Mapping the functional brain state of a world champion freediver in static dry apnea

Abstract Voluntary apnea showcases extreme human adaptability in trained individuals like professional free divers. We evaluated the physiological and psychological adaptation and the functional cerebral changes using EEG and fMRI to 6.5 minutes of dry static apnea performed by a world champion free diver. Compared to resting state at baseline, apnea was characterized by increased EEG power and functional connectivity in the alpha band, along with decreased delta band connectivity. fMRI connectivity was increased within the DMN and visual areas but decreased in pre- and postcentral cortices. While these changes occurred in regions overlapping with cerebral signatures of several meditation practices, they also display some unique features that suggest an altered somatosensory integration. As suggested by the self-reported phenomenology, these findings could reflect the ability of elite free divers to create a (functional) dissociation between the body and the mind when performing prolonged apnea.