Meditation improves clinicoelectroencephalographic measures in drug-resistant epileptics

Abstract

Eleven adults suffering from drug-resistant epilepsies were given meditation practice, while another nine adults acted as waiting list controls. All patients were on antiepileptic drugs and their serum drug levels were monitored regularly. Patients in the intervention group were given training in meditation, and they practiced meditation 20 minutes a day for one year. They showed a significant reduction in seizure frequency and duration, an increase in the dominant background EEG frequency, a reduction in mean spectral intensity of the 0.7-7.7 Hz segment, and an increment in mean spectral intensity in the 8-12 Hz segment of the EEG. All changes were statistically significant. Control patients did not show significant changes in seizure frequency and duration during the observation period of one year. The results indicate that continued meditation practice is of substantial help in improving the clinicoelectrographic picture in drug-resistant epileptics.