Meditation expertise influences response bias and prestimulus alpha activity in the somatosensory signal detection task.
Psychophysiology February 1, 2025 Maik Mylius, Simon Guendelman, Fivos Iliopoulos et al. 4 citations
Expert meditators show a lower decision threshold rather than higher accuracy in detecting near-threshold tactile stimuli, compared to non-meditators who read regularly. Electroencephalography revealed reduced prestimulus alpha power in meditators, suggesting enhanced alpha modulation. A trial-by-trial analysis found a negative correlation between prestimulus alpha activity and tactile perception. Meditators also reported greater interoceptive sensibility, less emotional suppression, and fewer difficulties describing feelings. These findings suggest that enhanced tactile perception in meditators may stem from reduced sensory filtering in the somatosensory cortex, increasing response rates without improving accuracy.