ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana - Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2019 June;178(6):375-9

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-3660.19.03675-1

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Bioelectric activity of the cortex influenced by psychophysical exercises involving concentration of attention

Gulnara I. MAKSUTOVA ✉

Institute of Sport, Tourism and Service, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia

BACKGROUND: Relaxation states of different depth cause corresponding changes in electroencephalograms. The aim of our research was to analyse the changes in electroencephalogram associated with relaxation exercises involving the concentration of attention in the area of the pineal gland.
METHODS: 6 women and 9 men (n=15) aged from 19 to 28 were recruited as participants of the research. Electroencephalogram was recorded by Neurosoft equipment from eight standard leads with a simultaneous special relaxation music therapy at different times of the day. The conducted study involved recording of the baseline and further functional test data: relaxation exercises with eyes closed, condition after relaxation exercises (PRE) with opened eyes, and test with eyes closed.
RESULTS: The comparative analysis revealed that both baseline and PRE-related levels were characterized by higher amplitude of the alpha rhythm in the men as compared to the women’s values. The comparison of the data on eyes-closing functional test and PRE revealed that PRE caused mental activation phenomena, especially in leads Т4, О1, and О2 in the men and in leads Т3, Т4, О1, F2, О2, and С3 in the women.
CONCLUSIONS: Cortical reactions during PRE differ in the relaxation beginners and in the experienced practitioners. Apparently, the positive effect of this psychophysical exercise tends to grow as the practitioner becomes more trained, which leads to the deeper relaxation in the experienced participants, and the simultaneous activity observed in the right temporal area may indicate the deep relaxation state.

KEY WORDS: Relaxation therapy; Exercise; Electroencephalography; Pineal gland