The link between the "OM" sound and neuroscience

"Chant OM and you will attain your goal. If nothing else works, just chant OM." Patanjali

The "OM" chanting used at the beginning or end of a yoga class or meditation session generates a vibration in the body that helps practitioners relax and stay focused. Is there a correlation of physiological significance to explain this?

A small study using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging examined the correlation of audible "OM" chanting with neuro-hemodynamics in the brains of right-handed healthy volunteers (1). Twelve healthy men participated in the study. The OM chanting was compared with the pronunciation of "sss" and with a rest state. Functional MRI analysis was performed to compare the results.

During the "OM" chanting significant deactivation was observed bilaterally in comparison to the resting brain state. The deactivation was documented in orbitofrontal, anterior cyngulate, parahippocampal gyri, and hippocampi. There was also significant deactivation in the right amygdala, an area of the brain engaged in stress responses. On the other hand, there was neither activation nor deactivation associated with the "sss" pronunciation.

The deactivation of the right amygdala is important to emphasize. A cross-sectional study (the Rotterdam study) published by Brain Imaging and Behavior in 2018 found that in yoga and meditation practitioners the right amygdala had lower volume compared to the right amygdala of non-practitioners (2). The significance of this association requires more investigation.

The integrated responses of the body and brain to the regular practice of yoga and meditation are complex. I will be writing more on this subject in future entries.

1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3099099/

2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6302143/