “better”“better” relax relaxations from each subjectations from each subject

SenSenssorimotoricorimotorical restal rest

several criteriaseveral criteria: trend: trendss according toaccording to lin. regres lin. regressionsion a and percentage of nd percentage of measurements with consistent measurements with consistent trendtrend direction directiongroup averagesgroup averages: : averaged curvesaveraged curves, , moving averagemoving average, re, residual relative sidual relative changechange

Results:Results:-- decrease of both absolute and relative decrease of both absolute and relative alalphapha-1 -1 powerspowers-- however increase realized in the next theta bandhowever increase realized in the next theta band-- diminished overall activity of brain structuresdiminished overall activity of brain structures-- max max 84% 84% in single cases (decrease ofin single cases (decrease of alfa-1 alfa-1 power in power in P3O1P3O1))

Discrimination of two relaxation categoriesDiscrimination of two relaxation categories

division according to division according to subjesubjective assessmentctive assessment, 8 x 4 , 8 x 4 in each groupin each group

three types ofthree types of EEG chara EEG characcteristíteristícscs

testesing differences in meansing differences in means: t-test, Kruskall-Wallis + Shapiro-Wilk test: t-test, Kruskall-Wallis + Shapiro-Wilk test for for normalitynormality

Results -Results - chara characcterizterizationation of more successful of more successful relaxrelaxation:ation:

- - lowerlower contribution of the slowest (contribution of the slowest (delta-1delta-1) waves) waves

- fron- frontaltal delta-2 delta-2 begins from higher levelbegins from higher level

- t- theheta-1 ta-1 increasesincreases (P3O1) (P3O1)

MeditationMeditation

data: single trialdata: single trialtechnique: internalized attention & mind control technique: internalized attention & mind control sitting position, few minutes in the middle of working duties sitting position, few minutes in the middle of working duties massive decrease of brain operation in the right frontal region: diminishing of massive decrease of brain operation in the right frontal region: diminishing of emotional processing ~ clearing of the inner environmentemotional processing ~ clearing of the inner environmentno increase in alpha or theta bands, however in some gamma intervalno increase in alpha or theta bands, however in some gamma interval

Summarization

Audio-viAudio-vissuuaal stimull stimulatatiionon: : - - expressive brain wave entrainment in all cortex regions,expressive brain wave entrainment in all cortex regions,- - long-term effectlong-term effect: : power increase inpower increase in th theeta ata andnd al alphapha bandsbands, , decrease decrease

of signal complexity,of signal complexity, subje subjectivelyctively increased release.increased release. RRegular training with AVS does induce changes in the cortex functioning,

such as those commonly reported to be features specific to relaxation or altered states of consciousness.

AVS training: more effective in inducing long-continuint changes of EEG

than regular 20 minute listening to relaxation music.

SenSenssorimotoricorimotoricalal restrest::- - surprising decrease of the both surprising decrease of the both absolabsolute and relative ute and relative alalphapha powers powers along with total load.along with total load.RelaxRelaxationation::- - successful successful relaxrelaxation: lower presence of the slowest waves.ation: lower presence of the slowest waves.

Strategy for anomalous researchStrategy for anomalous research

Drive to frontier explorationDrive to frontier exploration

desire to work on discovering of the true nature of the World,desire to work on discovering of the true nature of the World,

resistance, opposition and unacceptance of suppressing efforts,resistance, opposition and unacceptance of suppressing efforts,

contribution to solutions of environmental, societal, and spiritual crises,contribution to solutions of environmental, societal, and spiritual crises,

activity in a new research area with a chance for new discoveries and activity in a new research area with a chance for new discoveries and

their manifold consequences and applications,their manifold consequences and applications,

leading ourselves and others to leave prejudices and cross barriers,leading ourselves and others to leave prejudices and cross barriers,

pleasure from adventure of being active in suppressed areas.pleasure from adventure of being active in suppressed areas.

Personal strategyPersonal strategy

study history of science and its mistakes,study history of science and its mistakes,

take scientific truth as any other: from distance and not for granted,take scientific truth as any other: from distance and not for granted,

do not fly away: Apply continual feedback, by both inner and outer do not fly away: Apply continual feedback, by both inner and outer

dialogue and observation, dialogue and observation,

develop and balance rational, emotional, and intuitive approaches,develop and balance rational, emotional, and intuitive approaches,

cultivate global awareness, ethics, responsibility, and modesty cultivate global awareness, ethics, responsibility, and modesty

develop room and strategies for doing anomal research in mainstream develop room and strategies for doing anomal research in mainstream

(art of masking),(art of masking),

be able to switch between the two - official and supressed science. be able to switch between the two - official and supressed science.

Motivation and cooperationMotivation and cooperation

Young researchers: lack of knowledge about unrespected areas - Young researchers: lack of knowledge about unrespected areas - awaiting achievements could satisfy even the most ambitious ones.awaiting achievements could satisfy even the most ambitious ones.

Prepare mentors to guarantee, lead, and back newcomers.Prepare mentors to guarantee, lead, and back newcomers.

Support wider cooperation (interdisciplinarity, skeptics).Support wider cooperation (interdisciplinarity, skeptics).

Chase for established smart brains? Offer prepared materials and add Chase for established smart brains? Offer prepared materials and add strong questions.strong questions.

How to get specialists from different areas to work together? How to How to get specialists from different areas to work together? How to establish interdisciplinary dialogue among doctors, physicists, and establish interdisciplinary dialogue among doctors, physicists, and engineers?engineers?

Several proposalsSeveral proposals

Widen webpage:Widen webpage: - run programs to support both active and passive but inclining researchers,- run programs to support both active and passive but inclining researchers,

- elaborate some kind of manual supported with rich reference material,- elaborate some kind of manual supported with rich reference material, - motivate by stories about individual researchers´ journeys.- motivate by stories about individual researchers´ journeys.

Develop topic recommendation strategy:Develop topic recommendation strategy: - cover various anomal phenomena and evaluate their importance according - cover various anomal phenomena and evaluate their importance according

to various criteria (impact on paradigm change, research costs and to various criteria (impact on paradigm change, research costs and demands, reproducibility, etc.),demands, reproducibility, etc.),

- inspire by criteria set by New Energy Congress from New Energy - inspire by criteria set by New Energy Congress from New Energy Movement for choosing top 100 promising technologies.Movement for choosing top 100 promising technologies.

Coordinate efforts (for making mainstream journals publish anomal results).Coordinate efforts (for making mainstream journals publish anomal results).

Negotiations with mainstream officials: cooperate with mediators and Negotiations with mainstream officials: cooperate with mediators and psychoanalysts. psychoanalysts.