Author: Yang Sihuan//Yang Qinfei//Zhang Li
Affiliation: Qigong Institute, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029
Conference/Journal: 4th World Conf Acad Exch Med Qigong
Date published: 1998
Other:
Pages: 122-123 , Word Count: 469
Research is done on the EEG of Qigong masters of different ages and Qigong practitioners for many years. The discussion about the law of change in related index of EEG analysis and function value in meditation will lay a foundation for the evaluation of overall EEG index.
Method:
Subjects were divided into a Group A - a Control Group and Group B - Qigong Group.
Group A was made up of 51 non-practitioners of Qigong
25 male and 26 female
ten people's age ranged from 20-29
another ten from 30-39
another ten from 40-49
another ten from 50-59,
eleven were above 60 years by age
mean age was 37.7
Group B included 25 Qigong masters or practitioners
three years experience of Qigong practice
25 were male
10 were female
mean age of 45.7
Experimental method was based on the Neurofax 18 electroencephalograph made in Japan by The Photo Electric Company. The electrode was positioned at (F¹3), (F¹4), (C¹3), (C¹4), (T¹3), (T¹4), (O¹1) and (O¹2). The reference electrode was located in two ear lobes with electric resistance lower than 5Õ and with time constant 0.3 seconds. The subjects quietly sat in a shield room with eyes shut. The Qigong Group did meditation for 20 minutes while the control group did similar meditation for 20 minutes. Their EEG signals were recorded and analyzed by a computer testing software system provided by the Biological Control Institute, Electrical Machinery Department, Zhejiang University.
EEG data processing was based on EEG Signals being transferred by FFF. Exponents and EEG vitality coefficient are calculated. Index I/I+I¹0 is decided in order to compare fronto-occipital reversion. I is the numeral of a certain lead among the first six (F¹3, F¹4, C¹3, C-4, T¹3, T¹4 and I.0 is the numeral of a certain lead of the latter two (O¹1 ,O¹2).
Total function of EEG signals in the left, right, front and back of frontal region, central area, temporal region and occipital region is calculated respectively F3-F4, C3-C4,T3-T1, 01-02, F3-C3, F4-C4, C3-01, C4-02.
Results:
When the Qigong Group is in meditation, their EEG total function value in the left, right, front and back of cerebral area is much higher than that of the Control Group, which indicates that meditation can change the left and right cerebralarea and promote the harmony between the front and the back. During meditation, Qigong masters EEG indexes generally rise. They are much higher than those of the Control Group, especially in the frontal and central regions.
However, exponents of the Qigong Group are generally lower than those of the Control Group, which reveals the fact that during meditation the synchronous activity in each part of the brain is strengthened. The experimental results add further proofs to the fact that Qigong practice regulates well the cerebral activity and makes cerebral function in a good state by harmonizing and synchronizing it.