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Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing

The modulatory effect of nasal respiration on integrative brain functions and hence consciousness has recently been unambiguously demonstrated. This effect is sustained by the olfactory epithelium mechanical sensitivity complemented by the existence of massive projections between the olfactory bulb...

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Autores principales: Zaccaro, Andrea, Piarulli, Andrea, Melosini, Lorenza, Menicucci, Danilo, Gemignani, Angelo
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8977447/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35387390
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2022.803904
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author Zaccaro, Andrea
Piarulli, Andrea
Melosini, Lorenza
Menicucci, Danilo
Gemignani, Angelo
author_facet Zaccaro, Andrea
Piarulli, Andrea
Melosini, Lorenza
Menicucci, Danilo
Gemignani, Angelo
author_sort Zaccaro, Andrea
collection PubMed
description The modulatory effect of nasal respiration on integrative brain functions and hence consciousness has recently been unambiguously demonstrated. This effect is sustained by the olfactory epithelium mechanical sensitivity complemented by the existence of massive projections between the olfactory bulb and the prefrontal cortex. However, studies on slow nasal breathing (SNB) in the context of contemplative practices have sustained the fundamental role of respiratory vagal stimulation, with little attention to the contribution of the olfactory epithelium mechanical stimulation. This study aims at disentangling the effects of olfactory epithelium stimulation (proper of nasal breathing) from those related to respiratory vagal stimulation (common to slow nasal and mouth breathing). We investigated the psychophysiological (cardio-respiratory and electroencephalographic parameters) and phenomenological (perceived state of consciousness) aftereffects of SNB (epithelium mechanical – 2.5 breaths/min) in 12 experienced meditators. We compared the nasal breathing aftereffects with those observed after a session of mouth breathing at the same respiratory rate and with those related to a resting state condition. SNB induced (1) slowing of electroencephalography (EEG) activities (delta-theta bands) in prefrontal regions, (2) a widespread increase of theta and high-beta connectivity complemented by an increase of phase-amplitude coupling between the two bands in prefrontal and posterior regions belonging to the Default Mode Network, (3) an increase of high-beta networks small-worldness. (4) a higher perception of being in a non-ordinary state of consciousness. The emerging scenario strongly suggests that the effects of SNB, beyond the relative contribution of vagal stimulation, are mainly ascribable to olfactory epithelium stimulation. In conclusion, slow Pranayama breathing modulates brain activity and hence subjective experience up to the point of inducing a non-ordinary state of consciousness.
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spelling pubmed-89774472022-04-05 Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing Zaccaro, Andrea Piarulli, Andrea Melosini, Lorenza Menicucci, Danilo Gemignani, Angelo Front Syst Neurosci Neuroscience The modulatory effect of nasal respiration on integrative brain functions and hence consciousness has recently been unambiguously demonstrated. This effect is sustained by the olfactory epithelium mechanical sensitivity complemented by the existence of massive projections between the olfactory bulb and the prefrontal cortex. However, studies on slow nasal breathing (SNB) in the context of contemplative practices have sustained the fundamental role of respiratory vagal stimulation, with little attention to the contribution of the olfactory epithelium mechanical stimulation. This study aims at disentangling the effects of olfactory epithelium stimulation (proper of nasal breathing) from those related to respiratory vagal stimulation (common to slow nasal and mouth breathing). We investigated the psychophysiological (cardio-respiratory and electroencephalographic parameters) and phenomenological (perceived state of consciousness) aftereffects of SNB (epithelium mechanical – 2.5 breaths/min) in 12 experienced meditators. We compared the nasal breathing aftereffects with those observed after a session of mouth breathing at the same respiratory rate and with those related to a resting state condition. SNB induced (1) slowing of electroencephalography (EEG) activities (delta-theta bands) in prefrontal regions, (2) a widespread increase of theta and high-beta connectivity complemented by an increase of phase-amplitude coupling between the two bands in prefrontal and posterior regions belonging to the Default Mode Network, (3) an increase of high-beta networks small-worldness. (4) a higher perception of being in a non-ordinary state of consciousness. The emerging scenario strongly suggests that the effects of SNB, beyond the relative contribution of vagal stimulation, are mainly ascribable to olfactory epithelium stimulation. In conclusion, slow Pranayama breathing modulates brain activity and hence subjective experience up to the point of inducing a non-ordinary state of consciousness. Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-03-21 /pmc/articles/PMC8977447/ /pubmed/35387390 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2022.803904 Text en Copyright © 2022 Zaccaro, Piarulli, Melosini, Menicucci and Gemignani. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Neuroscience
Zaccaro, Andrea
Piarulli, Andrea
Melosini, Lorenza
Menicucci, Danilo
Gemignani, Angelo
Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing
title Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing
title_full Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing
title_fullStr Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing
title_full_unstemmed Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing
title_short Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing
title_sort neural correlates of non-ordinary states of consciousness in pranayama practitioners: the role of slow nasal breathing
topic Neuroscience
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8977447/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35387390
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnsys.2022.803904
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