MEDICATION IMPROVES CLINICOELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC MEASURES IN DRUG-RESISTANT EPILEPTICS

Eleven adults suffering from drug-resistant epilepsies were given medi tation practice, while another nine adults acted as waiting list contr ols. All patients were on antiepileptic drugs and their serum drug lev els were monitored regularly. Patients in the intervention group were given training in meditation, and they practiced meditation 20 minutes a day for one year. They showed a significant reduction in seizure fr equency and duration, an increase in the dominant background EEG frequ ency, a reduction in mean spectral intensity of the 0.7-7.7 Hz segment , and an increment in mean spectral intensity in the 8-12 Hz segment o f the EEG. All changes were statistically significant. Control patient s did not show significant changes in seizure frequency and duration d uring the observation period of one year. The results indicate that co ntinued meditation practice is of substantial help in improving the cl inicoelectrographic picture in drug-resistant epileptics.