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Rinne P, Lahnakoski JM, Saarimäki H, Tavast M, Sams M, Henriksson L. Six types of loves differentially recruit reward and social cognition brain areas. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae331. [PMID: 39183646 PMCID: PMC11345515 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae331] [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: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Feelings of love are among the most significant human phenomena. Love informs the formation and maintenance of pair bonds, parent-offspring attachments, and influences relationships with others and even nature. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms of love beyond romantic and maternal types. Here, we characterize the brain areas involved in love for six different objects: romantic partner, one's children, friends, strangers, pets, and nature. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity, while we induced feelings of love using short stories. Our results show that neural activity during a feeling of love depends on its object. Interpersonal love recruited social cognition brain areas in the temporoparietal junction and midline structures significantly more than love for pets or nature. In pet owners, love for pets activated these same regions significantly more than in participants without pets. Love in closer affiliative bonds was associated with significantly stronger and more widespread activation in the brain's reward system than love for strangers, pets, or nature. We suggest that the experience of love is shaped by both biological and cultural factors, originating from fundamental neurobiological mechanisms of attachment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pärttyli Rinne
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Rakentajanaukio 2 C, 02150 Espoo, Finland
- AMI Centre, Aalto NeuroImaging, Aalto University, Magnet house, Otakaari 5 I, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Juha M Lahnakoski
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain & Behaviour (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52428, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Heini Saarimäki
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, City Centre Campus Linna building, 6. floor., Kalevantie 5, 33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Mikke Tavast
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Rakentajanaukio 2 C, 02150 Espoo, Finland
- Department of Computer Science, Aalto University, Computer science building, Konemiehentie 2, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Mikko Sams
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Rakentajanaukio 2 C, 02150 Espoo, Finland
- MAGICS–Aalto, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11000 (Otakaari 1 B), Finland
| | - Linda Henriksson
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, Rakentajanaukio 2 C, 02150 Espoo, Finland
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Li J, Kuang S, Liu Y, Wu Y, Li H. Structural and functional brain alterations in subthreshold depression: A multimodal coordinate-based meta-analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26702. [PMID: 38726998 PMCID: PMC11083971 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Imaging studies of subthreshold depression (StD) have reported structural and functional abnormalities in a variety of spatially diverse brain regions. However, there is no consensus among different studies. In the present study, we applied a multimodal meta-analytic approach, the Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE), to test the hypothesis that StD exhibits spatially convergent structural and functional brain abnormalities compared to healthy controls. A total of 31 articles with 25 experiments were included, collectively representing 1001 subjects with StD. We found consistent differences between StD and healthy controls mainly in the left insula across studies with various neuroimaging methods. Further exploratory analyses found structural atrophy and decreased functional activities in the right pallidum and thalamus in StD, and abnormal spontaneous activity converged to the middle frontal gyrus. Coordinate-based meta-analysis found spatially convergent structural and functional impairments in StD. These findings provide novel insights for understanding the neural underpinnings of subthreshold depression and enlighten the potential targets for its early screening and therapeutic interventions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Li
- School of PsychologyShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of EducationShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Shunrong Kuang
- School of PsychologyShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of EducationShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yang Liu
- School of PsychologyShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Yuedong Wu
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of EducationShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Haijiang Li
- School of PsychologyShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of EducationShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- The Research Base of Online Education for Shanghai Middle and Primary SchoolsShanghaiChina
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Karch S, Maywald M, Schwartz C, Heil C, Neumüller J, Keeser D, Garcia S, Tschentscher N, Pogarell O, Paolini M, Voderholzer U. Neuronal correlates of intensification and acceptance of symptoms during exposure therapy in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1256046. [PMID: 38375106 PMCID: PMC10875107 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1256046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cognitive behaviour therapy with exposure and response prevention is efficient in treating patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Nevertheless, it would be helpful for many patients to complement the therapeutic treatment with acceptance strategies to further increase the therapeutic benefit. The aim of the present study was to examine neurobiological responses to acceptance and intensification strategies during symptom provocation alongside the psychotherapeutic process. Method A total of 23 patients diagnosed with OCD (subtype: washing/contamination fear) was instructed to utilise either an acceptance strategy (ACS) or an intensification strategy (INS) to cope with their emotional and cognitive reactions to personalised symptom-triggering and neutral pictures. Fourteen patients participated twice: at the beginning [T1] and at the end [T2] of an inpatient multimodal treatment including cognitive behaviour therapy with response prevention to assess functional variations. Results For the contrast of T1 and T2, ACS showed increased brain activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), left caudate body, and posterior cingulate gyrus (PCC). They also showed decreased activity in the left anterior insula. INS showed decreased activation in right lingual gyrus and right caudate body. At T2, ACS showed increased activation compared to INS in the left cerebrum: IFG, caudate nucleus, middle and superior temporal gyrus, and PCC/cuneus. For the comparison of T1 and T2, the ACS revealed increased brain activity in the left IFG, left caudate body, and right inferior parietal lobe. It showed decreased activity in the left anterior insula. The INS revealed decreased activity in right lingual gyrus and right caudate body.The psychometric questionnaires suggested that patients were able to reduce obsession, compulsion, and depression symptoms. Furthermore, patients rated the ACS as more useful for themselves compared with the INS. Conclusion The increased left IFG activity using ACS (T1 vs. T2) could be interpreted as a better inhibitory top-down process, while the increased PCC response might be due to a better reappraisal strategy after therapy. ACS seems to mobilise neuronal activations under therapy, especially in the left hemisphere. Both strategies showed reductions in emotional networks as a neuronal correlate of therapy success. Overall, ACS may be more efficient than INS, as rated by the patients and as in accordance with neurobiological findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Karch
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian Maywald
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Clara Heil
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Keeser
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Sarah Garcia
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
| | - Nadja Tschentscher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Oliver Pogarell
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Marco Paolini
- Department of Radiology, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Voderholzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital LMU, Munich, Germany
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
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Zemla K, Sedek G, Wróbel K, Postepski F, Wojcik GM. Investigating the Impact of Guided Imagery on Stress, Brain Functions, and Attention: A Randomized Trial. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:6210. [PMID: 37448060 PMCID: PMC10346678 DOI: 10.3390/s23136210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential impact of guided imagery (GI) on attentional control and cognitive performance and to explore the relationship between guided imagery, stress reduction, alpha brainwave activity, and attentional control using common cognitive performance tests. Executive function was assessed through the use of attentional control tests, including the anti-saccade, Stroop, and Go/No-go tasks. Participants underwent a guided imagery session while their brainwave activity was measured, followed by attentional control tests. The study's outcomes provide fresh insights into the influence of guided imagery on brain wave activity, particularly in terms of attentional control. The findings suggest that guided imagery has the potential to enhance attentional control by augmenting the alpha power and reducing stress levels. Given the limited existing research on the specific impact of guided imagery on attention control, the study's findings carry notable significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Zemla
- Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warsaw, Poland; (K.Z.)
| | - Grzegorz Sedek
- Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warsaw, Poland; (K.Z.)
| | - Krzysztof Wróbel
- Department of Neuroinformatics and Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Computer Science, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 20-033 Lublin, Poland (F.P.)
| | - Filip Postepski
- Department of Neuroinformatics and Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Computer Science, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 20-033 Lublin, Poland (F.P.)
| | - Grzegorz M. Wojcik
- Department of Neuroinformatics and Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Computer Science, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 20-033 Lublin, Poland (F.P.)
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5
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Pommy J, Smart CM, Bryant AM, Wang Y. Three potential neurovascular pathways driving the benefits of mindfulness meditation for older adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1207012. [PMID: 37455940 PMCID: PMC10340530 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1207012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be beneficial for a range of different health conditions, impacts brain function and structure relatively quickly, and has shown promise with aging samples. Functional magnetic resonance imaging metrics provide insight into neurovascular health which plays a key role in both normal and pathological aging processes. Experimental mindfulness meditation studies that included functional magnetic resonance metrics as an outcome measure may point to potential neurovascular mechanisms of action relevant for aging adults that have not yet been previously examined. We first review the resting-state magnetic resonance studies conducted in exclusively older adult age samples. Findings from older adult-only samples are then used to frame the findings of task magnetic resonance imaging studies conducted in both clinical and healthy adult samples. Based on the resting-state studies in older adults and the task magnetic resonance studies in adult samples, we propose three potential mechanisms by which mindfulness meditation may offer a neurovascular therapeutic benefit for older adults: (1) a direct neurovascular mechanism via increased resting-state cerebral blood flow; (2) an indirect anti-neuroinflammatory mechanism via increased functional connectivity within the default mode network, and (3) a top-down control mechanism that likely reflects both a direct and an indirect neurovascular pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pommy
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuropsychology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Colette M. Smart
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Andrew M. Bryant
- Department of Neurology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuropsychology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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Migeot JA, Duran-Aniotz CA, Signorelli CM, Piguet O, Ibáñez A. A predictive coding framework of allostatic-interoceptive overload in frontotemporal dementia. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:838-853. [PMID: 36057473 PMCID: PMC11286203 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Recent allostatic-interoceptive explanations using predictive coding models propose that efficient regulation of the body's internal milieu is necessary to correctly anticipate environmental needs. We review this framework applied to understanding behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) considering both allostatic overload and interoceptive deficits. First, we show how this framework could explain divergent deficits in bvFTD (cognitive impairments, behavioral maladjustment, brain atrophy, fronto-insular-temporal network atypicality, aberrant interoceptive electrophysiological activity, and autonomic disbalance). We develop a set of theory-driven predictions based on levels of allostatic interoception associated with bvFTD phenomenology and related physiopathological mechanisms. This approach may help further understand the disparate behavioral and physiopathological dysregulations of bvFTD, suggesting targeted interventions and strengthening clinical models of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquin A Migeot
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile; Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia A Duran-Aniotz
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile; Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibanez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Camilo M Signorelli
- Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Physiology of Cognition, GIGA-CRC In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, INSERM, Saclay, France
| | - Olivier Piguet
- The University of Sydney, School of Psychology and Brain & Mind Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile; Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Global Brain Health Institute, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, and Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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7
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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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Yang YH, Hsieh SW, Chang HW, Sung JL, Chuu CP, Yen CW, Hour TC. Gamma Frequency Inhibits the Secretion and Aggregation of Amyloid-β and Decreases the Phosphorylation of mTOR and Tau Proteins in vitro. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 90:917-928. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-220307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was the main cause of dementia in an aging society; unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for AD now. Meditation has been reported to thicken the cerebral cortex, and gamma wave at a frequency of 40 hertz (Hz) was recorded during the meditation process from the brain. Previous study showed that non-invasive scintillation gamma frequency oscillation increased the space in recognition and memory of auditory cortex hippocampal gyrus in AD mice model. However, the AD-related molecular change by exposure of 40 Hz gamma frequency in brain cells was still unclear. Objective: We investigated the AD-related molecular change by exposure of 40 Hz gamma frequency in SH-SY5Y cells. Methods: We designed the light and sound generators at 40 Hz gamma frequency for this study. SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to sound or light of 40 Hz gamma frequency, respectively. The concentrations of amyloid-β40 (Aβ40) and amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The protein levels were examined by western blotting. The aggregation of Aβ42 was examined by thioflavin T assay. Results: Our results showed that the secretion of Aβ, phosphorylation of AKT, mTOR, and tau, and aggregation of Aβ42 were significantly inhibited by 40 Hz gamma frequency in SH-SY5Y cells. The phosphorylation of 4E-BP1, downstream of mTOR, was induced by 40 Hz gamma frequency in SH-SY5Y cells. Conclusion: Our study showed 40 Hz gamma frequency involved in the inhibition of secretion and aggregation of Aβ and inhibition of p-Tau protein expression through the mTOR/4E-BP1/Tau signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Han Yang
- Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Master’s Program in Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Sun-Wung Hsieh
- Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Hsi-Wen Chang
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Li Sung
- Department of Mechanical and Electromechanical Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Pin Chuu
- Institute of Cellular and System Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Wen Yen
- Master’s Program in Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Mechanical and Electromechanical Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tzyh-Chyuan Hour
- Neuroscience Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Gu YQ, Zhu Y. Underlying mechanisms of mindfulness meditation: Genomics, circuits, and networks. World J Psychiatry 2022; 12:1141-1149. [PMID: 36186506 PMCID: PMC9521538 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v12.i9.1141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding neuropsychological mechanisms of mindfulness meditation (MM) has been a hot topic in recent years. This review was conducted with the goal of synthesizing empirical relationships via the genomics, circuits and networks between MM and mental disorders. We describe progress made in assessing the effects of MM on gene expression in immune cells, with particular focus on stress-related inflammatory markers and associated biological pathways. We then focus on key brain circuits associated with mindfulness practices and effects on symptoms of mental disorders, and expand our discussion to identify three key brain networks associated with mindfulness practices including default mode network, central executive network, and salience network. More research efforts need to be devoted into identifying underlying neuropsychological mechanisms of MM on how it alleviates the symptoms of mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Qi Gu
- Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- School of Psychology, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, Hainan Province, China
- Department of Psychology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570102, Hainan Province, China
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Vishnubhotla RV, Radhakrishnan R, Kveraga K, Deardorff R, Ram C, Pawale D, Wu YC, Renschler J, Subramaniam B, Sadhasivam S. Advanced Meditation Alters Resting-State Brain Network Connectivity Correlating With Improved Mindfulness. Front Psychol 2021; 12:745344. [PMID: 34867626 PMCID: PMC8636330 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.745344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an intensive 8-day Samyama meditation program on the brain functional connectivity using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). Methods: Thirteen Samyama program participants (meditators) and 4 controls underwent fMRI brain scans before and after the 8-day residential meditation program. Subjects underwent fMRI with a blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast at rest and during focused breathing. Changes in network connectivity before and after Samyama program were evaluated. In addition, validated psychological metrics were correlated with changes in functional connectivity. Results: Meditators showed significantly increased network connectivity between the salience network (SN) and default mode network (DMN) after the Samyama program (p < 0.01). Increased connectivity within the SN correlated with an improvement in self-reported mindfulness scores (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Samyama, an intensive silent meditation program, favorably increased the resting-state functional connectivity between the salience and default mode networks. During focused breath watching, meditators had lower intra-network connectivity in specific networks. Furthermore, increased intra-network connectivity correlated with improved self-reported mindfulness after Samyama. Clinical Trials Registration: [https://clinicaltrials.gov], Identifier: [NCT04366544]. Registered on 4/17/2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramana V Vishnubhotla
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Rupa Radhakrishnan
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Kestas Kveraga
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rachael Deardorff
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Chithra Ram
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, United States
| | - Dhanashri Pawale
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Yu-Chien Wu
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Janelle Renschler
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Balachundhar Subramaniam
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Senthilkumar Sadhasivam
- Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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Schuman-Olivier Z, Trombka M, Lovas DA, Brewer JA, Vago DR, Gawande R, Dunne JP, Lazar SW, Loucks EB, Fulwiler C. Mindfulness and Behavior Change. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2021; 28:371-394. [PMID: 33156156 PMCID: PMC7647439 DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0000000000000277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Initiating and maintaining behavior change is key to the prevention and treatment of most preventable chronic medical and psychiatric illnesses. The cultivation of mindfulness, involving acceptance and nonjudgment of present-moment experience, often results in transformative health behavior change. Neural systems involved in motivation and learning have an important role to play. A theoretical model of mindfulness that integrates these mechanisms with the cognitive, emotional, and self-related processes commonly described, while applying an integrated model to health behavior change, is needed. This integrative review (1) defines mindfulness and describes the mindfulness-based intervention movement, (2) synthesizes the neuroscience of mindfulness and integrates motivation and learning mechanisms within a mindful self-regulation model for understanding the complex effects of mindfulness on behavior change, and (3) synthesizes current clinical research evaluating the effects of mindfulness-based interventions targeting health behaviors relevant to psychiatric care. The review provides insight into the limitations of current research and proposes potential mechanisms to be tested in future research and targeted in clinical practice to enhance the impact of mindfulness on behavior change.
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Millett G, D'Amico D, Amestoy ME, Gryspeerdt C, Fiocco AJ. Do group-based mindfulness meditation programs enhance executive functioning? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence. Conscious Cogn 2021; 95:103195. [PMID: 34425456 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2021.103195] [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: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Research examining the effects of group-based mindfulness interventions on executive functioning have yielded inconsistent findings, with some reports of enhanced performance and other reports of null findings. Inconsistencies in the literature may be due to methodological differences across studies, including the type of control group employed and sample characteristics (e.g., clinical vs. non-clinical samples). The current systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effect of group-based mindfulness programs on executive functioning in persons 18+ years of age. Following the standards for systematic review, a total of 29 studies were included in the meta-analysis, of which 21 comparisons contributed to the analysis of inhibition; nine to working memory; nine to attention shifting; and four to the analysis of verbal fluency. After removing outliers, random effects models suggested a small but significant synthesized effect of group-mindfulness training on overall executive functioning (95% CI = 0.256, 0.725). Examination of executive subdomains after removing outliers suggested a small, statistically significant effect for inhibition (95% CI = 0.055, 0.387), working memory (95% CI = 0.010, 0.437), and verbal fluency (95% CI = 0.071, 1.931). No significant pooled effects were found for attention shifting. A priori subgroup analysis by randomization, type of control group, and sample cohort revealed inconsistent results. Overall, the current review suggests that the effect of group-based mindfulness training on executive functioning is not robust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geneva Millett
- Ryerson University, Institute for Stress and Wellbeing Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Danielle D'Amico
- Ryerson University, Institute for Stress and Wellbeing Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maya E Amestoy
- Ryerson University, Institute for Stress and Wellbeing Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Charlie Gryspeerdt
- Ryerson University, Institute for Stress and Wellbeing Research, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Alexandra J Fiocco
- Ryerson University, Institute for Stress and Wellbeing Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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13
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Namgung E, Kim J, Jeong H, Ma J, Hong G, Kang I, Kim J, Joo Y, Kim RY, Lyoo IK. Changes in Prefrontal Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Perfusion After the Computerized Relaxation Training in Women With Psychological Distress: A Preliminary Report. Front Psychol 2021; 12:569113. [PMID: 33927662 PMCID: PMC8076529 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.569113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Computerized relaxation training has been suggested as an effective and easily accessible intervention for individuals with psychological distress. To better elucidate the neural mechanism that underpins the effects of relaxation training, we investigated whether a 10-session computerized relaxation training program changed prefrontal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in women with psychological distress. We specifically focused on women since they were reported to be more vulnerable to develop stress-related disorders than men. Nineteen women with psychological distress but without a diagnosis of psychiatric disorders received the 10-day computerized relaxation training program that consisted of 30-min cognitive-relaxation training and 10-min breathing-relaxation training per day. At baseline and post-intervention, perceived stress levels, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality were assessed by self-report questionnaires. Brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy and arterial spin labeling scans were also performed before and after the intervention to evaluate GABA levels and relative CBF in the prefrontal region. Levels of perceived stress (t = 4.02, P < 0.001), anxiety (z = 2.33, P = 0.02), fatigue (t = 3.35, P = 0.004), and sleep quality (t = 4.14, P < 0.001) improved following 10 sessions of computerized relaxation training, resulting in a significant relief in composite scores of stress-related symptoms (t = -5.25, P < 0.001). The prefrontal GABA levels decreased (t = 2.53, P = 0.02), while relative CBF increased (t = -3.32, P = 0.004) after the intervention. In addition, a greater increase in relative prefrontal CBF was associated with better composite scores of stress-related symptoms following the intervention (t = 2.22, P = 0.04). The current findings suggest that computerized relaxation training may improve stress-related symptoms through modulating the prefrontal GABA levels and CBF in women with psychological distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Namgung
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jungyoon Kim
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyeonseok Jeong
- Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jiyoung Ma
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Gahae Hong
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ilhyang Kang
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jinsol Kim
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoonji Joo
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Rye Young Kim
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - In Kyoon Lyoo
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
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14
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Dada T, Bhai N, Midha N, Shakrawal J, Kumar M, Chaurasia P, Gupta S, Angmo D, Yadav R, Dada R, Sihota R. Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Intraocular Pressure and Trabecular Meshwork Gene Expression: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Ophthalmol 2021; 223:308-321. [PMID: 33393484 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2020.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of mindfulness meditation (MM) on intraocular pressure (IOP) and trabecular meshwork (TM) gene expression in patients with medically uncontrolled primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). DESIGN Parallel arm, single-masked, randomized controlled trial. METHODS Sixty POAG patients with IOP ≥21 mm Hg taking maximal topical medication and scheduled for trabeculectomy were included in this study at a tertiary eye care center in India. Thirty patients (Group 1) underwent 3 weeks of 45-minute daily MM sessions in addition to medical therapy while Group 2 continued medical therapy only. Primary outcome was change in IOP (ΔIOP) after 3 weeks of MM. Secondary outcomes were probability of success, percentage of reduction in IOP, effect on diurnal variations of IOP, changes in quality of life (QoL), and changes in gene expression patterns in TM. RESULTS At 3 weeks, a significant decrease in IOP was seen in Group 1 (20.16 ± 3.3 to 15.05 ± 2.4mm Hg; P = .001), compared to Group 2 (21.2 ± 5.6 to 20.0 ± 5.8mm Hg; P = .38). ΔIOP was significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (5.0 ± 1.80 vs. 0.20 ± 3.03mm Hg; P = .001). Analysis of gene expression revealed significant upregulation of nitric oxide synthetase (NOS1 and NOS3) and neuroprotective genes with downregulation of proinflammatory genes in Group 1 in comparison to Group 2 (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS MM was associated with significant decrease in IOP and changes in TM gene expression, indicating its direct impact on ocular tissues.
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15
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Khan A, Wang X, Ti CHE, Tse CY, Tong KY. Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of Anterior Cingulate Cortex Modulates Subcortical Brain Regions Resulting in Cognitive Enhancement. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:584136. [PMID: 33390917 PMCID: PMC7772238 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.584136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been widely utilized in research settings and modulates brain activity. The application of anodal tDCS on the prefrontal cortex has indicated improvement in cognitive functioning. The cingulate cortex, situated in the medial aspect of the prefrontal cortex, has been identified as a core region performing cognitive functions. Most of the previous studies investigating the impact of stimulation on the prefrontal cortex stimulated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), however, the impact of stimulation on cingulate has not been explored. The current study investigates the effect of stimulation on the resting-state functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex with other regions of the brain and changes in behavioral results in a color-word Stroop task, which has repeatedly elicited activation in different regions of the cingulate. Twenty subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental and sham group, and their medial prefrontal area was stimulated using MRI compatible tDCS. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and cognitive Stroop task were monitored before, during, and after the stimulation. Neuroimaging results indicated a significant decrease in resting-state functional connectivity in the experimental group during and after stimulation as compared to before stimulation in two clusters including right insular cortex, right central operculum cortex, right frontal operculum cortex and right planum polare with the left anterior cingulate cortex (L-ACC) selected as the seed. The behavioral results indicated a significant decrease in reaction time (RT) following stimulation in the experimental group compared to the sham group. Moreover, the change in functional connectivity in subcortical regions with L-ACC as the seed and change in RT was positively correlated. The results demonstrated that ACC has a close functional relationship with the subcortical regions, and stimulation of ACC can modulate these connections, which subsequently improves behavioral performance, thus, providing another potential target of stimulation for cognitive enhancement. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04318522.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahsan Khan
- Biomedical Engineering Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Biomedical Engineering Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun Hang Eden Ti
- Biomedical Engineering Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun-Yu Tse
- Department of Social and Behavioural Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kai-Yu Tong
- Biomedical Engineering Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,Hong Kong Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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16
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Conversano C, Ciacchini R, Orrù G, Di Giuseppe M, Gemignani A, Poli A. Mindfulness, Compassion, and Self-Compassion Among Health Care Professionals: What's New? A Systematic Review. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1683. [PMID: 32849021 PMCID: PMC7412718 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Health care professionals (HCPs) are a population at risk for high levels of burnout and compassion fatigue. The aim of the present systematic review was to give an overview on recent literature about mindfulness and compassion characteristics of HCPs, while exploring the effectiveness of techniques, involving the two aspects, such as MBSR or mindfulness intervention and compassion fatigue-related programs. A search of databases, including PubMed and PsycINFO, was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the methodological quality for this systematic review was appraised using AMSTAR-2 (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews-2). The number of articles that met the inclusion criteria was 58 (4 RCTs, 24 studies with pre-post measurements, 12 cross-sectional studies, 11 cohort studies and 7 qualitative studies). MBSR intervention was effective at improving, and maintaining, mindfulness and self-compassion levels and to improve burnout, depression, anxiety, stress. The most frequently employed interventional strategies were mindfulness-related trainings that were effective at improving mindfulness and self-compassion, but not compassion fatigue, levels. Compassion-related interventions have been shown to improve self-compassion, mindfulness and interpersonal conflict levels. Mindfulness was effective at improving negative affect and compassion fatigue, while compassion satisfaction may be related to cultivation of positive affect. This systematic review summarized the evidence regarding mindfulness- and compassion-related qualities of HCPs as well as potential effects of MBSR, mindfulness-related and compassion-related interventions on professionals' psychological variables like mindfulness, self-compassion and quality of life. Combining structured mindfulness and compassion cultivation trainings may enhance the effects of interventions, limit the variability of intervention protocols and improve data comparability of future research.
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17
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Tang YY, Fan Y, Lu Q, Tan LH, Tang R, Kaplan RM, Pinho MC, Thomas BP, Chen K, Friston KJ, Reiman EM. Long-Term Physical Exercise and Mindfulness Practice in an Aging Population. Front Psychol 2020; 11:358. [PMID: 32300317 PMCID: PMC7142262 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that physical exercise and mindfulness meditation can both lead to improvement in physical and mental health. However, it is unclear whether these two forms of training share the same underlying mechanisms. We compared two groups of older adults with 10 years of mindfulness meditation (integrative body-mind training, IBMT) or physical exercise (PE) experience to demonstrate their effects on brain, physiology and behavior. Healthy older adults were randomly selected from a large community health project and the groups were compared on measures of quality of life, autonomic activity (heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance response, respiratory amplitude/rate), immune function (secretory Immunoglobulin A, sIgA), stress hormone (cortisol) and brain imaging (resting state functional connectivity, structural differences). In comparison with PE, we found significantly higher ratings for the IBMT group on dimensions of life quality. Parasympathetic activity indexed by skin conductance response and high-frequency heart rate variability also showed more favorable outcomes in the IBMT group. However, the PE group showed lower basal heart rate and greater chest respiratory amplitude. Basal sIgA level was significantly higher and cortisol concentration was lower in the IBMT group. Lastly, the IBMT group had stronger brain connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the striatum at resting state, as well as greater volume of gray matter in the striatum. Our results indicate that mindfulness meditation and physical exercise function in part by different mechanisms, with PE increasing physical fitness and IBMT inducing plasticity in the central nervous systems. These findings suggest combining physical and mental training may achieve better health and quality of life results for an aging population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Yuan Tang
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Yaxin Fan
- Institute of Neuroinformatics and Laboratory for Body and Mind, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Qilin Lu
- Institute of Neuroinformatics and Laboratory for Body and Mind, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Li-Hai Tan
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Rongxiang Tang
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Robert M Kaplan
- Clinical Excellence Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Marco C Pinho
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States.,Advanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Binu P Thomas
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Kewei Chen
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Karl J Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eric M Reiman
- Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
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19
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A neurobehavioral account for decentering as the salve for the distressed mind. Curr Opin Psychol 2019; 28:285-293. [PMID: 31059966 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Distress is commonly characterized by prolonged internal suffering that can range from self-focused processing of negative emotions and stressors, to highly intensely aversive and prolonged emotional states, thereby, worsening or complicating emotional and physical conditions. Decentering represents a metacognitive capacity thought to reflect three interrelated processes: meta-awareness, disidentification from internal experience, and reduced reactivity to thought content-which is reliably increased with mindfulness-based interventions. In this essay, we seek to link the clinical presentation of distress disorders to known or hypothesized disruptions in neural networks that underlie emotion, cognition, and goal directed behavior, and offer a neurobehavioral account for how and why treatments imbued with mindfulness meditation might ameliorate these conditions, in part through increases in decentering.
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20
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Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Intraocular Pressure, Lowers Stress Biomarkers and Modulates Gene Expression in Glaucoma. J Glaucoma 2018; 27:1061-1067. [DOI: 10.1097/ijg.0000000000001088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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21
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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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22
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Innes KE, Selfe TK, Kandati S, Wen S, Huysmans Z. Effects of Mantra Meditation versus Music Listening on Knee Pain, Function, and Related Outcomes in Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis: An Exploratory Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT). EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE : ECAM 2018; 2018:7683897. [PMID: 30245732 PMCID: PMC6136530 DOI: 10.1155/2018/7683897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Disease-modifying treatments for OA remain elusive, and commonly used medications can have serious side effects. Although meditation and music listening (ML) have been shown to improve outcomes in certain chronic pain populations, research in OA is sparse. In this pilot RCT, we explore the effects of two mind-body practices, mantra meditation (MM) and ML, on knee pain, function, and related outcomes in adults with knee OA. METHODS Twenty-two older ambulatory adults diagnosed with knee OA were randomized to a MM (N=11) or ML program (N=11) and asked to practice 15-20 minutes, twice daily for 8 weeks. Core outcomes included knee pain (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [KOOS] and Numeric Rating Scale), knee function (KOOS), and perceived OA severity (Patient Global Assessment). Additional outcomes included perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), mood (Profile of Mood States), sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and health-related quality of life (QOL, SF-36). Participants were assessed at baseline and following completion of the program. RESULTS Twenty participants (91%) completed the study (9 MM, 11 ML). Compliance was excellent; participants completed an average of 12.1±0.83 sessions/week. Relative to baseline, participants in both groups demonstrated improvement post-intervention in all core outcomes, including knee pain, function, and perceived OA severity, as well as improvement in mood, perceived stress, and QOL (Physical Health) (p's≤0.05). Relative to ML, the MM group showed greater improvements in overall mood and sleep (p's≤0.04), QOL-Mental Health (p<0.07), kinesiophobia (p=0.09), and two domains of the KOOS (p's<0.09). CONCLUSIONS Findings of this exploratory RCT suggest that a simple MM and, possibly, ML program may be effective in reducing knee pain and dysfunction, decreasing stress, and improving mood, sleep, and QOL in adults with knee OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim E. Innes
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Terry Kit Selfe
- Department of Biomedical and Health Information Services, Health Science Center Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sahiti Kandati
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
- School of Dentistry, SUNY-Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Sijin Wen
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Zenzi Huysmans
- College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
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23
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Innes KE, Selfe TK, Khalsa DS, Kandati S. Meditation and Music Improve Memory and Cognitive Function in Adults with Subjective Cognitive Decline: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 56:899-916. [PMID: 28106552 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While effective therapies for preventing or slowing cognitive decline in at-risk populations remain elusive, evidence suggests mind-body interventions may hold promise. OBJECTIVES In this study, we assessed the effects of Kirtan Kriya meditation (KK) and music listening (ML) on cognitive outcomes in adults experiencing subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a strong predictor of Alzheimer's disease. METHODS Sixty participants with SCD were randomized to a KK or ML program and asked to practice 12 minutes/day for 3 months, then at their discretion for the ensuing 3 months. At baseline, 3 months, and 6 months we measured memory and cognitive functioning [Memory Functioning Questionnaire (MFQ), Trail-making Test (TMT-A/B), and Digit-Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)]. RESULTS The 6-month study was completed by 53 participants (88%). Participants performed an average of 93% (91% KK, 94% ML) of sessions in the first 3 months, and 71% (68% KK, 74% ML) during the 3-month, practice-optional, follow-up period. Both groups showed marked and significant improvements at 3 months in memory and cognitive performance (MFQ, DSST, TMT-A/B; p's≤0.04). At 6 months, overall gains were maintained or improved (p's≤0.006), with effect sizes ranging from medium (DSST, ML group) to large (DSST, KK group; TMT-A/B, MFQ). Changes were unrelated to treatment expectancies and did not differ by age, gender, baseline cognition scores, or other factors. CONCLUSIONS Findings of this preliminary randomized controlled trial suggest practice of meditation or ML can significantly enhance both subjective memory function and objective cognitive performance in adults with SCD, and may offer promise for improving outcomes in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim E Innes
- Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.,Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Terry Kit Selfe
- Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV, USA.,Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Dharma Singh Khalsa
- Department of Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA.,Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Sahiti Kandati
- Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV, USA
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Winnebeck E, Fissler M, Gärtner M, Chadwick P, Barnhofer T. Brief training in mindfulness meditation reduces symptoms in patients with a chronic or recurrent lifetime history of depression: A randomized controlled study. Behav Res Ther 2017; 99:124-130. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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25
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Tang YY, Tang Y, Tang R, Lewis-Peacock JA. Brief Mental Training Reorganizes Large-Scale Brain Networks. Front Syst Neurosci 2017; 11:6. [PMID: 28293180 PMCID: PMC5328965 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2017.00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidences have shown that one form of mental training—mindfulness meditation, can improve attention, emotion regulation and cognitive performance through changing brain activity and structural connectivity. However, whether and how the short-term mindfulness meditation alters large-scale brain networks are not well understood. Here, we applied a novel data-driven technique, the multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) data to identify changes in brain activity patterns and assess the neural mechanisms induced by a brief mindfulness training—integrative body–mind training (IBMT), which was previously reported in our series of randomized studies. Whole brain rsfMRI was performed on an undergraduate group who received 2 weeks of IBMT with 30 min per session (5 h training in total). Classifiers were trained on measures of functional connectivity in this fMRI data, and they were able to reliably differentiate (with 72% accuracy) patterns of connectivity from before vs. after the IBMT training. After training, an increase in positive functional connections (60 connections) were detected, primarily involving bilateral superior/middle occipital gyrus, bilateral frontale operculum, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, right superior temporal pole, bilateral insula, caudate and cerebellum. These results suggest that brief mental training alters the functional connectivity of large-scale brain networks at rest that may involve a portion of the neural circuitry supporting attention, cognitive and affective processing, awareness and sensory integration and reward processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Yuan Tang
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Yan Tang
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Rongxiang Tang
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO, USA
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Sarid O, Zaccai M. Changes in Mood States Are Induced by Smelling Familiar and Exotic Fragrances. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1724. [PMID: 27877148 PMCID: PMC5099920 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Familiar fragrances usually induce positive mood states and elicit favorable evaluation. Relaxation is also widely thought to improve mood state. Yet experimental evidence on the effect of two different stimuli, fragrance smelling and breathing relaxation, on mood state, and fragrance evaluation is lacking. This study aimed to test (1) the effect of two familiar fragrances, lavender and myrtle, and two exotic fragrances, bergamot and ravensara, on perceived mood states before and after relaxation, (2) the effect of relaxation on perceived mood states for each fragrance, and (3) the effect of relaxation on fragrance evaluation as defined by adjectives. We hypothesized that mood states and assessment of the fragrances would differently be affected both in familiar vs. non-familiar fragrances and also before and after relaxation. Participants (n = 127) completed questionnaires on their mood states at baseline (T0). They were then presented with each of the four fragrances separately and asked to report on mood state and to assess the fragrances with adjectives before (T1) and after (T2) breathing relaxation. Analyses of the T0–T1 delta values of mood states by ANOVA repeated measures and post hoc comparisons showed that mood states were affected by fragrance smelling with no clear differences observed between familiar and exotic fragrances. The same analyses of T1–T2 values showed no differences in mood state after breathing relaxation and fragrance smelling. Fragrance assessment by adjectives indicated a non-conclusive trend for familiar and exotic fragrances. In sum, mood states induced by the fragrance smelling stimulus (T0–T1) were not changed by the addition of the second stimulus of relaxation (T1–T2), indicating that the former stimulus was stronger than the latter. On the other hand, the cognitive component represented by adjective-based assessment of fragrances was slightly modified by the relaxation stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orly Sarid
- Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Michele Zaccai
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Beer-Sheva, Israel
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Manukhina EB, Downey HF, Shi X, Mallet RT. Intermittent hypoxia training protects cerebrovascular function in Alzheimer's disease. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2016; 241:1351-63. [PMID: 27190276 DOI: 10.1177/1535370216649060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a leading cause of death and disability among older adults. Modifiable vascular risk factors for AD (VRF) include obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, and metabolic syndrome. Here, interactions between cerebrovascular function and development of AD are reviewed, as are interventions to improve cerebral blood flow and reduce VRF. Atherosclerosis and small vessel cerebral disease impair metabolic regulation of cerebral blood flow and, along with microvascular rarefaction and altered trans-capillary exchange, create conditions favoring AD development. Although currently there are no definitive therapies for treatment or prevention of AD, reduction of VRFs lowers the risk for cognitive decline. There is increasing evidence that brief repeated exposures to moderate hypoxia, i.e. intermittent hypoxic training (IHT), improve cerebral vascular function and reduce VRFs including systemic hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, and mental stress. In experimental AD, IHT nearly prevented endothelial dysfunction of both cerebral and extra-cerebral blood vessels, rarefaction of the brain vascular network, and the loss of neurons in the brain cortex. Associated with these vasoprotective effects, IHT improved memory and lessened AD pathology. IHT increases endothelial production of nitric oxide (NO), thereby increasing regional cerebral blood flow and augmenting the vaso- and neuroprotective effects of endothelial NO. On the other hand, in AD excessive production of NO in microglia, astrocytes, and cortical neurons generates neurotoxic peroxynitrite. IHT enhances storage of excessive NO in the form of S-nitrosothiols and dinitrosyl iron complexes. Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD, and IHT reduces oxidative stress in a number of experimental pathologies. Beneficial effects of IHT in experimental neuropathologies other than AD, including dyscirculatory encephalopathy, ischemic stroke injury, audiogenic epilepsy, spinal cord injury, and alcohol withdrawal stress have also been reported. Further research on the potential benefits of IHT in AD and other brain pathologies is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia B Manukhina
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow 125315, Russian Federation
| | - H Fred Downey
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA
| | - Xiangrong Shi
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA
| | - Robert T Mallet
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA
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Innes KE, Selfe TK, Khalsa DS, Kandati S. Effects of Meditation versus Music Listening on Perceived Stress, Mood, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Adults with Early Memory Loss: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. J Alzheimers Dis 2016; 52:1277-98. [PMID: 27079708 PMCID: PMC5649740 DOI: 10.3233/jad-151106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are at increased risk not only for Alzheimer's disease, but for poor mental health, impaired sleep, and diminished quality of life (QOL), which in turn, contribute to further cognitive decline, highlighting the need for early intervention. OBJECTIVE In this randomized controlled trial, we assessed the effects of two 12-week relaxation programs, Kirtan Kriya Meditation (KK) and music listening (ML), on perceived stress, sleep, mood, and health-related QOL in older adults with SCD. METHODS Sixty community-dwelling older adults with SCD were randomized to a KK or ML program and asked to practice 12 minutes daily for 12 weeks, then at their discretion for the following 3 months. At baseline, 12 weeks, and 26 weeks, perceived stress, mood, psychological well-being, sleep quality, and health-related QOL were measured using well-validated instruments. RESULTS Fifty-three participants (88%) completed the 6-month study. Participants in both groups showed significant improvement at 12 weeks in psychological well-being and in multiple domains of mood and sleep quality (p's≤0.05). Relative to ML, those assigned to KK showed greater gains in perceived stress, mood, psychological well-being, and QOL-Mental Health (p's≤0.09). Observed gains were sustained or improved at 6 months, with both groups showing marked and significant improvement in all outcomes. Changes were unrelated to treatment expectancies. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that practice of a simple meditation or ML program may improve stress, mood, well-being, sleep, and QOL in adults with SCD, with benefits sustained at 6 months and gains that were particularly pronounced in the KK group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim E. Innes
- Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV, USA
- Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Terry Kit Selfe
- Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV, USA
- Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Dharma Singh Khalsa
- Department of Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM and the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Sahiti Kandati
- Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV, USA
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Tomasino B, Fabbro F. Editorial: Neuroimaging and Neuropsychology of Meditation States. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1757. [PMID: 26635667 PMCID: PMC4652575 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Franco Fabbro
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine Udine, Italy ; Perceptual Robotics Laboratory, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies Pisa, Italy
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Meditation-induced cognitive-control states regulate response-conflict adaptation: Evidence from trial-to-trial adjustments in the Simon task. Conscious Cogn 2015; 35:110-4. [PMID: 25982057 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2015.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Revised: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Here we consider the possibility that meditation has an immediate impact on information processing. Moreover, we were interested to see whether this impact affects attentional input control, as previous observations suggest, or the handling of response conflict. Healthy adults underwent a brief single session of either focused attention meditation (FAM), which is assumed to increase top-down control, or open monitoring meditation (OMM), which is assumed to weaken top-down control, before performing a Simon task-which assesses conflict-resolution efficiency. While the size of the Simon effect (reflecting the efficiency of handling response conflict) was unaffected by type of meditation, the amount of dynamic behavioral adjustments (i.e., trial-to-trial variability of the Simon effect: the Gratton effect) was considerably smaller after OMM than after FAM. Our findings suggest that engaging in meditation instantly creates a cognitive-control state that has a specific impact on conflict-driven control adaptations.
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