Effects of Long-Term Meditation Practices on Sensorimotor Rhythm Based BCI Learning

Summary

Meditators outperformed non-meditators in brain-computer interface (BCI) cursor control tasks using motor imagery. Experienced meditators showed better performance in both 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional tasks, and fewer meditators were unable to generate decodable EEG signals. Meditators also had higher sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) predictor values and were better able to produce decodable EEG signals for SMR-based BCI control, suggesting meditation training may improve BCI performance.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide an alternative pathway for users to perform motor control using motor imagery (MI). Despite the non-invasiveness, ease of use and low cost, this kind of BCI has limitation due to long training times and BCI inefficiency— where a subpopulation cannot generate decodable EEG signals to perform the control task. Meditation is a mental training method to improve mindfulness and awareness, and is reported to have a positive effect on one’s mental state. Here we investigate the behavioral and electrophysiological differences between experienced meditators and meditation naïve subjects in 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional cursor control tasks. We found that within subjects who have room for improvement, meditators outperformed control subjects in both tasks, and there were fewer BCI insufficient subjects in the meditator group. Finally, we also explored the neurophysiological difference between the two groups, and showed that meditators had higher SMR predictor and were better able to generate decodable EEG signals to achieve SMR BCI control.