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Han Y, Du L, Huang Q, Cui D, Li Y. Enhancing specialization of attention-related EEG power and phase synchronism brain patterns by meditation. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae288. [PMID: 39024158 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Meditation, mental training that aims to improve one's ability to regulate their cognition, has been widely applied in clinical medicine. However, the mechanism by which meditation affects brain activity is still unclear. To explore this question, electroencephalogram data were recorded in 20 long-term meditators and 20 nonmeditators during 2 high-level cognitive tasks (meditation and mental calculation) and a relaxed resting state (control). Then, the power spectral density and phase synchronization of the electroencephalogram were extracted and compared between these 2 groups. In addition, machine learning was used to discriminate the states within each group. We found that the meditation group showed significantly higher classification accuracy and calculation efficiency than the control group. Then, during the calculation task, both the power and global phase synchronism of the gamma response decreased in meditators compared to their relaxation state; yet, no such change was observed in the control group. A potential explanation for our observations is that meditation improved the flexibility of the brain through neural plastic mechanism. In conclusion, we provided robust evidence that long-term meditation experience could produce detectable neurophysiological changes in brain activity, which possibly enhance the functional segregation and/or specialization in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Han
- School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road 381, Guangzhou 510641, China
- Research Center for Brain-Computer Interfaces, Pazhou Laboratory, Qiaotou Street 248, Guangzhou 510665, China
| | - Lizhao Du
- Shanghai Med-X Engineering Research Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Huashan Road 1954, Shanghai, 200030, China
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Humin Road 3210, Shanghai 201108, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Humin Road 3210, Shanghai 201108, China
| | - Qiyun Huang
- Research Center for Brain-Computer Interfaces, Pazhou Laboratory, Qiaotou Street 248, Guangzhou 510665, China
| | - Donghong Cui
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Humin Road 3210, Shanghai 201108, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Humin Road 3210, Shanghai 201108, China
- Brain Science and Technology Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Huanshan Road 1954, Shanghai 200030, China
| | - Yuanqing Li
- School of Automation Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Wushan Road 381, Guangzhou 510641, China
- Research Center for Brain-Computer Interfaces, Pazhou Laboratory, Qiaotou Street 248, Guangzhou 510665, China
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Saini M, Gurjar A, Muthukrishnan SP, Kaur S, Sharma R, Tayade PT. Global Effect on Cortical Activity in Young Indian Males in Response to "OM" Chanting: A High-Density Quantitative Electro-Encephalography Study. Ann Neurosci 2024; 31:176-185. [PMID: 39156622 PMCID: PMC11325691 DOI: 10.1177/09727531231183219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Meditation using the "OM" mantra is the most widely used practice in India. Though reports have been published about the relaxation effect during both verbal "OM" chanting and listening to "OM" chanting, there is a paucity of literature concerning the cortical areas activated/deactivated after verbal "OM" chanting and listening to "OM" chanting using quantitative electro-encephalography (qEEG). Purpose The objective of this study was to compare the effects of verbal "OM" chanting and listening to "OM" chanting on cortical sources as compared to baseline, as assessed by qEEG. Method Twenty adult male subjects with a mean age of 27.5 ± 7.5 years and no past or present history of psychiatric, neurological, or auditory disorders or previous exposure to yoga and meditation were recruited from the undergraduate and postgraduate student population of AIIMS, New Delhi. Subjects were given a paradigm designed using E-prime for both verbal and listening to "OM" chanting of 5 min each and a 5-min relaxation period in between the tasks. Electroencephalography recording was done using a 128-channel geodesic sensor net with band-pass filtered at 1-70 Hz, and 20-sec data of eyes-closed condition, post-verbal "OM", and post-listening to "OM" chanting were segmented and pre-processed. Further, source analysis was performed on the data using standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography. Result The pre (baseline) versus post-verbal "OM" (p < .05) and post-listening to "OM" (p < .05) chanting showed significant differences in similar cortical areas in both verbal "OM" and listening to "OM" chanting except the three areas, that is, the orbital gyrus, the rectal gyrus, and the sub-callosal gyrus, which were additionally activated post-listening to "OM" chanting. Both verbal and listening to "OM" chanting induced activation of similar cortical areas, which were classified as the nodes/hubs of specific resting-state networks (RSNs) such as the attentional network, frontoparietal control network, and default mode network. Conclusion The study results suggest that "OM" chanting could facilitate flexible switching between various RSNs to induce a relaxed state and could improve attention simultaneously.Both verbal and listening to "OM" chanting induced common activated areas that are classified into frontoparietal, dorsal attention, and default mode network areas. And it is hypothesized that flexible switching between these RSNs could induce a relaxed state and improve attention simultaneously with the possible role of the frontoparietal network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manorma Saini
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani, West Bengal, India
| | - Ankit Gurjar
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Simran Kaur
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ratna Sharma
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Prashant T. Tayade
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Dagnino PC, Galadí JA, Càmara E, Deco G, Escrichs A. Inducing a meditative state by artificial perturbations: A mechanistic understanding of brain dynamics underlying meditation. Netw Neurosci 2024; 8:517-540. [PMID: 38952817 PMCID: PMC11168722 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Contemplative neuroscience has increasingly explored meditation using neuroimaging. However, the brain mechanisms underlying meditation remain elusive. Here, we implemented a mechanistic framework to explore the spatiotemporal dynamics of expert meditators during meditation and rest, and controls during rest. We first applied a model-free approach by defining a probabilistic metastable substate (PMS) space for each condition, consisting of different probabilities of occurrence from a repertoire of dynamic patterns. Moreover, we implemented a model-based approach by adjusting the PMS of each condition to a whole-brain model, which enabled us to explore in silico perturbations to transition from resting-state to meditation and vice versa. Consequently, we assessed the sensitivity of different brain areas regarding their perturbability and their mechanistic local-global effects. Overall, our work reveals distinct whole-brain dynamics in meditation compared to rest, and how transitions can be induced with localized artificial perturbations. It motivates future work regarding meditation as a practice in health and as a potential therapy for brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Clara Dagnino
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier A. Galadí
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Gustavo Deco
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anira Escrichs
- Computational Neuroscience Group, Center for Brain and Cognition, Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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Brugnoli MP. Spiritual healing in palliative care with clinical hypnosis: neuroscience and therapy. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPNOSIS 2023:1-13. [PMID: 38117544 DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2023.2281466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
THIS PAPER REVIEWS The neuroscientific features of inner consciousness, including its role in suffering and in accessing states of mind that relieve suffering; details salient meditative and hypnotic approaches appropriate for palliative settings of care; discusses core principles and orientations shared by effective approaches; and proposes early integration of hypnotic training as a coping skill and a platform for spiritual exploration, as desired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Paola Brugnoli
- Interdisciplinary Research Group in Neurobioethics (GdN) at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum (APRA), Roma, Italy
- Chairperson Ethical Committee ISH International Society of Hypnosis, Verona, Italy
- President SIPMU Italian Scientific Society Clinical Hypnosis in Psychotherapy and Humanistic Medicine, Verona, Italy
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5
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Cooper AC, Ventura B, Northoff G. Beyond the veil of duality-topographic reorganization model of meditation. Neurosci Conscious 2022; 2022:niac013. [PMID: 36237370 PMCID: PMC9552929 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niac013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Meditation can exert a profound impact on our mental life, with proficient practitioners often reporting an experience free of boundaries between a separate self and the environment, suggesting an explicit experience of "nondual awareness." What are the neural correlates of such experiences and how do they relate to the idea of nondual awareness itself? In order to unravel the effects that meditation has on the brain's spatial topography, we review functional magnetic resonance imaging brain findings from studies specific to an array of meditation types and meditator experience levels. We also review findings from studies that directly probe the interaction between meditation and the experience of the self. The main results are (i) decreased posterior default mode network (DMN) activity, (ii) increased central executive network (CEN) activity, (iii) decreased connectivity within posterior DMN as well as between posterior and anterior DMN, (iv) increased connectivity within the anterior DMN and CEN, and (v) significantly impacted connectivity between the DMN and CEN (likely a nonlinear phenomenon). Together, these suggest a profound organizational shift of the brain's spatial topography in advanced meditators-we therefore propose a topographic reorganization model of meditation (TRoM). One core component of the TRoM is that the topographic reorganization of DMN and CEN is related to a decrease in the mental-self-processing along with a synchronization with the more nondual layers of self-processing, notably interoceptive and exteroceptive-self-processing. This reorganization of the functionality of both brain and self-processing can result in the explicit experience of nondual awareness. In conclusion, this review provides insight into the profound neural effects of advanced meditation and proposes a result-driven unifying model (TRoM) aimed at identifying the inextricably tied objective (neural) and subjective (experiential) effects of meditation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Clinton Cooper
- Integrated Program of Neuroscience, Room 302, Irving Ludmer Building, 1033 Pine Avenue W., McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
| | - Bianca Ventura
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
| | - Georg Northoff
- Mind, Brain Imaging and Neuroethics Research Unit, Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada
- Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Ganesan S, Beyer E, Moffat B, Van Dam NT, Lorenzetti V, Zalesky A. Focused attention meditation in healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional functional MRI studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 141:104846. [PMID: 36067965 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Meditation trains the mind to focus attention towards an object or experience. Among different meditation techniques, focused attention meditation is considered foundational for more advanced practices. Despite renewed interest in its functional neural correlates, there is no unified neurocognitive model of focused attention meditation developed via quantitative synthesis of contemporary literature. Hence, we performed a quantitative systematic review and meta-analysis of all functional MRI studies examining focussed attention meditation. Following PRISMA guidelines, 28 studies were included in this review, of which 10 studies (200 participants) were amenable to activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. We found that regions comprising three key functional brain networks i.e., Default-mode, Salience, and Executive Control, were consistently implicated in focused attention meditation. Furthermore, meditation expertise, mindfulness levels and attentional skills were found to significantly influence the magnitude, but not regional extent, of activation and functional connectivity in these networks. Aggregating all evidence, we present a unified neurocognitive brain-network model of focused attention meditation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saampras Ganesan
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia.
| | - Emillie Beyer
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioral and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia.
| | - Bradford Moffat
- Melbourne Brain Centre Imaging Unit, Department of Radiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| | - Nicholas T Van Dam
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Valentina Lorenzetti
- Neuroscience of Addiction and Mental Health Program, Healthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioral and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia.
| | - Andrew Zalesky
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia.
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Li H, Yan W, Wang Q, Liu L, Lin X, Zhu X, Su S, Sun W, Sui M, Bao Y, Lu L, Deng J, Sun X. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Regulates Brain Connectivity in Patients With Late-Life Depression. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:841461. [PMID: 35237197 PMCID: PMC8882841 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.841461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Late-life depression (LLD) is an important public health problem among the aging population. Recent studies found that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms in major depressive disorder. The present study explored the clinical effect and potential neuroimaging mechanism of MBCT in the treatment of LLD. We enrolled 60 participants with LLD in an 8-week, randomized, controlled trial (ChiCTR1800017725). Patients were randomized to the treatment-as-usual (TAU) group or a MBCT+TAU group. The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were used to evaluate symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure changes in resting-state functional connectivity and structural connectivity. We also measured the relationship between changes in brain connectivity and improvements in clinical symptoms. HAMD total scores in the MBCT+TAU group were significantly lower than in the TAU group after 8 weeks of treatment (p < 0.001) and at the end of the 3-month follow-up (p < 0.001). The increase in functional connections between the amygdala and middle frontal gyrus (MFG) correlated with decreases in HAMA and HAMD scores in the MBCT+TAU group. Diffusion tensor imaging analyses showed that fractional anisotropy of the MFG-amygdala significantly increased in the MBCT+TAU group after 8-week treatment compared with the TAU group. Our study suggested that MBCT improves depression and anxiety symptoms that are associated with LLD. MBCT strengthened functional and structural connections between the amygdala and MFG, and this increase in communication correlated with improvements in clinical symptoms. Randomized Controlled Trial; Follow-Up Study; fMRI; Brain Connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yan
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Qianwen Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Lin Liu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Lin
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Ximei Zhu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Sizhen Su
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Wei Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Manqiu Sui
- Beijing Xi Cheng District Pingan Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanping Bao
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Lu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China.,National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiahui Deng
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
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Newberg AB, Wintering NA, Hriso C, Vedaei F, Stoner M, Ross R. Alterations in Functional Connectivity Measured by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the Relationship With Heart Rate Variability in Subjects After Performing Orgasmic Meditation: An Exploratory Study. Front Psychol 2021; 12:708973. [PMID: 34858249 PMCID: PMC8631761 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.708973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: We measured changes in resting brain functional connectivity, with blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), associated with a creative meditation practice that is augmented by clitoral stimulation and is designed to not only achieve a spiritual experience but to help individuals manage their most intimate personal relationships. Briefly, the meditative state is attained by both the male and female participants while the male stimulates the woman’s clitoris. The goal of this practice, called orgasmic meditation (OM), according to the practitioners is not sexual, but to use the focus on clitoral stimulation to facilitate a meditative state of connectedness and calm alertness between the two participants. Methods: fMRI was acquired on 20 pairs of subjects shortly following one of two states that were randomized in their order – during the OM practice or during a neutral condition. The practice is performed while the female is lying down on pillows with the clitoris exposed. During the practice, the male performs digital stimulation of the clitoris for 15 min. Resting BOLD image acquisition was performed at completion of the practice to assess changes in functional connectivity associated with the performance of the practice. Results: The results demonstrated significant changes (p < 0.05) in functional connectivity associated with the OM compared to the neutral condition. For the entire group there was altered connectivity following the OM practice involving the left superior temporal lobe, the frontal lobe, anterior cingulate, and insula. In female subjects, there was altered connectivity involving the cerebellum, thalamus, inferior frontal lobe posterior parietal lobe, angular gyrus, amygdala and middle temporal gyrus, and prefrontal cortex. In males, functional connectivity changes involved the supramarginal gyrus, cerebellum, and orbitofrontal gyrus, cerebellum, parahippocampus, inferior temporal gyrus, and anterior cingulate. Conclusion: Overall, these findings suggest a complex pattern of functional connectivity changes occurring in both members of the couple pair that result from this unique meditation practice. The changes represent a hybrid of functional connectivity findings with some similarities to meditation based practices and some with sexual stimulation and orgasm. This study has broader implications for understanding the dynamic relationship between sexuality and spirituality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B Newberg
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Nancy A Wintering
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Chloe Hriso
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Faezeh Vedaei
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Marie Stoner
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Reneita Ross
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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9
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Kim TY, Kim JH. Performance enhancement through meditation in athletes: Insights from a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Explore (NY) 2021; 17:403-409. [PMID: 33766474 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing number of studies have examined the efficacy of meditation, showing performance enhancement in a variety of sports fields, but few attempts have been made to derive outcomes based on evidence from the preexisting groundwork. The present study empirically reviews reports on meditation in athletes to investigate (a) the efficacy of these interventions in augmenting athletic attainment, (b) the methodological quality of studies (risk of bias), and (c) a possible conceptual framework for how meditation affects athletes' performance. METHODS A systematic search was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE (Ovid Medline(R) In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations and Ovid Medline(R)); EMBASE; EBSCO; CINAHL; SPORTDiscuss; and SCOPUS from June 16, 2019 to July 18, 2019. All studies published were screened and included if they met the eligibility criteria. Two independent reviewers assessed the risk of bias and extracted the data. The available evidence was summarized. RESULTS Our initial search returned a total of 734 articles. After screening abstracts and full texts, 6 studies were included. Participants reported changes that might be considered positively in sports events after experiencing planned intervention. However, in the methodological quality assessment measured in seven domains of Cochrane criteria, the risk of bias of each study was generally high. DISCUSSION From the results derived, the theoretical insights of imagery, relaxation and self-talk, which can catalyze the development of a new form of meditation program, were obtained. However, given methodological defects of RCTs, further precisely designed RCTs are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Yoon Kim
- Department of Clinical Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Hyun Kim
- Department of Acupucture and Moxibustion, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital at Gangdong, Republic of Korea.
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10
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Susceptibility of Women to Cardiovascular Disease and the Prevention Potential of Mind-Body Intervention by Changes in Neural Circuits and Cardiovascular Physiology. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050708. [PMID: 34068722 PMCID: PMC8151888 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Women have been reported to be more vulnerable to the development, prognosis and mortality of cardiovascular diseases, yet the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and strategies to overcome them are still relatively undeveloped. Studies show that women's brains are more sensitive to factors affecting mental health such as depression and stress than men's brains. In women, poor mental health increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and conversely, cardiovascular disease increases the incidence of mental illness such as depression. In connection with mental health and cardiovascular health, the presence of gender differences in brain activation, cortisol secretion, autonomic nervous system, vascular health and inflammatory response has been observed. This connection suggests that strategies to manage women's mental health can contribute to preventing cardiovascular disease. Mind-body interventions, such as meditation, yoga and qigong are forms of exercise that strive to actively manage both mind and body. They can provide beneficial effects on stress reduction and mental health. They are also seen as structurally and functionally changing the brain, as well as affecting cortisol secretion, blood pressure, heart rate variability, immune reactions and reducing menopausal symptoms, thus positively affecting women's cardiovascular health. In this review, we investigate the link between mental health, brain activation, HPA axis, autonomic nervous system, blood pressure and immune system associated with cardiovascular health in women and discuss the effects of mind-body intervention in modulating these factors.
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11
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Right Broca's area is hyperactive in right-handed subjects during meditation: Possible clinical implications? Med Hypotheses 2021; 150:110556. [PMID: 33812300 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2021.110556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Broca's area, conventionally located in left (categorical) hemisphere of brain, is responsible for integrating linguistic and non-linguistic processing however, functionality of its right homolog remains partly understood and explored. This perception is based on the fact that in 96% of right-handed individuals, who constitute 91% of human population, the left hemisphere is dominant or categorical hemisphere. Here, we introduce novel scientific-based hypothesis that the right homolog of Broca's region which we observed hyperactive during attention focused meditation, might further play an important role in patients with attention deficits and language and speech disorders. Meditation includes self-regulation practices that focus on attention and awareness to achieve better control on mental processes. The positron emission tomography of brain in twelve (12) apparently healthy male, right-handed long-term meditators showed that the right Broca's area was significantly hyperactive (p = 0.002) during Meditation vs. Baseline while there was only a subtle increase in the activity of left Broca's area. Our results suggest that hitherto partly explored and understood right homolog of the Broca's area (referred to as right Broca's area) may have some important role, especially during meditation which needs to be explored further.
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12
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Jaiswal G, Thakur GS. An alternative yogic approach for cyclical mastalgia-A narrative review. J Family Med Prim Care 2021; 10:601-608. [PMID: 34041048 PMCID: PMC8138339 DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1688_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mastalgia or breast pain common benign breast disorder in women in her reproductive life. Mastalgia estimate prevalence 41-71%. It affects to overall quality of life and associated with anxiety, stress, and other psychological factors. Objective The purpose of the study was to conduct a review of alternative therapy in the management of mastalgia. Method A review was conducted using search terms cyclical mastalgia (CM), yoga therapy, breast treatment, primrose oil, oestrogen, progesterone and all the probable term in national and international data repositories such as PubMed, Scopus, science direct, google scholar, web of science in English language. Result The review of alternative therapies in the management of CM suggests that most of the studies used primrose oil, vitamins, and physical activity. There are very few studies conducted in relation to yoga and cyclical mastalgia. Further, most of the studies explored effect of alternative therapies on psychological outcomes. None of the studies investigated efficacy of these therapies on hormonal changes. Conclusion Evidence suggests that biochemical clinical trial is effective with side effect, primrose oil and seeds treatment is less effective. One evidence-based study with integrated yoga therapy should be considered in the management of cyclical mastalgia. More high-quality trial with yogic approach needed to first line management of patients presenting with CM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garima Jaiswal
- Department of Yoga, Chauras Campus, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ghanshyam S Thakur
- Department of Yoga, Chauras Campus, H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India
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Magan D, Yadav RK. Neural mechanism of attention control in long-term preksha meditation. Med Hypotheses 2020; 143:109953. [PMID: 32679421 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Meditation is a complex mental process-practiced widely for stress management and promotion of health- exerts beneficial effects on physical and mental health, and cognitive performance. However, until now, few theoretical neural mechanisms of meditation had been proposed, still not completely elucidated. We have previously evaluated the brain activity during Preksha meditation using an innovative 18FDG-PET methodological approach. Based on our previous study observations, we proposed here the neurophysiological framework of long-term and regular practice of preksha meditation. This mechanism will provide the scientific evidence to understand the attention control mechanisms resulting from the advanced state of preksha meditation. This might have multiple clinical applications as well as effective in a healthy population for attention-related tasks. Also, it is expected that the present neural model will provide a scientific platform for future clinical studies of meditation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipti Magan
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda 151001, India.
| | - Raj Kumar Yadav
- Department of Physiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India.
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Yu J, Ang KK, Choo CC, Ho CS, Ho R, So RQ. Prefrontal Cortical Activation While Doing Mindfulness Task: a Pilot Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2020; 2020:2905-2908. [PMID: 33018614 DOI: 10.1109/embc44109.2020.9175464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mindfulness interventions are increasingly used in clinical settings. Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying mindfulness offer objective evidence that can help us evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness. Recent advances in technology have facilitated the use of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a light weight, portable, and relatively lower cost neuroimaging device as compared to functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). In contrast to numerous fMRI studies, there are scanty investigations using fNIRS to study mindfulness. Hence, this study was done to investigate the feasibility of using a continuous-wave multichannel fNIRS system to study cerebral cortex activations on a mindfulness task versus a baseline task. NIRS data from 14 healthy Asian subjects were collected. A statistical parametric mapping toolbox specific for statistical analysis of NIRS signal called NIRS_SPM was used to study the activations. The results from group analysis performed on the contrast of the mindfulness versus baseline tasks showed foci of activations on the left and central parts of the prefrontal cortex. The findings are consistent with prevailing fMRI studies and show promise of using fNIRS system for studying real-time neurophysiological cortical activations during mindfulness practice.
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15
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Alterations in Brain Structure and Amplitude of Low-frequency after 8 weeks of Mindfulness Meditation Training in Meditation-Naïve Subjects. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10977. [PMID: 31358842 PMCID: PMC6662752 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47470-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing neuroimaging evidence suggests that mindfulness meditation expertise is related to different functional and structural configurations of the default mode network (DMN), the salience network (SN) and the executive network at rest. However, longitudinal studies observing resting network plasticity effects in brains of novices who started to practice meditation are scarce and generally related to one dimension, such as structural or functional effects. The purpose of this study was to investigate structural and functional brain network changes (e.g. DMN) after 40 days of mindfulness meditation training in novices and set these in the context of potentially altered depression symptomatology and anxiety. We found overlapping structural and functional effects in precuneus, a posterior DMN region, where cortical thickness increased and low-frequency amplitudes (ALFF) decreased, while decreased ALFF in left precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex correlates with the reduction of (CES-D) depression scores. In conclusion, regional overlapping of structural and functional changes in precuneus may capture different components of the complex changes of mindfulness meditation training.
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16
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Paccione CE, Jacobsen HB. Motivational Non-directive Resonance Breathing as a Treatment for Chronic Widespread Pain. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1207. [PMID: 31244707 PMCID: PMC6579813 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic widespread pain (CWP) is one of the most difficult pain conditions to treat due to an unknown etiology and a lack of innovative treatment design and effectiveness. Based upon preliminary findings within the fields of motivational psychology, integrative neuroscience, diaphragmatic breathing, and vagal nerve stimulation, we propose a new treatment intervention, motivational non-directive (ND) resonance breathing, as a means of reducing pain and suffering in patients with CWP. Motivational ND resonance breathing provides patients with a noninvasive means of potentially modulating five psychophysiological mechanisms imperative for endogenously treating pain and increasing overall quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Ethan Paccione
- Department of Pain Management and Research, Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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17
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Deepeshwar S, Nagendra HR, Rana BB, Visweswaraiah NK. Evolution from four mental states to the highest state of consciousness: A neurophysiological basis of meditation as defined in yoga texts. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2019; 244:31-83. [PMID: 30732843 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
This chapter provides a theoretical introduction to states of consciousness and reviews neuroscientific investigations of meditation. The different states of consciousness consist of four mental states, i.e., cancalata (random thinking), ekagrata (non-meditative focusing), dharna (focused meditation), and dhyana (meditation) as defined in yoga texts. Meditation is a self-regulated mental process associated with deep relaxation and increased internalized attention. Scientific investigations on meditation reported changes in electrophysiological signals and neuroimaging measures. But most outcomes of meditation studies showed inconsistent results, this may be due to heterogeneity in meditation methods and techniques evolved in the last 200 years. Traditionally, the features of meditation include the capacity to sustain a heightened awareness of thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and perceptions. Generally, meditation involves non-reactive effortless monitoring of the content of experience from moment to moment. Focused meditation practice involves awareness on a single object and open monitoring meditation is a non-directive meditation involved attention in breathing, mantra, or sound. Therefore, results of few empirical studies of advanced meditators or beginners remain tentative. This is an attempt to compile the meditation-related changes in electrophysiological and neuroimaging processes among experienced and novice practitioners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Singh Deepeshwar
- Department of Yoga and Life Sciences, Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Swami Vivekananda Yoga University (S-VYASA), Bengaluru, India
| | - H R Nagendra
- Department of Yoga and Life Sciences, Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Swami Vivekananda Yoga University (S-VYASA), Bengaluru, India
| | - Bal Budhi Rana
- Department of Yoga and Life Sciences, Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Swami Vivekananda Yoga University (S-VYASA), Bengaluru, India
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18
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Brandmeyer T, Delorme A, Wahbeh H. The neuroscience of meditation: classification, phenomenology, correlates, and mechanisms. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2019; 244:1-29. [PMID: 30732832 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Rising from its contemplative and spiritual traditions, the science of meditation has seen huge growth over the last 30 years. This chapter reviews the classifications, phenomenology, neural correlates, and mechanisms of meditation. Meditation classification types are still varied and largely subjective. Broader models to describe meditation practice along multidimensional parameters may improve classification in the future. Phenomenological studies are few but growing, highlighting the subjective experience and correlations to neurophysiology. Oscillatory EEG studies are not conclusive likely due to the heterogeneous nature of the meditation styles and practitioners being assessed. Neuroimaging studies find common patterns during meditation and in long-term meditators reflecting the basic similarities of meditation in general; however, mostly the patterns differ across unique meditation traditions. Research on the mechanisms of meditation, specifically attention and emotion regulation is also discussed. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating positive benefits from meditation in some clinical populations especially for stress reduction, anxiety, depression, and pain improvement, although future research would benefit by addressing the remaining methodological and conceptual issues. Meditation research continues to grow allowing us to understand greater nuances of how meditation works and its effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy Brandmeyer
- Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States; Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CerCo), Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; CNRS, UMR 5549, Toulouse, France.
| | - Arnaud Delorme
- Centre de Recherche Cerveau et Cognition (CerCo), Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; CNRS, UMR 5549, Toulouse, France; Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), Petaluma, CA, United States; Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, Institute of Neural Computation (INC), University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Helané Wahbeh
- Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), Petaluma, CA, United States; Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
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Rao NP, Deshpande G, Gangadhar KB, Arasappa R, Varambally S, Venkatasubramanian G, Ganagadhar BN. Directional brain networks underlying OM chanting. Asian J Psychiatr 2018; 37:20-25. [PMID: 30099280 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
OM chanting is an ancient technique of Indian meditation. OM chanting is associated with an experience of relaxation, changes in autonomic balance and deactivation of limbic brain regions. While functional localization is important, how brain regions interact with each other has been shown to underlie various brain functions. Therefore, in this study, we tested the hypothesis that there is reduced communication between deactivated regions during OM chanting. In order to do so, we employed multivariate autoregressive model (MVAR) based Granger causality to obtain directional connectivity between deactivated regions. fMRI scans of 12 right handed healthy volunteers (9 Men) from a previously published study was used in which participants performed OM chanting and a control condition in a block design. We found that outputs from insula, anterior cingulate and orbitofrontal cortices were significantly reduced in OM condition. Of interest is the reduction of outputs from these regions to limbic area amygdala. Modulation of brain regions involved in emotion processing and implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD) raises a potential possibility of OM chanting in the treatment of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naren P Rao
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India.
| | - Gopikrishna Deshpande
- AU MRI Research Center, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA; Department of Psychology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA; Alabama Advanced Imaging Consortium, Auburn University and University of Alabama Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Rashmi Arasappa
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
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20
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Grete Hersoug
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo , Oslo, Norway
| | - Morten Wærsted
- Department of Work Psychology and Physiology, National Institute of Occupational Health , Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Lau
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo , Oslo, Norway
- Lovisenberg Hospital , Oslo, Norway
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21
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Fox KCR, Dixon ML, Nijeboer S, Girn M, Floman JL, Lifshitz M, Ellamil M, Sedlmeier P, Christoff K. Functional neuroanatomy of meditation: A review and meta-analysis of 78 functional neuroimaging investigations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 65:208-28. [PMID: 27032724 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 241] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Meditation is a family of mental practices that encompasses a wide array of techniques employing distinctive mental strategies. We systematically reviewed 78 functional neuroimaging (fMRI and PET) studies of meditation, and used activation likelihood estimation to meta-analyze 257 peak foci from 31 experiments involving 527 participants. We found reliably dissociable patterns of brain activation and deactivation for four common styles of meditation (focused attention, mantra recitation, open monitoring, and compassion/loving-kindness), and suggestive differences for three others (visualization, sense-withdrawal, and non-dual awareness practices). Overall, dissociable activation patterns are congruent with the psychological and behavioral aims of each practice. Some brain areas are recruited consistently across multiple techniques-including insula, pre/supplementary motor cortices, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and frontopolar cortex-but convergence is the exception rather than the rule. A preliminary effect-size meta-analysis found medium effects for both activations (d=0.59) and deactivations (d=-0.74), suggesting potential practical significance. Our meta-analysis supports the neurophysiological dissociability of meditation practices, but also raises many methodological concerns and suggests avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran C R Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Matthew L Dixon
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Savannah Nijeboer
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Manesh Girn
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - James L Floman
- Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Michael Lifshitz
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University, 3775 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Melissa Ellamil
- Neuroanatomy and Connectivity Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Peter Sedlmeier
- Institut für Psychologie, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 43 Wilhelm-Raabe Street, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Kalina Christoff
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4, Canada; Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 2B5, Canada
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22
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Gutierrez D, Fox J, Wood AW. Center, Light, and Sound: The Psychological Benefits of Three Distinct Meditative Practices. COUNSELING AND VALUES 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/cvj.12016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Gutierrez
- Department of Counseling; University of North Carolina at Charlotte
| | - Jesse Fox
- Department of Pastoral Counseling; Loyola University Maryland; Columbia
| | - Andrew W. Wood
- Counselor Education program; University of Central Florida; Orlando
- Now at Clinical Mental Health Counseling program; Antioch University Seattle
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23
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Berkovich-Ohana A, Wilf M, Kahana R, Arieli A, Malach R. Repetitive speech elicits widespread deactivation in the human cortex: the "Mantra" effect? Brain Behav 2015; 5:e00346. [PMID: 26221571 PMCID: PMC4511287 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Revised: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mantra (prolonged repetitive verbal utterance) is one of the most universal mental practices in human culture. However, the underlying neuronal mechanisms that may explain its powerful emotional and cognitive impact are unknown. In order to try to isolate the effect of silent repetitive speech, which is used in most commonly practiced Mantra meditative practices, on brain activity, we studied the neuronal correlates of simple repetitive speech in nonmeditators - that is, silent repetitive speech devoid of the wider context and spiritual orientations of commonly practiced meditation practices. METHODS We compared, using blood oxygenated level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a simple task of covertly repeating a single word to resting state activity, in 23 subjects, none of which practiced meditation before. RESULTS We demonstrate that the repetitive speech was sufficient to induce a widespread reduction in BOLD signal compared to resting baseline. The reduction was centered mainly on the default mode network, associated with intrinsic, self-related processes. Importantly, contrary to most cognitive tasks, where cortical-reduced activation in one set of networks is typically complemented by positive BOLD activity of similar magnitude in other cortical networks, the repetitive speech practice resulted in unidirectional negative activity without significant concomitant positive BOLD. A subsequent behavioral study showed a significant reduction in intrinsic thought processes during the repetitive speech condition compared to rest. CONCLUSIONS Our results are compatible with a global gating model that can exert a widespread induction of negative BOLD in the absence of a corresponding positive activation. The triggering of a global inhibition by the minimally demanding repetitive speech may account for the long-established psychological calming effect associated with commonly practiced Mantra-related meditative practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aviva Berkovich-Ohana
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Meytal Wilf
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Roni Kahana
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Amos Arieli
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Rafael Malach
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science234 Herzl St., Rehovot, 76100, Israel
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The Meditative Mind: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of MRI Studies. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:419808. [PMID: 26146618 PMCID: PMC4471247 DOI: 10.1155/2015/419808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade mind and body practices, such as yoga and meditation, have raised interest in different scientific fields; in particular, the physiological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects observed in meditators have been investigated. Neuroimaging studies have studied the effects of meditation on brain structure and function and findings have helped clarify the biological underpinnings of the positive effects of meditation practice and the possible integration of this technique in standard therapy. The large amount of data collected thus far allows drawing some conclusions about the neural effects of meditation practice. In the present study we used activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis to make a coordinate-based meta-analysis of neuroimaging data on the effects of meditation on brain structure and function. Results indicate that meditation leads to activation in brain areas involved in processing self-relevant information, self-regulation, focused problem-solving, adaptive behavior, and interoception. Results also show that meditation practice induces functional and structural brain modifications in expert meditators, especially in areas involved in self-referential processes such as self-awareness and self-regulation. These results demonstrate that a biological substrate underlies the positive pervasive effect of meditation practice and suggest that meditation techniques could be adopted in clinical populations and to prevent disease.
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Nakata H, Sakamoto K, Kakigi R. Meditation reduces pain-related neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, and thalamus. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1489. [PMID: 25566158 PMCID: PMC4267182 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that meditation inhibits or relieves pain perception. To clarify the underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon, neuroimaging methods, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, and neurophysiological methods, such as magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography, have been used. However, it has been difficult to interpret the results, because there is some paradoxical evidence. For example, some studies reported increased neural responses to pain stimulation during meditation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula, whereas others showed a decrease in these regions. There have been inconsistent findings to date. Moreover, in general, since the activities of the ACC and insula are correlated with pain perception, the increase in neural activities during meditation would be related to the enhancement of pain perception rather than its reduction. These contradictions might directly contribute to the ‘mystery of meditation.’ In this review, we presented previous findings for brain regions during meditation and the anatomical changes that occurred in the brain with long-term meditation training. We then discussed the findings of previous studies that examined pain-related neural activity during meditation. We also described the brain mechanisms responsible for pain relief during meditation, and possible reasons for paradoxical evidence among previous studies. By thoroughly overviewing previous findings, we hypothesized that meditation reduces pain-related neural activity in the ACC, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, and thalamus. We suggest that the characteristics of the modulation of this activity may depend on the kind of meditation and/or number of years of experience of meditation, which were associated with paradoxical findings among previous studies that investigated pain-related neural activities during meditation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Nakata
- Department of Integrative Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences Okazaki, Japan ; Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women's University Nara, Japan
| | - Kiwako Sakamoto
- Department of Integrative Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences Okazaki, Japan
| | - Ryusuke Kakigi
- Department of Integrative Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences Okazaki, Japan
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26
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Disentangling the neural mechanisms involved in Hinduism- and Buddhism-related meditations. Brain Cogn 2014; 90:32-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2014.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Revised: 01/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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27
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Garrison KA, Scheinost D, Constable RT, Brewer JA. BOLD signal and functional connectivity associated with loving kindness meditation. Brain Behav 2014; 4:337-47. [PMID: 24944863 PMCID: PMC4055184 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2013] [Revised: 12/12/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Loving kindness is a form of meditation involving directed well-wishing, typically supported by the silent repetition of phrases such as "may all beings be happy," to foster a feeling of selfless love. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the neural substrate of loving kindness meditation in experienced meditators and novices. We first assessed group differences in blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal during loving kindness meditation. We next used a relatively novel approach, the intrinsic connectivity distribution of functional connectivity, to identify regions that differ in intrinsic connectivity between groups, and then used a data-driven approach to seed-based connectivity analysis to identify which connections differ between groups. Our findings suggest group differences in brain regions involved in self-related processing and mind wandering, emotional processing, inner speech, and memory. Meditators showed overall reduced BOLD signal and intrinsic connectivity during loving kindness as compared to novices, more specifically in the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCu), a finding that is consistent with our prior work and other recent neuroimaging studies of meditation. Furthermore, meditators showed greater functional connectivity during loving kindness between the PCC/PCu and the left inferior frontal gyrus, whereas novices showed greater functional connectivity during loving kindness between the PCC/PCu and other cortical midline regions of the default mode network, the bilateral posterior insula lobe, and the bilateral parahippocampus/hippocampus. These novel findings suggest that loving kindness meditation involves a present-centered, selfless focus for meditators as compared to novices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen A Garrison
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine New York, New York
| | - Dustin Scheinost
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine New Haven, Connecticut
| | - R Todd Constable
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Judson A Brewer
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine New York, New York
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28
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Xu J, Vik A, Groote IR, Lagopoulos J, Holen A, Ellingsen O, Håberg AK, Davanger S. Nondirective meditation activates default mode network and areas associated with memory retrieval and emotional processing. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:86. [PMID: 24616684 PMCID: PMC3935386 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Nondirective meditation techniques are practiced with a relaxed focus of attention that permits spontaneously occurring thoughts, images, sensations, memories, and emotions to emerge and pass freely, without any expectation that mind wandering should abate. These techniques are thought to facilitate mental processing of emotional experiences, thereby contributing to wellness and stress management. The present study assessed brain activity by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 14 experienced practitioners of Acem meditation in two experimental conditions. In the first, nondirective meditation was compared to rest. Significantly increased activity was detected in areas associated with attention, mind wandering, retrieval of episodic memories, and emotional processing. In the second condition, participants carried out concentrative practicing of the same meditation technique, actively trying to avoid mind wandering. The contrast nondirective meditation > concentrative practicing was characterized by higher activity in the right medial temporal lobe (parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala). In conclusion, the present results support the notion that nondirective meditation, which permits mind wandering, involves more extensive activation of brain areas associated with episodic memories and emotional processing, than during concentrative practicing or regular rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Xu
- Department of Medical Imaging, St. Olavs Hospital Trondheim, Norway
| | - Alexandra Vik
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen Bergen, Norway
| | - Inge R Groote
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo Oslo, Norway
| | - Jim Lagopoulos
- Clinical Research Unit, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Are Holen
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim, Norway ; Centre for Pain and Complex Disorders, St. Olavs Hospital Trondheim, Norway
| | - Oyvind Ellingsen
- Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim, Norway ; Department of Cardiology, St. Olavs Hospital Trondheim, Norway
| | - Asta K Håberg
- Department of Medical Imaging, St. Olavs Hospital Trondheim, Norway ; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim, Norway
| | - Svend Davanger
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Basic Medical Science, University of Oslo Oslo, Norway
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Hazari N, Sarkar S. A Review of Yoga and Meditation Neuroimaging Studies in Healthy Subjects. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1089/act.2014.20109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nandita Hazari
- Senior residents in the department of psychiatry at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), in Chandigarh, India
| | - Siddharth Sarkar
- Senior residents in the department of psychiatry at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), in Chandigarh, India
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Guleria A, Kumar U, Kishan SSK, Khetrapal CL. Effect of "SOHAM" meditation on the human brain: an fMRI study. Psychiatry Res 2013; 214:462-5. [PMID: 24090513 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2013.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2013] [Revised: 06/04/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The effect of "SOHAM" meditation has been investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in long-term meditators while they were meditating and not meditating. The results have revealed activation in left middle prefrontal cortex (MPFC) (Brodmann's area, BA 46), left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) (BA 44), left supplementary motor area (SMA) (BA 6) and left precuneus (BA 5) during the meditation period compared to the control period (no-meditation period). The results have been interpreted in terms of regulation of the emotional state, attention and working memory of the meditators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupam Guleria
- Centre of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences Campus, Lucknow, India
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Kim JH, Yang H, Schroeppel S. A pilot study examining the effects of Kouk Sun Do on university students with anxiety symptoms. Stress Health 2013; 29:99-107. [PMID: 22674565 DOI: 10.1002/smi.2431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2011] [Revised: 03/21/2012] [Accepted: 03/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The effects of Kouk Sun Do (KSD), a mind-body exercise on mental health in university students, were investigated in this pilot study. University students (N = 30) with self-reported anxiety symptoms were randomly assigned to either the treatment group or the waiting list control group. Eighteen participants (N = 18; seven in the treatment group and 11 in the waiting list control group) completed a pre-test and a post-test, and 12 participants dropped out before or during the intervention. Ten 70-min KSD exercise sessions were conducted three times per week over a 4-week period. Trait anxiety, depressive symptoms and general self-efficacy in coping with stress were measured with the pre-test and the post-test. Qualitative data were collected using open-ended questions regarding benefits of KSD at the last session. A two (group) by two (time) repeated-measure analysis of variance was used to analyse the data. Trait anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased whereas general self-efficacy increased over a 4-week period. The treatment group had significantly reduced trait anxiety and depressive symptoms compared with the control group across time. Qualitative data provided support that the self-induced relaxation effects of KSD may lead to reduced anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Ho Kim
- Department of Health Education and Recreation, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA.
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32
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Tomasino B, Fregona S, Skrap M, Fabbro F. Meditation-related activations are modulated by the practices needed to obtain it and by the expertise: an ALE meta-analysis study. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 6:346. [PMID: 23316154 PMCID: PMC3539725 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2012] [Accepted: 12/14/2012] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain network governing meditation has been studied using a variety of meditation practices and techniques practices eliciting different cognitive processes (e.g., silence, attention to own body, sense of joy, mantras, etc.). It is very possible that different practices of meditation are subserved by largely, if not entirely, disparate brain networks. This assumption was tested by conducting an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis of meditation neuroimaging studies, which assessed 150 activation foci from 24 experiments. Different ALE meta-analyses were carried out. One involved the subsets of studies involving meditation induced through exercising focused attention (FA). The network included clusters bilaterally in the medial gyrus, the left superior parietal lobe, the left insula and the right supramarginal gyrus (SMG). A second analysis addressed the studies involving meditation states induced by chanting or by repetition of words or phrases, known as “mantra.” This type of practice elicited a cluster of activity in the right SMG, the SMA bilaterally and the left postcentral gyrus. Furthermore, the last analyses addressed the effect of meditation experience (i.e., short- vs. long-term meditators). We found that frontal activation was present for short-term, as compared with long-term experience meditators, confirming that experts are better enabled to sustain attentional focus, rather recruiting the right SMG and concentrating on aspects involving disembodiment.
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Peres JF, Moreira-Almeida A, Caixeta L, Leao F, Newberg A. Neuroimaging during trance state: a contribution to the study of dissociation. PLoS One 2012; 7:e49360. [PMID: 23166648 PMCID: PMC3500298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 10/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite increasing interest in pathological and non-pathological dissociation, few researchers have focused on the spiritual experiences involving dissociative states such as mediumship, in which an individual (the medium) claims to be in communication with, or under the control of, the mind of a deceased person. Our preliminary study investigated psychography – in which allegedly “the spirit writes through the medium's hand” – for potential associations with specific alterations in cerebral activity. We examined ten healthy psychographers – five less expert mediums and five with substantial experience, ranging from 15 to 47 years of automatic writing and 2 to 18 psychographies per month – using single photon emission computed tomography to scan activity as subjects were writing, in both dissociative trance and non-trance states. The complexity of the original written content they produced was analyzed for each individual and for the sample as a whole. The experienced psychographers showed lower levels of activity in the left culmen, left hippocampus, left inferior occipital gyrus, left anterior cingulate, right superior temporal gyrus and right precentral gyrus during psychography compared to their normal (non-trance) writing. The average complexity scores for psychographed content were higher than those for control writing, for both the whole sample and for experienced mediums. The fact that subjects produced complex content in a trance dissociative state suggests they were not merely relaxed, and relaxation seems an unlikely explanation for the underactivation of brain areas specifically related to the cognitive processing being carried out. This finding deserves further investigation both in terms of replication and explanatory hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Fernando Peres
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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Mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and Zen meditation for depression, anxiety, pain, and psychological distress. J Psychiatr Pract 2012; 18:233-52. [PMID: 22805898 DOI: 10.1097/01.pra.0000416014.53215.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Mindfulness has been described as a practice of learning to focus attention on moment-bymoment experience with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance. Mindfulness practices have become increasingly popular as complementary therapeutic strategies for a variety of medical and psychiatric conditions. This paper provides an overview of three mindfulness interventions that have demonstrated effectiveness for psychiatric symptoms and/or pain. The goal of this review is to provide a synopsis that practicing clinicians can use as a clinical reference concerning Zen meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). All three approaches originated from Buddhist spiritual practices, but only Zen is an actual Buddhist tradition. MBSR and MBCT are secular, clinically based methods that employ manuals and standardized techniques. Studies indicate that MBSR and MBCT have broad-spectrum antidepressant and antianxiety effects and decrease general psychological distress. MBCT is strongly recommended as an adjunctive treatment for unipolar depression. The evidence suggests that both MBSR and MBCT have efficacy as adjunctive interventions for anxiety symptoms. MBSR is beneficial for general psychological health and stress management in those with medical and psychiatric illness as well as in healthy individuals. Finally, MBSR and Zen meditation have a role in pain management.
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Faber PL, Lehmann D, Tei S, Tsujiuchi T, Kumano H, Pascual-Marqui RD, Kochi K. EEG source imaging during two Qigong meditations. Cogn Process 2012; 13:255-65. [PMID: 22562287 DOI: 10.1007/s10339-012-0441-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2011] [Accepted: 04/19/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Experienced Qigong meditators who regularly perform the exercises "Thinking of Nothing" and "Qigong" were studied with multichannel EEG source imaging during their meditations. The intracerebral localization of brain electric activity during the two meditation conditions was compared using sLORETA functional EEG tomography. Differences between conditions were assessed using t statistics (corrected for multiple testing) on the normalized and log-transformed current density values of the sLORETA images. In the EEG alpha-2 frequency, 125 voxels differed significantly; all were more active during "Qigong" than "Thinking of Nothing," forming a single cluster in parietal Brodmann areas 5, 7, 31, and 40, all in the right hemisphere. In the EEG beta-1 frequency, 37 voxels differed significantly; all were more active during "Thinking of Nothing" than "Qigong," forming a single cluster in prefrontal Brodmann areas 6, 8, and 9, all in the left hemisphere. Compared to combined initial-final no-task resting, "Qigong" showed activation in posterior areas whereas "Thinking of Nothing" showed activation in anterior areas. The stronger activity of posterior (right) parietal areas during "Qigong" and anterior (left) prefrontal areas during "Thinking of Nothing" may reflect a predominance of self-reference, attention and input-centered processing in the "Qigong" meditation, and of control-centered processing in the "Thinking of Nothing" meditation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal L Faber
- The KEY Institute for Brain-Mind Research, Clinic for Affective Disorders and General Psychiatry Zurich East, University Hospital of Psychiatry, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Sperduti M, Martinelli P, Piolino P. A neurocognitive model of meditation based on activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis. Conscious Cogn 2011; 21:269-76. [PMID: 22005087 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2011.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2011] [Revised: 09/06/2011] [Accepted: 09/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Meditation comprises a series of practices mainly developed in eastern cultures aiming at controlling emotions and enhancing attentional processes. Several authors proposed to divide meditation techniques in focused attention (FA) and open monitoring (OM) techniques. Previous studies have reported differences in brain networks underlying FA and OM. On the other hand common activations across different meditative practices have been reported. Despite differences between forms of meditation and their underlying cognitive processes, we propose that all meditative techniques could share a central process that would be supported by a core network for meditation since their general common goal is to induce relaxation, regulating attention and developing an attitude of detachment from one's own thoughts. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a quantitative meta-analysis based on activation likelihood estimation (ALE) of 10 neuroimaging studies (91 subjects) on different meditative techniques to evidence the core cortical network subserving meditation. We showed activation of basal ganglia (caudate body), limbic system (enthorinal cortex) and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). We discuss the functional role of these structures in meditation and we tentatively propose a neurocognitive model of meditation that could guide future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Sperduti
- CNRS, FRE 3292, Laboratoire de Psychologie et Neuropsychologie Cognitives, Paris, France.
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