alpha blocking

This phenomenon is called alpha blocking.

Adrian used himself as a subject and demonstrated the phenomenon of alpha blocking, where opening his eyes suppressed alpha rhythms.

Much older studies report more specific findings, such as decreased alpha blocking and increased frontal lobe specific theta activity.

Generic beta-blockers with alpha blocking activity (more orthostatic hypotension):

The alpha blocking phenomena, observed as a state change in brain function, was investigated as a possible trait change as well.

Alpha blocking is a phenomenon where the active brain, normally presenting beta wave activity, cannot as easily switch to alpha wave activity often involved in memory recall.

Mulholland and Peper (1971) showed that occipital alpha increases with eyes open and not focused, and is disrupted by visual focusing; a rediscovery of alpha blocking.

Beck published studies of spontaneous electrical potentials detected from the brains of dogs and rabbits, and was the first to document alpha blocking, where light alters rhythmic oscillations, in 1890.

One study that examined a variety of meditation techniques tried to show that alpha blocking was affected by the long term practice of meditation by testing response to auditory stimuli.

A stimulus will generate an ERP only if it falls within our sensory window and the size and form of that ERP will vary according to our general state of alertness, of which alpha blocking is one important indicator.