Brain Stimulation for Meditation

Overseen By Melanie Boly, MD, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Must not be taking: ADHD stimulants, Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, others

Disqualifiers: Neurological disorders, Bipolar, Psychosis, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: up to 2 weeks

12 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether brain stimulation can help individuals quickly enter a meditative state without years of practice. Researchers aim to determine if this can enhance openness and overall well-being, similar to regular meditation. Participants will wear a special cap to record brain activity, undergo brain stimulation (specifically, transcranial electrical stimulation or TES, and transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference or TES-TI), and complete various tasks. It suits healthy adults who already practice meditation regularly. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research on enhancing meditation experiences.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

You may need to stop taking certain medications that can affect seizure thresholds, like ADHD stimulants, some antidepressants, antipsychotics, bronchodilators, certain antibiotics, and antivirals. It's best to discuss your current medications with the trial team to see if any changes are needed.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Earlier studies found transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) to be safe and easy to handle. Participants reported it as painless and having a good safety record. Another study with children and teens (ages 5-17) also confirmed its safety, noting only a few minor side effects.

For transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI), research shows it is safe and easy to tolerate. Studies indicate it does not harm brain function or cause major side effects. This non-invasive method targets specific brain areas.

Current research generally supports the safety of both treatments. These findings can reassure those considering participation about their safety. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) and its advanced form, TES with temporal interference (TES-TI), because these techniques offer a fresh approach to enhancing meditation. Unlike common methods like mindfulness training or guided meditation, TES and TES-TI use electrical currents to stimulate brain activity directly, potentially boosting cognitive function and focus during meditation. TES-TI, in particular, is intriguing because it uses temporal interference to target deeper brain regions more precisely without affecting surrounding areas. This precision and non-invasiveness could set a new standard for enhancing meditation benefits efficiently and safely.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for achieving a meditative state?

This trial will compare different brain stimulation techniques, including transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) and transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI). Studies have shown that TES can boost various mental skills, such as memory and attention, and is particularly beneficial for individuals with lower mental performance, enabling quicker improvement. Findings suggest that TES-TI enhances working memory by more precisely targeting specific brain areas. It has demonstrated safety and can improve mental functions by enhancing certain brain waves. Both techniques show promise for supporting mental processes similar to those developed through meditation. Participants in this trial may receive either TES, TES-TI, or sham stimulation. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Melanie Boly, MD, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for healthy individuals interested in exploring brain stimulation as a means to achieve a meditative state. Participants should be willing to complete questionnaires, perform guided meditation tasks, wear an hdEEG cap, and undergo brain stimulation.

Inclusion Criteria

English-speaking (able to provide consent and complete questionnaires)

Healthy adults with a consistent meditation practice

Medically healthy

Exclusion Criteria

Any current or past history of psychosis

I have had fainting spells that might be seizures.

I do not have any serious illnesses that could lead to a medical emergency if I had a seizure.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo sham, TES, or TES-TI stimulation while completing cognitive assessments

up to 2 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in anxiety, well-being, and other psychological measures

up to 6 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Sham stimulation
• Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES)
• Transcranial electrical stimulation with temporal interference (TES-TI)

Trial Overview The NEURO-EGO study is testing the effects of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES), TES with Temporal Interference (TES-TI), and Sham stimulation on achieving meditative states and improving wellbeing without extensive meditation training.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Stimulation Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Participants will undergo sham, TES or TES-TI stimulation while completing cognitive assessments.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,249

Recruited

3,255,000+

Tiny Blue Dot Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

9

Recruited

640+

Tiny Blue Dot Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

10

Recruited

660+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9032363/

A Systematic Review for Clinical Translation - PubMed Central Despite plenty of studies investigating the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) on numerical cognition, a systematized synthesis of results is ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1388245721004740

Transcranial electrical stimulation improves cognitive ... TDCS boosted cognitive training efficiency in participants with low general cognitive performance, while age had no moderating effect.

3. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41596-025-01259-0

expert recommendation based on a Delphi consensus study Noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques offer a promising opportunity for modulation of brain excitability, and activity in health and ...

4. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00142/full

Transcranial Electrical Stimulation to Enhance Cognitive ... The use of tES techniques has been linked to improvements in several cognitive domains, including memory, attention, language, mathematics and ...

5. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17582024.2025.2520716?src=

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact ... Subgroup analysis showed tDCS improved cognitive outcomes (SMD = 0.32, p = 0.04), while tACS demonstrated a larger but non-significant effect (SMD = 1.39, p = ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11599605/

Evaluation of tolerability and safety of transcranial electrical ... The tES is generally regarded as non-invasive and well-tolerated by subjects with favorable safety profiles (11–13). However, the weak current ...

7. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41598-025-88256-1

Examining tolerability, safety, and blinding in 1032 ... Overall, findings suggested that tDCS appears to be safe and well-tolerated in youth (aged 5–17) with a clinical condition when administered ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S138824571500231X

What do you feel if I apply transcranial electric stimulation ... The reported observations enrich the literature regarding the safety aspects of tES, confirming that it is a painless and safe technique.

9. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5007190/

Safety of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Evidence ... This review updates and consolidates evidence on the safety of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). Safety is here operationally defined by, ...