THE EFFECTS OF THE PRACTICE OF QIGONG ON THE EEG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 27, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: NOTES

Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
explore and analyze the mechanisms of the physiological effects generated by
the Qigong state.
1. THE EFFECTS OF THE PRACTICE OF QIGONG ON THE EEG
flu, Linqi and others recorded ordinary EEG of 30 subjects practicing
relaxation Qigong and analyzed the power spectrum. In the first systematic
test before the subjects had learned relaxation Qigong, there were no clear
differences between the duration of power, and prior to power, in the various
frequency bands of the EEG power spectrum. However, after three months of
Qigong training, the EEG alpha wave band occupied a markedly increased
percentage of the entire power spectrum. The EEG power spectrum array
analysis also showed a gradual increase in the alpha wave spectrum energy.
The rise in the EEG wave index is acknowledged as representative of the
degree of relaxation. Therefore, any type of positive state can lead to an
abatement of the alpha rhythm. We can see from the results of analysis of
the power spectrum in the EEGs in this experiment that the alpha wave
proportion of the EEG power spectrum of the group practicing Qigong showed a
clear increase during the course of practicing Qigong compared to what it was
prior to practicing Qigong. We can detect in the EEG power spectrum array
that during the entire 15 minutes of Qigong exercise the EEG alpha wave
spectrum energy increased. This illustrates that the alpha wave increase
actually reflects the degree to which the cerebrum enters rest during the
exercise. Furthermore, the degree of entering rest gradually increases.
Zhang Jianzhou and others conducted an analysis of statistical charts of
the electrical potential in the EEGs of the Qigong functional state- The
EEGs of a group of Qigong masters (a total of ten persons who had all
practiced Qigong for more than ten years) taken before the Qigong exercises
and eight minutes into the Qigong exercises when they were in a Qigong
functional state were compared. A single line can be seen on the T test
isopotential distribution chart. The cerebrum frontal hemisphere alpha i
component shows the clearest changes (P < 0.05. From the isopotential
distribution graph of another related factor we see that there was a
weakening correlation or a negative correlation of the vast majority of the
EEG components In order to explain the changes in the interrelationships
between the various parts of the brain in the EEG after entering a Qigong
state, they also conducted analysis of correlated isopotential distribution
graphs- The design was to divide the cerebrum into four sections, the left
front, right front, left rear and right rear and still emphasizing the
observation of the alpha i rhythm. The positive correlation between the left
and right and the negative correlation between the front and rear can be
seen- The control group (ten healthy individuals) also had their EEGs
recorded into three bands. This group closed their eyes and sat quietly for
five minutes and then relaxed (imitation of Qigong) for ten minutes, and then
sat quietly for five minutes. On the EEG change T test isopotential
distribution chart of this group we can see that their "degree of greyness"
is lowest. This illustrates that there was no clear change in their EEG from
the time they closed their eyes and sat quietly to the time they copied
Qigong. Analysis of the correlation index of their isopotential distribution
chart shows that their "degree of grayness" was highest, indicating the
strongest positive correlation, there was no antagonism. It was completely
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
different from the negative correlation in the electrical changes in the
frontal and rear portions of the brain after a Qigong master has entered the
functional state. This experiment illustrates that when a Qigong master
enters the functional state, there is a pattern to the changes in the EEG.
These are primarily manifest in the increase of forward cerebrum and the
central area alpha i components- Furthermore, as for the colonies, this type
of increase is of clear significance. As for the overall brain, the
increased alpha i rhythm indicates that there is an increased orderliness to
the cerebrum activities. This obviously is not a type of state between sleep
and waking, and is not a controlled state, but is a special type of state of
excitation-
Some people have discovered that as the time a person stands is
extended, the Q wave and the alpha wave indexes increase in the EEGs of both
the Qigong group and the control group. However, the increase is sharper in
the Qigong group, and furthermore, the increased value of the Q wave is
clearly higher than that of the control group- This indicates that when
experienced Qigong practitioners stand and enter a deep relaxation state, the
central nervous system nerves are in a highly orderly state, and the central
brain has strong control and coordination capability. The increase of the Q
and the alpha waves are one manifestation of the increased synchronization
of brain cell activities. This is the increased mutual coordination function
of the cerebral cortex and the lower structures in the enter relaxation
state. It signifies the enhanced operational state of the cortical centers.
Niu Xin and others used relatively advanced computer signals processing
systems to perform power spectrum analysis during Qigong external aura of the
person being acted upon, a normal persons EEG under the effects of infrasonic
sound, and the EEG of a Qigong master entering relaxation and transmitting an
external aura. They searched for the central reaction of the Qigong state
and the Qigong external aura from a neurobiological perspective. There were
significant changes in the EEG power spectrum in the external aura subject
group P < 0.05). The changes in this group's EEG power spectrum were
characterized by an increase in the frontal energy. Forty one subjects in
this group showed an increase in frontal lobe energy after being acted on by
external aura. Nineteen subjects in this group showed signs of frontal block
reversal- Twenty three subjects from this group displayed high energy at
various leads. Thirty one subjects showed synchronization of the alpha
waves and compared to before being acted on the external aura, the average
power spectrum peak moved toward the alpha frequency- The changes in the six
subjects with relatively complex transmitting state EEG waves all showed
increased frontal power and all leads had high power. This appeared to be an
overall increase in the EEG power spectrum. The peak tended toward the b
wave. There were many harmonic peaks on either side of the main peak. There
was no frontal block reversal. It appeared to be synchronized brain waves-
There were active changes in the frontal lobe EEG when the subject was in the
Qigong state. This illustrates that the practitioner of Qigong can use his
actions of his conscious will to influence the functions of his internal
organs. At the same time, entering relaxation had a positive regulating
effect on the higher centers of the brain- During this process, the skin
resistance, pulse rate and breathing all slowed down, indicating that that
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
the cerebral cortex was under protective inhibition. During positive rest
and reorganization, the mutual inhibiting effects of the lower level
automatic nerve centers were reset, and there were a series of indications of
increased tensity in the vagus nerve. After entering relaxation, the body
was in a "brain relaxed, internal organs active" Qigong functional state. We
discovered that as the testing time was extended for normal persons, it was
also possible to record occasional EEG changes which were similar to those of
the Qigong functional state, but these changes were less in degree, followed
no pattern and had no statistical significance. From another aspect, when
normal people go through Qigong training, they are completely capable of
entering the same sort of functional state as the Qi.gong masters and display
similar changes in the EEG waves, the power spectrum of the EEG in the
functional state is more complex. This can be due to the fact that the
Qigong masters practice different types of Qigong, and the locations from
which they transmit the aura are different. When they are transmitting the
aura, they manifest an overall, power increase in the power spectrum in the
various leads and these are not synchronous. This is the cortical inhibition
of the Qigong master from the time of entering relaxation, skipping to the
cortical excitation process, and switching from the synchronized to the non-
synchronized b wave EEG waves. This explains the speeding up of the EEG
rhythm, the cortical neuron activity, and enhanced excitation and tenseness.
During the process of the Qigong master entering relaxation, he makes a
series of adjustments in entering the functional state. The cerebral cortex
functions also go through two completely separate functional states. This is
the nervous mechanism of the Qigong master switching from a psychological
process to a physiological process. The conclusion is that during the
process of Qigong entering relaxation, the EEG power spectrum shows changes
in Q synchronization, characterized by an increase in the frontal lobe alpha
wave power spectrum. During the functional state, the EEG power spectrum
tends to be b wave form, displaying desynchronized EEG waves, and an increase
in the power spectrum energy of all leads.
Hong Zhi and others used a computer to analyze and study the EEG
characteristics of a super relaxed state. The thought activities of the
human brain play the role of the director in entering the super relaxed
state, and the frontal area is the area of the brain most recently formed in
the evolutionary process of the human brain. The frontal area is the place
where nervous processes become thought processes, and is an important area of
conscious activity. Therefore,they an EEG signals analysis of the frontal
area as a beginning to recognize normal states of relaxation and states of
super relaxation, and found common characteristics of super relaxation.
There were eight people in the Qigong group, all of whom had practiced Qigong
for three years or more. During the tests, the EEG of each person was
recorded for 40 minutes. Five minutes were prior to Qigong, 30 minutes
during Qigong, and five minutes after Qigong. The control group were
requested to copy the Qigong group for the test. The results were: The
frontal area EEG showed marked differences between super relaxation and
common relaxation. During Qigong super relaxed state, the EEG power spectrum
greatly increased, with the spectrum peak frequency moving down. The largest
spectrum peak location reached 4.7 Hz. That is the transition from the pre
Qigong alpha wave dominance to a. large concentration of Q wave energy. The
amount of shift in the power spectrum was directly related to the degree of
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
enter relaxation.
2. EFFECTS OF PRACTICING QIGONG ON CEREBRAL HEMOGRAMS
Liu Yuanliang and others observed the effects of Qigong training on
cerebral hemograms- There were 72 persons in the Qigong group, and all were
patients with various chronic ailments who practiced Qigong. The average of
those in this group was 50. There were 27 persons in the control group.
They were patients with various chronic ailments who did not practice Qigong.
Their average age was 47. The Qigong group practiced Qigong four to five
hours every day. Prior to practicing Qigong, 22 of the 72 in the Qigong
group had normal brain blood flow. after practicing Qigong for three months,
the number with normal brain blood flow shot up to 42, or almost double what
it was. Also, there was a clear drop in the numbers of those with
insufficient blood flow and those whose readings were too high. In the
control group, there were 15 of the with
normal brain blood
the course of. treatment was over,
flow increased by one or two. There are clear difference between the two.
The results of the brain blood flow chart amplitudes after statistical
analysis are: any member of the Qigong group with insufficient brain blood
flow all showed an increase in all four channels. The difference between
before and after practicing Qigong was extremely apparent (P < 0.01). At the
same time it was discovered that those with slightly high brain blood flow
prior to practicing Qigong had reductions in this blood flow to varying
degrees. There was an extremely apparent difference before and after
practicing Qigong (P < 0.01). Those with normal brain blood flow prior to
practicing did not show any apparent change. This illustrates that
practicing Qigong has duplex action to increase brain blood flow in those
with insufficient brain blood flow, to lower the brain blood flow of those
whose brain blood flow is too high, and does not effect the brain blood flow
of those with normal flow-
Liang Feng and others observed the effects of Qigong on brain flood
flow. Their subjects were 15 college students- They practiced Qigong for
six months or more. During the experiment, they observed that the blood flow
volume rose at a clearly higher rate after practicing this exercise for 15
minutes than before this exercise (P < 0.01). The increase in the rate of
the rise in brain blood flow illustrates an increased blood flow volume, and
provides the tissue with the increased oxygen and nutrients it requires. At
the same time, the accelerated metabolism of waste improves the function of
the brain, so the brain can maintain a high level of operational
effectiveness, and plays an active role in preventing hardening of the blood
vessels in the brain and in improving the metabolism capability. The
practice of Qigong entering relaxation can lower the energy consumption of
the brain, reduce noise interference, increase the activities of the cells,
so the nerve cells in the brain are more synchronized and more ordered, and
the brain is in optimal state for processing internal and external signals.
Tao Shouzhang and others observed changes in the cerebral hemograph of
those practicing Qigong relaxation and recuperation. They observed the
amplitude of the cerebral hemographs of Qigong masters 10, 20, and 30 minutes
after entering relaxation. These readings showed a clear drop to those
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5
before practicing entering relaxation (P < 0.01) and these reading basically
returned to the level prior to practicing Qigong after ten minutes of natural
rest following the Qigong exercises. There were no clear changes in the
readings of the control group during the entire process of the experiment.
This experiment shows that after Qigong entering relaxation the entire body
is in a kind of special physiological state - the Qigong functional state.
The results of this experiment are markedly different from the results of the
other experiments mentioned above. It is possible that different types of
Qigong and different methods have different effects on the brain blood flow.
Additional future study must be made of this.
Bao Guojin and others observed the effects of practicing Qigong on the
brain electrical resistance chart. Those training in Qigong were 38 persons
who trained for two hours every day in the Shaolin internal muscle one-finger
Dhyaria. The brain electrical resistance was checked prior to the training
and after 30 days of training. Four readings all became normal wave forms.
After the training, the brain resistance chart wave amplitude, flow volume
speed, resistance index, and elevation time were all sharply different from
before beginning training in Qigong. With the exception of right side
resistance index and rise time, all other six indexes showed extremely marked
differences (P , 0.01). This illustrates a relatively great effect of the
practice of Qigong on the brain electrical resistance chart, suggesting that
training in Shaolin internal muscle one-finger Dhyana acts to increase brain
blood flow.
The cerebral cortex is the highest level or regulation of human body
functions and activities. It is also a primary material basis for exercising
the highest form of biological activity (thought). The brain is the most
complex and functionally most perfect system in the natural world structure.
At the same time the brain is adjusting between the body and the environment
and among the.various levels within the body, it is also acting to regulate
itself. A study of the EEGs and brain blood flow charts indicates that the
practice of Qigong entering relaxation can restore and improve the functional
activities of the cerebral cortex. The brain is regulating and control
center for the body's automatic systems. It is an organ of key importance in
maintaining the health of the body. Therefore, when entering relaxation acts
to have a beneficial effect on the functions of the brain, it must play an
important and extensive regulating role over the entire body, putting the
entire system of the human body into a kind of entirely new functional state.
r
V. THE EFFECTS OF QIGONG ON SKIN ELECTRICAL REACTION AND SKIN TEMPERATURE
1. THE EFFECTS OF QIGONG ON SKIN ELECTRICAL REACTIONS
The skin electrical potential activity is an excellent index of the
functional state of the sympathetic nervous system and its reactivity. It is
also related to emotional activity- Lin Yagu and others observed the changes
in skin electrical reaction wave phase during the process of practicing
Qigong. They discovered that healthy individuals and sick individuals
display different phases. This is primarily related to the state of the body
at the time of the experiment, the phase was different at different parts of
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300440002-5