Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Combining Behavior and EEG to Study the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Episodic Memory
Published on: May 11, 2020
From thoughtless awareness to effortful cognition: alpha - theta cross-frequency dynamics in experienced meditators
Julio Rodriguez-Larios1, Pascal Faber2, Peter Achermann2,3,4,5
1University of Leuven, KU Leuven, Belgium, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Research Group for Neurorehabilitation, Leuven, Belgium. julio.rodriguezlarios@kuleuven.be.
Abstract:
Neural activity is known to oscillate within discrete frequency bands and the synchronization between these rhythms is hypothesized to underlie information integration in the brain. Since strict synchronization is only possible for harmonic frequencies, a recent theory proposes that the interaction between different brain rhythms is facilitated by transient harmonic frequency arrangements. In this line, it has been recently shown that the transient occurrence of 2:1 harmonic cross-frequency relationships between alpha and theta rhythms (i.e. falpha ≈ 12 Hz; ftheta ≈ 6 Hz) is enhanced during effortful cognition. In this study, we tested whether achieving a state of 'mental emptiness' during meditation is accompanied by a relative decrease in the occurrence of 2:1 harmonic cross-frequency relationships between alpha and theta rhythms. Continuous EEG recordings (19 electrodes) were obtained from 43 highly experienced meditators during meditation practice, rest and an arithmetic task. We show that the occurrence of transient alpha:theta 2:1 harmonic relationships increased linearly from a meditative to an active cognitive processing state (i.e. meditation < rest < arithmetic task). It is argued that transient EEG cross-frequency arrangements that prevent alpha:theta cross-frequency coupling could facilitate the experience of 'mental emptiness' by avoiding the interaction between the memory and executive components of cognition.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
Subconsciousness and No Awareness
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...
Altered States of Awareness
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain that...
Brain Waves
Understanding Consciousness
Sleep, a crucial state, is characterized by reduced physical...
The Scientific Method

