The influence of qigong training on coherence f EEG during one year period

Author: Yang Sihuan//Yang Qinfei//Shi Jiming//Cao Yi
Affiliation:
Institute of Qigong Science, Beijing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China [1]
Conference/Journal: 2nd World Conf Acad Exch Med Qigong
Date published: 1993
Other: Pages: 72 , Word Count: 472


In this study, we analyzed the coherence of EEG to observe the trainees' EEG regularly. The young students, who were 17 to 20 years old, had been practicing 'Zhanzhuang Gong' for one year. We try to find out the effects of the qigong training period on coherence of EEG. 32 persons in the qigong group and 35 persons in the control group were involved in this experiment. During one year period of observation, the subjects of the qigong group practiced qiqong for 40 minutes every day. The EEGs of the qigong group were analyzed every half year in meditation, and the EEGs were also recorded before learning qigong. The students in the control group did not take part in the qigong training and the EEGs of them were investigated at rest twice with an interval of one year. In the test. eight channels of EEGs were simultaneously processed by a computer on line for 20 minutes. The program, 'computer evaluation system for the qigong state' was provided by the 'Laboratory of Bio-Control, Department of Electrical Engineering. Zhejiang University'.

After one year of qigong training, total coherence between the left and right frontal regions increased from 0. 84±0.07 to 0. 87±0.06 (p<O.05). Before qigong training. the total coherence between the left and right occipital areas was 0.68±0.14. After half year's training, it increased to 0.79±0.10, and after one year's training. it was 0.76±0.10. Self comparison showed the probability was less than 0.001. The total coherence between the left and right temporal areas before qigong training was 0.48±0.17; half year after qigong training it was 0.55±0.13, compared with that before qigong training (p<O. 05). One year after qigong training it was 0.64±0.12, compared with those before qigong training and half year
after qigong training (p<O.001). Qigong training had no significant influence on coherence between the left and right central regions and between adjacent anterior and posterior brain regions ( F3-C3, F4-C4, C3-01, C4-O2 ). It had no significant difference between the qigong group without learning and the first recording of the control group at the same time. The data from the two tests of the control group showed that the total coherence did not change significantly between the left and right corresponding brain regions and between the anterior and posterior adjacent brain regions.

The results showed that qigong training had affected coherence of EEGs between the two frontal regions, between two occipital regions and between two temporal regions of the qigong group in meditation. The most significant is that, with the increase of training period, the total coherence value between the left and right temporal areas went up. It seems that there is certain dosage-effect relationship. It is suggested that the value of the total coherence between the left and right temporal areas should be comparatively sensitive and objective parameter of meditation.

This study was supported by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

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