The collective activity of huge assemblies of brain cells, as reflected in their rhythmic electrical discharges, contributes to the derailed perceptions and thoughts of schizophrenia as well as to the heightened mental states achieved by experienced meditators, two new studies find.
Results from both investigations, slated to appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, coincide with earlier reports that a certain form of synchronized electrical activity in groups of brain cells fosters perception, memory, and consciousness (SN: 3/11/00, p.
Log in
Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.