Optical monitoring of cardiac and respiratory rhythms in the skin perfusion near the brain under controlled conditions

In this investigation an attempt is made to find the effects of controlled breathing on brain with the help of optical sensors mounted on the left and right temples of a subject. It has already been established that the brain activity can be monitored in terms of arterial blood volumetric changes to the left and right hemispheres of the brain recorded with the help of optical sensors. To investigate the influence of controlled breathing, an expert in controlled breathing (pranayama) is chosen as the subject. Pranayama is believed to be the controlled intake and outflow of breath in a firmly established posture. Some types of pranayama are believed to relive mental stress. While the subject is practicing one such type of breath control, arterial blood volume changes in the brain are recorded using optical sensors mounted on the left and right temples of the subject. From these measurements at the beginning and end of the pranayama exercise, it could be noticed that the subject could induce changes in the cardiac and respiratory rhythms by controlled breathing. Rhythmic phenomena in the skin perfusion in the vicinity of the brian are also studied when the subject is holding his breath. The arterial blood volume changes to the left and right hemispheres of the brain, as monitored by the optical sensors during this period, exhibit asymmetric reaction when the subject is holding his breath. An attempt is made to understand whether these changes induced by stoppage of breathing are 'chaotic' or 'adaptive' in nature.