Meditation and cognitive load
EEG, HRV and deep-learning studies of mantra meditation, stress and neural efficiency.
Research area
Cognitive Neuroscience & Contemplative Science
Mechanistic research on attention, meditation, self-reflection, agency and affect using physiological signals and interpretable computational methods.
Scope
What this theme investigates
We combine EEG, heart-rate variability and behavioural measures to investigate attention, mind wandering, meditation, agency and complex emotion. Experimental questions are paired with computational methods that can distinguish meaningful structure from noise and individual variability.
The programme emphasises interpretable and reproducible biomarkers. Persistent homology, graph analysis, spectral measures and carefully evaluated learning systems are used to connect neural and autonomic dynamics with lived cognitive states without overstating what physiological data can establish.
Current directions
Attention and mind wandering
Neural and autonomic markers of attentive and distracted states, including differences associated with expertise.
Self-reflection and agency
Experimental analysis of how modes of reflection modulate experienced control and neural complexity.
Emotion and multivariate physiology
Computational characterisation of complex affective states and multimodal signals.
Research record
Publications in this area
Peer-reviewed work, chapters and current manuscripts connected with this research theme.
Recent interdisciplinary publications
↗Decoding Cognitive Load Changes Induced by Mantra Meditation from Physiological Signals Using Deep Neural Networks
IEEE Sensors Journal 26(1), 1088–1102
https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2025.3628683Recent interdisciplinary publications
↗Self-Reflection, Sense of Agency, and Underlying Neural Correlates: A Pilot Study
PLOS ONE 20(12), e0335276
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0335276Recent interdisciplinary publications
↗Characterizing EEG Signals of Meditative States Using Persistent Homology and Hodge Spectral Entropy
Biomedical Signal Processing and Control 89, 105779
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bspc.2023.105779Preprints and manuscripts
Record pendingTopological and Graph-Theoretic Analysis of EEG Dynamics in Mind-Wandering and Focused Attention
Manuscript
Preprints and manuscripts
Record pendingNeural and Affective Markers of Kirtan Meditation: Persistent Homology of Multivariate EEG in Real and Immersive Environments
Manuscript under review
Preprints and manuscripts
↗Multimodal Odor Perception Prediction Using Olfactory EEG and Physicochemical Features of Odorants
ChemRxiv · under review
https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2025-fbmlfBook chapters
↗Nonlinear EEG Marker of Mind Wandering During Mantra Meditation Among Novice Meditators
Springer · Cognitive Biomarkers and BCI Applications
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-20634-3_10Book chapters
↗A Case Study on Yogic Perception: Insights From EEG Data Analysis
Springer · Cognitive Biomarkers and BCI Applications
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-20634-3_12Book chapters
↗Neuroscience of Meditation for Holistic Well-Being
Academic Press · Biological Measures of Well-Being
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-28842-5.00001-6