Can the neural–cortisol association be moderated by experience-induced changes in awareness?

Lau, Way Kwok‐Wai; Leung, Michael K. H.; Chan, Che Hin Chetwyn; Wong, Samuel S. Y.; Lee, Tatia M.C.

doi:10.1038/srep16620

Cited by 17 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Various environmental factors can stimulate the synthesis and secretion of cortisol due to the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Increase in cortisol level is considered as a main factor in reducing cognitive activity (9). These disturbances may affect the cognitive function temporarily or permanently (10).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of 20 Minutes Scuba Diving on Cognitive Function of Professional Scuba Divers

et al. 2016

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BackgroundPhysical activity increases the performance of the nervous system by stimulating the body’s metabolism and improving the efficiency of the ATP production system.ObjectivesIn the present study, the effect of twenty minutes scuba diving in high depth (10m) on cognitive function and stress system activity was investigated.MethodsTwelve professional scuba divers with a mean age of 23 ± 1 year, weight of 80 ± 2.5 kg and height of 1.79 ± 3.5 cm resident in the city of Mashhad participated in the test. Their cognitive functions were measured 60 min before and 20 min after diving and the data were evaluated using the PASAT software. In the present study, parameters such as general mental health, sustained attention, average response speed, and mental fatigue were measured. Moreover, in order to determine the activity of the stress system, their salivary cortisol was collected before and after diving.ResultsResults revealed that, the general mental health of these scuba divers was normal and it did not undergo a remarkable change after diving. Their average response speed and sustained attention had a significant decrease after scuba diving. Mental fatigue after diving increased. Also, salivary cortisol level significantly increased after diving.ConclusionsAccording to our data, it seems that scuba diving as stress stimulant increases cortisol level and therefore reduces cognitive performance after diving.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of 20 Minutes Scuba Diving on Cognitive Function of Professional Scuba Divers

et al. 2016

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“…A total of 27 right-handed Chinese participants were recruited, of which 21 successfully completed the training (missed no more than three out of seven sessions) and all assessments. The resting-state data of these participants were reported in another study (Lau, Leung, Chan, Wong, & Lee, 2015). The drop-out rate was similar across the two groups.…”

Section: Participantsmentioning

confidence: 64%

Meditation-induced neuroplastic changes in amygdala activity during negative affective processing

Leung

Lau

Chan

et al. 2017

Social Neuroscience

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Recent evidence suggests that the effects of meditation practice on affective processing and resilience have the potential to induce neuroplastic changes within the amygdala. Notably, literature speculates that meditation training may reduce amygdala activity during negative affective processing. Nonetheless, studies have thus far not verified this speculation. In this longitudinal study, participants (N = 21, 9 men) were trained in awareness-based compassion meditation (ABCM) or matched relaxation training. The effects of meditation training on amygdala activity were examined during passive viewing of affective and neutral stimuli in a non-meditative state. We found that the ABCM group exhibited significantly reduced anxiety and right amygdala activity during negative emotion processing than the relaxation group. Furthermore, ABCM participants who performed more compassion practice had stronger right amygdala activity reduction during negative emotion processing. The lower right amygdala activity after ABCM training may be associated with a general reduction in reactivity and distress. As all participants performed the emotion processing task in a non-meditative state, it appears likely that the changes in right amygdala activity are carried over from the meditation practice into the non-meditative state. These findings suggest that the distress-reducing effects of meditation practice on affective processing may transfer to ordinary states, which have important implications on stress management.

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“…18 found that Describing, Non-judging, and Non-reactivity facets of mindfulness were selectively associated with the cortical volume, thickness and surface area of multiple prefrontal regions and the inferior parietal lobule 18 . Changes in the hippocampal-cortisol association following a compassion and mindfulness-based meditation were dependent on changes in awareness of experience subscores 19 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Spiking Neural Network Modelling Approach Reveals How Mindfulness Training Rewires the Brain

Doborjeh

Taylor

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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There has been substantial interest in Mindfulness Training (MT) to understand how it can benefit healthy individuals as well as people with a broad range of health conditions. Research has begun to delineate associated changes in brain function. However, whether measures of brain function can be used to identify individuals who are more likely to respond to MT remains unclear. The present study applies a recently developed brain-inspired Spiking Neural Network (SNN) model to electroencephalography (EEG) data to provide novel insight into: i) brain function in depression; ii) the effect of MT on depressed and non-depressed individuals; and iii) neurobiological characteristics of depressed individuals who respond to mindfulness. Resting state EEG was recorded from before and after a 6 week MT programme in 18 participants. Based on self-report, 3 groups were formed: non-depressed (ND), depressed before but not after MT (responsive, D + ) and depressed both before and after MT (unresponsive, D − ). The proposed SNN, which utilises a standard brain-template, was used to model EEG data and assess connectivity, as indicated by activation levels across scalp regions (frontal, frontocentral, temporal, centroparietal and occipitoparietal), at baseline and follow-up. Results suggest an increase in activation following MT that was site-specific as a function of the group. Greater initial activation levels were seen in ND compared to depressed groups, and this difference was maintained at frontal and occipitoparietal regions following MT. At baseline, D + had great activation than D − . Following MT, frontocentral and temporal activation reached ND levels in D + but remained low in D − . Findings support the SNN approach in distinguishing brain states associated with depression and responsiveness to MT. The results also demonstrated that the SNN approach can be used to predict the effect of mindfulness on an individual basis before it is even applied.

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Can the neural–cortisol association be moderated by experience-induced changes in awareness?

Cited by 17 publications

References 46 publications

The Effect of 20 Minutes Scuba Diving on Cognitive Function of Professional Scuba Divers

The Effect of 20 Minutes Scuba Diving on Cognitive Function of Professional Scuba Divers

Meditation-induced neuroplastic changes in amygdala activity during negative affective processing

Spiking Neural Network Modelling Approach Reveals How Mindfulness Training Rewires the Brain

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