Complex EEG Assessment of the “Endorphin Trainer Tape”
en français
DATA COLLECTION:
EEG recordings were made from 19 surface electrodes in standard international 10-20 placement. Recording was conducted during three conditions: an eyes closed baseline condition, while the subject listened to the “endorphin trainer” tape via headphones, and during a post tape period. The subject for this assessment was an adult male experienced meditator.
RAW EEG:
The eyes closed resting baseline record is well organized and consists of high amplitude alpha activity peaking at 8 cps in the posterior regions (01 and 02). The percentage of alpha at those locations was 74.Z< and 76.3X respectively. Compressed spectral arrays illustrating the full distribution of baseline activity at 01, 02 and CZ are attached.
COMPUTERIZED EEG:
The following table presents data from three locations 01, 02 and CZ. These data show the relative power (uV2) for seven EEG bands and one EMO band during four conditions. The four conditions were: eyes closed baseline, the first ten minutes of the tape (tape-A), the second ten minutes of the tape (tape-B) and a five minute post tape period.
Eyes Closed Baseline
First Ten Minutes of Tape
Second Ten Minutes of Tape
Tape Assessment: First Ten Minutes of Tape
Tape Assessment: Second Ten Minutes of Tape
CONCLUSIONS
The most striking result of the analysis of the effect of the “endorphin trainer” tape on the subject’s EEG activity was an overall slowing of that activity. The subject, an experienced meditator, was producing considerable amounts of alpha (8 – 12Hz) activity during the baseline condition. However, during the time the subject was listening to the “endorphin trainer” tape there was a further, marked slowing of the EEG. Moving from the baseline condition to the listening to the tape condition we see a pattern of increasing power in the theta and delta bands while power decreases in the alpha band. It appears the tape stimulus facilitated reaching increased power levels in the theta and delta bands. Since the subject for this assessment was an experienced meditator with considerable skill in producing slow wave activity it would be reasonable to speculate the effect of the tape on less experienced individuals may be more pronounced.
Dan Chartier, Ph.D.
Ned Kelly, M.D.
Medical Biofeedback Services, Inc.
8408 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, Nc 27612