Neural Correlates of Self

NCT ID: NCT03206840

Last Updated: 2025-11-21

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 100 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2017-10-26
• Study Completion Date: 2018-11-12

Brief Summary

Despite the increasing popularity of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis in healthcare and in the general community the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are unclear. The change in the relationship between the self and the conscious experience that they bring about may be crucial. This study aims to identify the neural correlates of self-consciousness in meta-awareness and absorption - using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) in healthy participants combined with detailed first-person experiential accounts and behavioural tasks. This study will provide important clues about the widely reported effects of mindfulness meditation and hypnosis and shed light on the neural correlates of the conscious experience of self.

Conditions

Healthy Volunteers

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Group 1

three instructions will be given to each participant: "control", "meditation", "hypnosis". The order of "meditation" and "hypnosis" will be randomized amongst two groups to avoid order effects.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

"control", "meditation", "hypnosis".

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

three instructions will be given to each participant: "control", "meditation", "hypnosis". The order of "meditation" and "hypnosis" will be randomized amongst two groups to avoid order effects.

Group 2

three instructions will be given to each participant: "control", "meditation", "hypnosis". The order of "meditation" and "hypnosis" will be randomized amongst two groups to avoid order effects.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

"control", "meditation", "hypnosis".

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

three instructions will be given to each participant: "control", "meditation", "hypnosis". The order of "meditation" and "hypnosis" will be randomized amongst two groups to avoid order effects.

Interventions

"control", "meditation", "hypnosis".

three instructions will be given to each participant: "control", "meditation", "hypnosis". The order of "meditation" and "hypnosis" will be randomized amongst two groups to avoid order effects.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• aged 18-70
• Body mass index between 18.5 and 30
• Covered by health insurance
• motivated to participate
• signed informed consent
• normal or corrected-to-normal eyesight
• sufficient command of French to be able to follow the instructions

Exclusion Criteria

• history of neurological or psychiatric conditions
• chronic pain or another medical condition altering pain perception
• use of medication that affects the central nervous system
• use of opioids or antidepressant medication
• severe auditory loss
• consumption of alcohol or intoxicants on the day of the experiments and the day preceding the experiments
• pregnancy, breastfeeding or having given birth <6months ago
• any contra-indication to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (metal implants or foreign bodies), agitation, claustrophobia

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 70 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Hospices Civils de Lyon

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Antoine LUTZ, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Lyon Neuroscience Research Center

Locations

Hospices Civils de Lyon Hôpital le Vinatier/Inserm

Bron, , France

Countries

France

References

Lutz A. Regulation of attention and emotions by meditation: neurophysiological basis and implications for mental and physical health. In: 12th BIAL Foundation Symposium "Amplified states of consciousness"; 2018 Apr 6; Porto, Portugal. Lutz A. Méditation, hypnose… se soigner par la conscience. In: INSERM - Culture scientifique (webinar); 2022 Dec 13; Paris, France (online). Lutz A. Mindfulness meditation from the lenses of phenomenology and neurosciences. In: USC Center for Mindful Science - Invited lecture; 2022 Dec 12; Los Angeles (CA), USA. Lutz A. Neurophenomenology after Varela (1996). In: Metanoia/Ouroboros - Seminar; 2021 Sep 1; (online).

Reference Type: RESULT

Other Identifiers

2017-A01923-50

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

69HCL17_0274

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id