ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY OF BRAIN NEURONS DURING BREATHING EXERCISES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11603/1811-2471.2023.v.i2.13796Keywords:
electroencephalogram, breathing exercisesAbstract
SUMMARY. Breathing exercises of various types affect the electrical activity of the brain.
The aim – to investigate the effect of different types of breathing exercises – “Ujjayi”, “Large or full breathing”, “Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing”, “Alternate nostril breathing”, “Kapalabhati” – on the electrical activity of brain neurons.
Material and Methods. Registration and analysis of electroencephalograms (EEG) were carried out according to the generally accepted method using a computer telemetric encephalograph “Tredex-TM expert” (Ukraine). 12 women of mature age II (36–44 years old) participating in the study (voluntarily) who practice breathing exercises: 1) “Ujjayi”, 2) “Large or full breathing”, 3) “Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing” 4) “Alternate nostril breathing”, 5) “Kapalabhati”. EEG was performed at rest and during breathing.
Results. All types of breathing exercises reliably changed electrical brain activity. In subjects at rest, the EEG pattern was mainly low-voltage. With all types of breathing practices, the EEG changed to medium voltage. Differences in the effects of various types of breathing exercises on the electrical activity of the brain have been revealed. In particular, the average doubling of the EEG amplitude: with all types of breathing, the indicators reliably increased, and only with the performance of the “Alternate nostril breathing” type of breathing, there was a reliable decrease of this indicator. The maximum range from peak to peak has changed localization during breathing – “Large or full breathing” – in lead O2 (right, occipital). The minimum level of the average doubled EEG amplitude during exercise – “Alternate nostril breathing” was recorded in a different lead (compared to other states of the respiratory system). Interhemispheric asymmetry, the EEG energy is greater in all cases in the left hemisphere, remains unchanged with breathing types – “Ujjayi”, “Large or full breathing”, “Kapalabhati” and reliably decreases with breathing type “Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing” and reliably increases with the type of breathing “Alternate nostril breathing”. Other changes are also registered.
Conclusions. Breathing practices – “Ujayi”, “Large or full breathing”, “Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing”, “Alternate nostril breathing”, “Kapalabhati” reveal an effect on the electrical activity of brain neurons.
References
Lisbet, А.V. (2001). Pranayama. Put k taynam Yogi [Pranayama. Path to the secrets of Yoga]. Кyiv: Yanus [in Russian].
Brown, R.P., & Gerbarg, P.L. (2009). Yoga breathing, meditation, and longevity. Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 1172, 54-62. DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04394.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04394.x
Folschweiller, S., & Sauer, J-F. (2023). Controlling neuronal assemblies: a fundamental function of respiration-related brain oscillations in neuronal networks. Pflugers Arch., 475(1), 13-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-022-02708-5
Price, A., & Eccles, R. (2016). Nasal airflow and brain activity: is there a link? J. Laryngol. Otol., 130(9), 794-799. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022215116008537
Stancák, A.Jr., & Kuna, M. (1994). EEG changes during forced alternate nostril breathing. Int. J. Psychophysiol., 18(1), 75-79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-8760(84)90017-5
Kamath, A., Urval, R.P., & Shenoy, A.K. (2017). Effect of Alternate Nostril Breathing Exercise on Experimentally Induced Anxiety in Healthy Volunteers Using the Simulated Public Speaking Model: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. Biomed. Res. Int., 2450670. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2450670
Liu Yu, McAfee, S.S., & Heck, D.H. (2017). Hippocampal sharp-wave ripples in awake mice are entrained by respiration. Sci. Rep., 7(1), 8950. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-09511-8
Karalis, N., & Sirota, A. (2022). Breathing coordinates cortico-hippocampal dynamics in mice during offline states. Nat. Commun., 13(1), 467. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28090-5
Jung, F., Yanovsky, Y., Brankačk, J., Tort, A.B.L., & Draguhn, A. (2023). Respiratory entrainment of units in the mouse parietal cortex depends on vigilance state. Pflugers Arch., 475(1), 65-76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-022-02727-2
Niazi, I.K., Navid, M.S., Bartley, J., Shepherd, D., Pedersen, M., Burns, G., Taylor, D., & White, D.E. (2022). EEG signatures change during unilateral Yogi nasal breathing. Sci. Rep., 12(1), 520. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04461-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-04461-8
