Neural mechanisms of the qigong state and the effects of emitted qi

1. By using the methods of auditory, visual, somatosensory and somatosensoryspinal evoked potentials, we observed that extensive areas of the cortex were inhibited in different degrees while some local areas were excited during the qigong state (or meditation). It is important that the inhibition occurring in the qigong state is greatly different from that in sleep.

2. The areas from the brainstem to phypothalamus where the chief autonomic nerve center regulating the internal organs lies were facilitated durging the qigong state. It has provided neurophysiological evidences to explain the fact that the activity of the internal organs were affected and consciously regulated during the the qigong state.

3. The somatospinal evoked potentials (SSEP) were either facilitated or inhibited during the qigong state. It indicates the physiological mechanism of the muscle relaxation and the strengthened muscle force. It is perhaps the descending inhibitive system or the descending facilitated system affected the spinal anterior horn cells on the basis of facilitation of the brainstem.

4. Compared with a healthy person, the alpha power spectrum was augmented, the dominant peak frequency of the alpha wave was reversed from the occipital lobe to the frontal lobe, the alpha rhythm of the whole cortex synchronized and the dominant peak frequency moved to the left during the qigong state.

The performer's EEG power spectrum was increased, desynchronized and the dominant peak frequency was moved to the right near the beta rhythm while the performer emitted his qi.

5. When it was applied to healthy subjects, the emitted qi can make the alpha rhythm of EEG synchronize and the power spectrum increase, which is similar to the changes of EEG during the qigong state, i. e., the frontal-occipital reverse of the alpha dominant peak frequency.

6. The measurement of the characteristics of the infrasonic sound in the emitted qi proved that there was infrasonic radiation in the emitted qi. The dominant peak frequency of the infrasonic was between 8 and 12. 5 Hz, closely coinciding with the alpha frequency of EEG. The infrasonic intensity of the emitted qi was 60 to 75 dB. It should be mentioned that the receivers of the emitted qi showed their dominant alpha peak frequency tended to synchronize with the dominant peak frequency of the infrasonic of the emitted qi. It suggested that the infrasonic is one of the most effective elements in the emitted qi that makes the receiver's EEG change.

7. By using a infrasonic generator that simulates the emitted qi we found the effect on the receiver's EEG. The receiver's EEG power spectrum was increased and synchronized, and these changes have a certain latency and after effect. It indicates that the human body can receive infrasonic and respond to it, the effect is similar to the emitted qi, so we postulate that the infrasonic or the infrasonic component in the emitted qi may make the circulative pathway of neurons in the hypothalamus resonate and alter the EEG power spectrum.

8. The effects of the emitted qi and infrasonic on EEG and evoked potentials were more or less similar but not all the same. It indicates that the infrasonic may be one effective element of the emitted qi or perhaps a main element that effects on the central nervous system, especially on the hypothalamic neurons.