Effects of Muslims praying (Salat) on EEG gamma activity.

Author: Doufesh H1, Ibrahim F2, Safari M3
Affiliation:
1Department of Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Al-Quds University, 20002, Jerusalem, Palestine. Electronic address: hdoufesh@staff.alquds.edu.
2Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Center for Innovation in Medical Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
3Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Conference/Journal: Complement Ther Clin Pract.
Date published: 2016 Aug
Other: Volume ID: 24 , Pages: 6-10 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.04.004. Epub 2016 Apr 21. , Word Count: 163


This study investigates the difference of mean gamma EEG power between actual and mimic Salat practices in twenty healthy Muslim subjects. In the actual Salat practice, the participants were asked to recite and performing the physical steps in all four stages of Salat; whereas in the mimic Salat practice, they were instructed to perform only the physical steps without recitation. The gamma power during actual Salat was statistically higher than during mimic Salat in the frontal and parietal regions in all stages. In the actual Salat practice, the left hemisphere exhibited significantly higher mean gamma power in all cerebral regions and all stages, except the central-parietal region in the sitting position, and the frontal area in the bowing position. Increased gamma power during Salat, possibly related to an increase in cognitive and attentional processing, supports the concept of Salat as a focus attention meditation.

Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS: Electroencephalography (EEG); Gamma power; Meditation; Muslims prayer; Salat

PMID: 27502795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.04.004

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