Frontiers in Psychology
February 18, 2020
Ulf Winter, Pierre Levan, Tilmann Lhündrup Borghardt et al.
68 citations
A highly experienced meditator with over 50,000 hours of practice reported experiencing content-free awareness (CFA) during an EEG-fMRI session. During CFA, alpha brainwave power sharply decreased while theta power increased. Functional connectivity increased in the dorsal attention network (DAN) and decreased in the posterior default mode network (DMN). These patterns suggest a top-down attentional state that excludes both external sensory stimuli and internal thoughts from conscious experience. The authors conclude that investigating such states may offer new approaches for identifying the minimal neural correlate of consciousness.
Frontiers in Psychology
November 21, 2016
Fynn-Mathis Trautwein, José R. Naranjo, Stefan Schmidt
44 citations
Long-term practitioners of loving-kindness meditation show a reduced difference in brain responses to their own face versus a close other's face, measured by the P300 event-related potential. In 12 meditators and 12 matched controls, the typical pattern of a larger P300 for self than other was smaller in meditators at parietal brain sites. Among meditators, more meditation practice correlated with smaller self-other differences, and across both groups, smaller differences were linked to higher self-reported compassion. A brief loving-kindness meditation induction did not further alter this brain response. The findings suggest that extensive meditation practice may blur the neural distinction between self and other and is associated with greater compassion.
Consciousness and cognition
May 1, 2014
Han-Gue Jo, Marc Wittmann, Tilmann Lhündrup Borghardt et al.
43 citations
A neurophenomenological study with a single expert meditator shows that a larger readiness potential (RP) is linked to more frequent self-initiated movements during negative deflections of slow cortical potentials (SCP). These negative deflections occur alongside an inner impulse reported by the meditator, which may lead to a voluntary act. This proof-of-principle demonstrates that combining first-person introspective data with neural signal analysis can advance understanding of the neural basis of voluntary acts, challenging interpretations of the classic Libet experiment.
Journal of anxiety disorders
March 1, 2025
Johannes J Bürkle, Stefan Schmidt, Johannes C Fendel
7 citations
Mindfulness- and acceptance-based programmes (MABPs) produce large reductions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) severity, according to a meta-analysis of 46 trials involving 2221 patients. In randomized controlled trials, MABPs outperformed medication and waitlist controls but did not differ from cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure and response prevention. Depressive symptoms decreased with small to moderate effects, and improvements in anxiety, obsessive beliefs, and quality of life were moderate to large. Increases in mindfulness and psychological flexibility predicted OCD symptom reductions. Outcomes were not moderated by treatment duration or therapist characteristics. The authors call for more high-quality trials with long-term follow-ups to confirm the findings.
Mindfulness
August 1, 2024
Stefan Schmidt, Prisca R. Bauer, Fynn-Mathis Trautwein
4 citations
Integrating first-person reports with standard cognitive experiments can bridge the gap between subjective experience and neuroscientific accounts. Using the Libet task on voluntary action, where a readiness potential precedes a participant's self-timed movement, the authors propose a neurophenomenological approach that combines three methods: adapting the Libet paradigm, employing micro-phenomenological interviews, and collaborating with experienced meditators. This framework aims to develop a more coherent account of volitional action, challenging the notion that decisions are predetermined by brain processes alone. The approach suggests meditation enhances self-regulation and self-determination, leading to more deliberate decisions and ethical behavior.
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
November 6, 2025
Helena Hruby, Marc Wittmann, Stefan Schmidt et al.
Most people who float in a sensory isolation tank go through four distinct phases during a 60-minute session: acclimatization, a transitional phase, an altered state of consciousness (ASC), and finally reorientation. The ASC phase is marked by positive emotions, deep relaxation, loss of orientation in space and time, and reduced bodily sensations and thoughts. These characteristics emerge gradually and intensify over time. The findings suggest that the therapeutic benefits of Floatation-REST for mental health conditions may be linked to the experience of these altered states.