OBJECTIVES: This study was to investigate the EEG changes induced by Danhak which is one of the Korean traditional mediation. METHODS: Sixteen meditators and 9 controls were recruited. Spectral analysis and visual inspection of EEG during meditation(meditators) and relaxation(controls) were performed. The absolute power and interhemispheric coherence in earth frequency band were obtained. Ratio of change in absolute power and interhemispheric coherence was calculated to compare the EEG changes between meditators and controls. To evaluate episodic changes of EEG with time, all recorded EEGs were reviewed by visual inspection. RESULTS: Eleven meditators and 4 controls were excluded from the analysis due to drowsiness or poor compliance. Both meditators and controls showed various EEG changes and the degree of variability was more prominent in meditators than in controls. These differences were evident in absolute power of alpha and theta and coherence of beta at frontal, and coherence of theta at occipital. Meditators showed the increase in absolute power of alpha and theta at frontal, and interhemispheric coherence of theta at occipital. In visual inspection, a number of theta bursts were observed in three of 5 meditators and only one theta burst appeared in one control. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that great variability of EEG change and the appearance of theta bursts is the characteristics of EEG changes of meditators and that the state of meditation Is more diverse and dynamic than that of relaxation.
Compliance ; Electroencephalography ; Meditation* ; Negotiating ; Relaxation ; Sleep Stages

OBJECTIVES: This study was to investigate the prevalence of cognitive impairment and depressive symptomatology among the long-term institutionalized elderly people. METHODS: Mini-Mental state Examination-Korean version(MMSE-K), short portable Mental State Questionnaire(SPMSQ), Short version of Geriatric Depression Scale(SGDS), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression(CES-D) were administered to 169 elderly residents in an institution, 'Got Dong Rae'. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-three(males=72, females=79, and missing=2) completed the entire examination. Age ranged from 60 to 102 years and the mean of age was 74.17+/-8.27(males 71.76+/-8.14,females 76.14+/-7.78)years. Duration of education ranged from 0 to 16 years and the mean of duration of education was 3.04+/-3.93(males 4.13+/-4.23,females 2.01+/-3.38)years. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was estimated as 56.2% by MMSE-K < or = 23 and 26.1% by SPMSQ < or = 6. The prevalence of relatively definite cognitive impairment defined by MMSE-K < or = 19 was 25.5%, which was similar to the result achieved by using SPMSQ < or = 6. The prevalence of depressive symptomatology was estimated as 19% by SGDS > or = 10 and 23.5% by CES-D > or = 25. In the case of using SGDS > or = 8 as cutoff-point to screen mild as well as severe depressive symptomatology, the prevalence was 39.2%. It was identical to the result achieved by using CES-D > or = 20. Significant correlations were observed between MMSE-K and SPMSQ, between SGDS and CES-D, between MMSE-K and CES-D, between MMSE-K and SGDS, and between SPMSQ and SGDS. CONCLUSION: The prevalences of cognitive impairment and depressive symptomatology were high in institutionalized elderly people. This results suggests that more intensive mental health care in needed for long-term institutionalized elderly people.
Aged* ; Depression ; Education ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Humans ; Mental Health ; Prevalence*