Characteristics of human brain self-organization in the qigong state

The qigong state is the product of self organization of numerous neurons in the brain. Synergetics, developed from the laser theory, can be applied to study the patterns of brain self-organization. According to the domination principle supra-slow fluctuated oscillation as the sequential parameters can be obtained from the scanning of the fluctuation of the dominated specific frequencies of the ordinary brain waves. A new technology called ET (Encephalofluctuograph technology) has been developed and a higher level system in brain self-organization—the S (supra-slow) system has been discovered. The S-system represents the neurochemical oscillation within the brain and dominates the synergic activities of the numerous neuro sub-systems. A series of specific S frequencies have been verified to be related to specific neurochemicals. They were characterized by typical harmonious and coherent behaviors, and their spatial configurations indicate the functional structures among different brain areas, the left-right brain correlations, and the whole brain picture. The reorganized temporal-spatial patterns signify the qualitative changes of the brain states.

By application of ET to the study of qigong, several features of the brain self-organization have been discovered.

( 1 ) Selective neurochemical harmonious oscillation: Harmonious oscillation of S4 system was significantly amplified in the qigong state. It was verified in animal experiments that S4 system was alternatively related to 5-HT activities. Other specific S frequencies, such as S1,
S2, S5, S7, S11---have been observed in doing other qigong exercises.

(2) Right brain predominance of S4 system: There may be non-symmetric distribution of neuro chemicals in the left and right brain. Our ET experiments demonstrated that the S4 system was generally dominated by the right brain. In the qigong state the S4 amplification was predominated by the right brain too, indicating the potentials of the right brain were fully made use of in the qigong state.

(3) Frontal predominance in S-system's coherent activities: In comparing with quiet, rest and memory states, the left-right brain coherence of the S-system in the qigong state was maximally predominated by the frontal cortex. This means that the potentials of the frontal brain were also intensively exploited in the qigong state.

(4) The mosaic cross symmetric patterns: The probability of emergence of mosaic cross symmetric patterns was increased in the qigong state. The brain tended to be in the best state. The left-anterior and right-posterior brain was the functionally dominated axis of such patterns, and the left-anterior part of the brain was generally the most important part of the whole brain activity.

These facts demonstrate the qualitative changes of brain self-organization during the qigong state. The results also indicate that it is perspective to the synergetic principles and ET techniques in the study of the mechanism of qigong.