Understanding the effects of meditation on mood, cognition, and the brain

We have open PhD projects to investigate a specific type of concentration meditation (also called focused attention meditation).

We would like to understand the immediate effects of a single meditation sitting (by novices or experts; of different durations; compared to other meditation techniques) and the effects of different training methods (e.g. daily 10 min versus 2 times per week 35 min).

We are interested in effects on mood (e.g., do people feel better/worse; including physiological measures of arousal such as heart rate variability), cognition (e.g., do they perform better/worse in cognitive tasks), and the brain (utilising EEG, fNIRS, or fMRI). We are also interested in whether the meditation experience can be modulated by brain stimulation (TMS; tDCS, tACS).

These topics are indicative, feel free to propose a related question not listed here.

Supervisor's interests

I am a psychologist working in the area of cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience. In the past, I have mostly worked in the area of multitasking, but recently I have moved to investigate the beneficial effects of nature experience and meditation.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the above PhD topic please follow the steps below:

Contact the supervisor by email or phone to discuss your interest and find out if you would be suitable. Supervisor details can be found on this topic page. The supervisor will guide you in developing the topic-specific research proposal, which will form part of your application.
Click on the 'Apply here' button on this page and you will be taken to the relevant PhD course page, where you can apply using an online application.
Complete the online application indicating your selected supervisor and include the research proposal for the topic you have selected.

Good luck!

This is a self funded topic

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Andre Szameitat - Reader in Cognitive Neuroscience. Brief CV: After my general study of Psychology I conducted my PhD at the Max-Planck-Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Leipzig, Germany. In 2003 I joined the University of Surrey as a post-doc. After this post-doc position I went back to Germany to work in Munich as lecturer in the international Master’s program Neurocognitive Psychology. I joined Brunel University London as a Reader in September 2013. Qualifications: 2011 Habilitation, venia legendi in Psychology, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich/Germany 2002 PhD in Psychology, Max Planck Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Leipzig/Germany 1999 Diploma (Dipl.-Psych.; MSc equiv.) in Psychology, Technical University Braunschweig/Germany Research area(s) - Effect of Meditation on mood and cognition Effect of Nature vs Urban experiences on mood and cognition Executive Control and Prefrontal Cortex Multitasking, Working Memory Brain Imaging (fMRI) & Behavioural Methods