Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NeuCoSe (The neural correlates of the self in altered states of consciousness.)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2017-06-21 do 2019-06-20
Despite the increasing popularity of mindfulness and hypnosis in healthcare and in the general community the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are unclear. The change in the relationship between the self and the conscious experience that they bring about may be crucial. This study aims to identify the neural correlates of self-consciousness in meta-awareness and absorption - using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in healthy participants and intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) recordings in people who have electrodes implanted for clinical monitoring. Both will be combined with detailed first-person experiential accounts and behavioural tasks. This study will provide important clues about the widely reported effects of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis and shed light on the neural correlates of the conscious experience of self.
The aim of this project was to 1) investigate the neural correlates of the consciousness of self in meditation and hypnosis with iEEG and fMRI; 2) link the iEEG and fMRI correlates to behavioural measures and first-person experiences. 3) directly compare the neural correlates of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis states. This will help uncover the neural correlates of self-consciousness, and how hypnosis and meditation may help in anxiety, depression and trauma.
October 2017: start recruitment of participants & inclusion of the first participant
March 2018: Behavioural paradigm validated in 100 healthy participants.
November 2018: fMRI data collected from 40 healthy participants.
September 2018-June 2019: data collected from 5 patients with intracranial electrodes.
Data-analysis is ongoing and in its final stages.
Dissemination:
conference talks:
PR Bauer. Phenomenological states and traits of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis. European Neurophenomenology, Contemplative, and Embodied Cognition Network, June 2019, Bad Hersfeld, Germany
PR Bauer. Neuronal and phenomenological correlates of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis. First-person Science of Consciousness, May 2019, Witten, Germany
2018 Participation in Pint of Science Festival
2018 Participation in Brain Awareness Week
2017 Participation Lyon European Researcher night
2017 Participation in Brain Awareness Week
Preliminary results show important phenomenological features of these states. Brain imaging analyses will show whether these features have neural correlates.
The results of this study will help to understand the mechanisms of short mindfulness meditation and hypnosis states, and to improve the use of these techniques in clinical settings.