A atividade cerebral na produção de textos escritos durante o estado de transe mediúnico: um estudo com uso de EEG quantitativo

Abstract

Introduction: Mediumistic trance has been studied as a cultural phenomenon and considered an altered state of consciousness, with non-pathological dissociative characteristics. In this type of experience, there is linguistic production of written texts by individuals identified as mediums, with the alleged ability to communicate with the minds of deceased persons. Studies on the effect of the mental state of mediumistic trance on linguistic performance and its relationship with brain functioning are still scarce, especially with the use of electroencephalography (EEG). However, quantitative EEG has been used in studies on verbal language and can provide important information about brain activation related to linguistic processes in the context of mediumship. Objective: To analyze the cerebral electrical activity of mediums in a state of trance using quantitative EEG during their writing practices, to discuss and describe the presence and function of frequencies in brain functioning, in their correlation with the quality of the texts produced. Methodology: Research conducted with a group of mediums and a control group in 2 stages. 1st stage: application of questionnaires and instruments for psychological assessment. 2nd stage: collection protocol using EEG during the performance of different tasks. Using quantitative EEG, the electroencephalographic signals of the written tasks were analyzed, divided into writing in a state of wakefulness for both groups, writing simulating authorship of a deceased personality for the control group (creative writing), and writing during mediumistic trance (psychography) for the group of mediums. Statistical comparisons of EEG data and text quality assessments were performed using Repeated Measures ANOVA. Results: The mediums did not present mental disorders. The texts produced in a state of mediumistic trance showed significantly higher scores compared to the other texts, indicating higher writing quality. Regarding quantitative EEG, there was a significant difference in the theta, alpha, beta 1, and beta 2 bands when comparing the trance writing group to the creative writing group. For the delta band, there was a significant difference only in the comparison between tasks within the control group. In the analysis by hemisphere, the results did not corroborate the literature, as there was no greater activation of the left hemisphere compared to the right. In a comparative study of results for one of the mediums, who scored the maximum value for loss of consciousness on one of the instruments, there were indications of greater oscillation of delta and theta in their brain activity, despite the text produced during psychography showing significantly higher quality and complexity. Conclusion: A set of evidence differentiated writing during mediumistic trance from other writing tasks. Quantitative EEG provided evidence of a cerebral electrophysiology of trance different from the state of wakeful consciousness, corroborating the hypothesis that changes occur without resulting in impairment in linguistic performance. On the contrary, textual production in the experience with mediumship is significantly more complex. For the comparative study of one of the mediums, the evidence found in the quantitative EEG data indicates the possibility of hypoactivation, corresponding to an alleged loss of consciousness during psychography. These results highlight the need for further in-depth investigations into the brain patterns related to linguistic activity during the trance of mediums.