Yogic meditation, involving focused awareness, is gaining scientific attention for its impact on brain function and neurochemical balance. It enhances autonomic control and influences neurotransmitters related to emotional and cognitive health. This narrative review explored scientific studies on the effects of yogic meditation on EEG patterns and neurotransmitter levels. 21 peer-reviewed articles were selected through a structured search of PubMed, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar. The findings indicate that yogic meditation promotes coherent brainwave activity and modulates neurotransmitters, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid, thereby reducing anxiety, improving emotional regulation, and providing pain relief and autonomic stability. The studies literature suggest that yogic meditation may enhance brain function and emotional well-being, but these findings remain preliminary and require more well-designed confirmation.

The neurophysiological effects of yogic meditation observed in electroencephalography patterns and neurotransmitter levels: A narrative review of scientific evidence / S. Yadav, S. Mittal, S. Somanadhapai, R. Thapa, S. Yadav, M. Buoli, T. Singh, Alka. - In: JOURNAL OF AYURVEDA AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE. - ISSN 0975-9476. - 17:2(2026 Mar), pp. 101312.1-101312.8. [10.1016/j.jaim.2025.101312]

The neurophysiological effects of yogic meditation observed in electroencephalography patterns and neurotransmitter levels: A narrative review of scientific evidence

M. Buoli
Writing – Review & Editing
;
2026

Abstract

Yogic meditation, involving focused awareness, is gaining scientific attention for its impact on brain function and neurochemical balance. It enhances autonomic control and influences neurotransmitters related to emotional and cognitive health. This narrative review explored scientific studies on the effects of yogic meditation on EEG patterns and neurotransmitter levels. 21 peer-reviewed articles were selected through a structured search of PubMed, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar. The findings indicate that yogic meditation promotes coherent brainwave activity and modulates neurotransmitters, such as gamma-aminobutyric acid, thereby reducing anxiety, improving emotional regulation, and providing pain relief and autonomic stability. The studies literature suggest that yogic meditation may enhance brain function and emotional well-being, but these findings remain preliminary and require more well-designed confirmation.
meditation; yoga; brainwave; electroencephalography; neurotransmitters
Settore BIOS-09/A - Biochimica clinica e biologia molecolare clinica
Settore MEDS-11/A - Psichiatria
mar-2026
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1230775
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