The effects of centrally acting drugs on the EEG correlates of meditation

The present study investigated the effects of three centrally acting drugs on the significant increase in the intermediate alpha frequency of the electroencephalogram (EEG) that accompanied meditation in a male volunteer. When compared to the EEG recorded before each of the three drugs was administered, naloxone tended to enhance the increase in the power of the intermediate alpha EEG (9.4–10.4 Hz), while diazepam tended to spread the increase to the slow (7.4–9.4 Hz) alpha EEG, and flumazenil was without much effect on the overall EEG pattern. However, these EEG changes when compared to similar changes obtained with saline administration were not significantly different from the latter. Thus, it is unlikely that the EEG correlates of meditation are causally related to the rise or fall of endogenous opioid peptides or benzodiazepinelike substances in the brain.This research was supported by a grant from the Singapore Turf Club (STC 4837). The authors would like to thank the subject for volunteering as a subject in this study; and Ms. Chua Mui Eng for her technical assistance.