Mechanisms of white matter change induced by meditation training

Posner, Michael I.; Tang, Yi‐Yuan; Lynch, Gary

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01220

Cited by 52 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…This ERP component can be observed not only after the commission of errors, but also in response to perceived errors or even in the absence of awareness about perceiving the error [48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55]. As we previously mentioned, a fronto-central negative component comparable to the adults' ERN is also observed in infants and toddlers [21,22,56,57].…”

Section: Early Development Of the Ea Networkmentioning

confidence: 56%

“…Recent research suggests that frontal theta is an important mechanism supporting changes in white matter fibbers. Evidence from animal and human studies show increases in myelination and connectivity following bursts of frontal theta that are mediated by activation of the protease calpain [53]. Frontal theta activation in young children may thus be an important mechanism promoting the development of optimal structural connections between regions within the EA network.…”

Section: Early Development Of the Ea Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Early Development of Executive Attention

Conejero¹,

Rueda²

2017

J Child Adolesc Behav

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Executive attention (EA) encompasses a variety of attention mechanisms implicated in the control of thoughts and behavior. The emergence of EA skills depends on the maturation of frontal brain structures. Evidence in the past years has shown that frontal brain structures related to EA are already functional in the first months of life and first signs of EA can be observed by the second half of the first year of life. Given the importance of EA to a wide range of developmental outcomes (e.g. academic and professional outcomes, socialization, psychological wellbeing, etc.), understanding early stages of development is of great interest for the promotion of EA and the prevention of EA-related deficits over the course of development. Despite its relevance, relatively little is known about the development of EA before the preschool years. This paper aims at providing a selective review of the existing literature about the early development of EA. We present the principal measures of EA for infants and toddlers available to date. We also review main findings on behavioral as well as brain mechanisms of EA in infancy and toddlerhood. Finally, we summarize research on early indicators of EA and its implication for the early detection of some developmental disorders.

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Section: Early Development Of the Ea Networkmentioning

confidence: 56%

Section: Early Development Of the Ea Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early Development of Executive Attention

Conejero¹,

Rueda²

2017

J Child Adolesc Behav

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“…For example, a study of experienced Buddhist meditators found increases in gamma frequency rhythms in parietal-occipital cortical regions (49). Nonetheless, although there is no reason to believe that theta stimulation accounts for all the effects of meditation, it may prove useful to have a plausible account of how meditation and lower frequency oscillations could lead to such physical changes in the brain as altered white matter (3,4,6). Future studies may examine the brain mechanisms that support these behavioral changes in our mouse model.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of these changes, including those to white matter, were hypothesized to be related to the finding that meditation can increase frontal theta activity even when the person is at rest (6). The theta activity may increase the number of active oligodendrocytes leading to increased myelination, thereby improving connectivity between the ACC and other limbic areas.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Rhythmic brain stimulation reduces anxiety-related behavior in a mouse model based on meditation training

Weible

Piscopo

Rothbart

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Meditation training induces changes at both the behavioral and neural levels. A month of meditation training can reduce selfreported anxiety and other dimensions of negative affect. It also can change white matter as measured by diffusion tensor imaging and increase resting-state midline frontal theta activity. The current study tests the hypothesis that imposing rhythms in the mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), by using optogenetics to induce oscillations in activity, can produce behavioral changes. Mice were randomly assigned to groups and were given twenty 30-min sessions of light pulses delivered at 1, 8, or 40 Hz over 4 wk or were assigned to a no-laser control condition. Before and after the month all mice were administered a battery of behavioral tests. In the light/dark box, mice receiving cortical stimulation had more light-side entries, spent more time in the light, and made more vertical rears than mice receiving rhythmic cortical suppression or no manipulation. These effects on light/dark box exploratory behaviors are associated with reduced anxiety and were most pronounced following stimulation at 1 and 8 Hz. No effects were seen related to basic motor behavior or exploration during tests of novel object and location recognition. These data support a relationship between lower-frequency oscillations in the mouse ACC and the expression of anxiety-related behaviors, potentially analogous to effects seen with human practitioners of some forms of meditation.ne month of integrated mind body meditation (1), a form of mindfulness meditation, has been shown to reduce selfreported anxiety as measured by the Profile of Mood States, reduce the stress hormone cortisol, increase ventral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activity, and change the white matter pathways surrounding the ACC as measured by increased fractional anisotropy in diffusion tensor imaging studies (1-4). How might a purely mental exercise such as paying attention to the present moment work to produce these changes in behavior and brain connectivity (5)?Some of these changes, including those to white matter, were hypothesized to be related to the finding that meditation can increase frontal theta activity even when the person is at rest (6). The theta activity may increase the number of active oligodendrocytes leading to increased myelination, thereby improving connectivity between the ACC and other limbic areas. Moreover, theta activity in humans has been uniquely correlated with glucose metabolism in the ACC (7). Because the ventral ACC connects to the amygdala and is thought to regulate its activity (8), these changes in the brain could result in the reduced anxiety found following meditation training.To test this idea, we developed a mouse model in which various frequencies of oscillatory activity were induced in the ACC using optogenetics. Because mindfulness meditation has often been associated with reductions in anxiety and negative affect (9), we examined exploratory behavior in the light/dark box. In this ethological model of anxiet...

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“…[2] While regular meditation practice has been shown to increase electrical activity in certain areas of the brain, increasing reports show meditation's correlation to increased gray and white matter. [3,4] These reports give evidence of brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity and show that the practice itself may change the structure of the brain. With increased research in meditation's relationship to neuroplasticity, many studies seek to find the medical implications in basic wellness such as breath control and blood pressure, as well as psychological abnormalities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meditation Experience Associated with Structural Neuroplasticity

Saleem¹,

Samudrala²

2017

Ann. Int. Med. Den. Res.

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Variations in the arterial pattern of the upper limb are very common as observed in many cadaveric and angiographic studies. Knowledge of variations in the origin and course of the radial artery is important because they are used for many diagnostic procedures as well as vascular and reconstructive surgeries like coronary angiography, percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass surgery. During routine dissection in our institute, we observed a case of high origin of the radial artery in a 33 year old male cadaver. It was found to be unilateral; on left side, radial artery was taking origin from 3 rd part of the axillary artery at the lower border of pectoralis minor before the origin of subscapular artery and anterior circumflex humeral artery. It had a superficial course in the arm crossing the median nerve from medial to lateral side. The further course of this superficial radial artery in the forearm was normal and it terminated by forming a deep Palmar arch in hand. These variations may be of great clinical implications for vascular and plastic surgeons and radiologists. Superficial course of radial artery makes it vulnerable to accidental injuries and elevates the risk of bleeding.

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Mechanisms of white matter change induced by meditation training

Cited by 52 publications

References 43 publications

Early Development of Executive Attention

Early Development of Executive Attention

Rhythmic brain stimulation reduces anxiety-related behavior in a mouse model based on meditation training

Meditation Experience Associated with Structural Neuroplasticity

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