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Brain Structure & Function Jul 2022In the past decades, there has been a growing scientific interest in characterizing neural correlates of meditation training. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying...
In the past decades, there has been a growing scientific interest in characterizing neural correlates of meditation training. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying meditation remain elusive. In the present work, we investigated meditation-related changes in functional dynamics and structural connectivity (SC). For this purpose, we scanned experienced meditators and control (naive) subjects using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to acquire structural and functional data during two conditions, resting-state and meditation (focused attention on breathing). In this way, we aimed to characterize and distinguish both short-term and long-term modifications in the brain's structure and function. First, to analyze the fMRI data, we calculated whole-brain effective connectivity (EC) estimates, relying on a dynamical network model to replicate BOLD signals' spatio-temporal structure, akin to functional connectivity (FC) with lagged correlations. We compared the estimated EC, FC, and SC links as features to train classifiers to predict behavioral conditions and group identity. Then, we performed a network-based analysis of anatomical connectivity. We demonstrated through a machine-learning approach that EC features were more informative than FC and SC solely. We showed that the most informative EC links that discriminated between meditators and controls involved several large-scale networks mainly within the left hemisphere. Moreover, we found that differences in the functional domain were reflected to a smaller extent in changes at the anatomical level as well. The network-based analysis of anatomical pathways revealed strengthened connectivity for meditators compared to controls between four areas in the left hemisphere belonging to the somatomotor, dorsal attention, subcortical and visual networks. Overall, the results of our whole-brain model-based approach revealed a mechanism underlying meditation by providing causal relationships at the structure-function level.
Topics: Brain; Brain Mapping; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Meditation; Nerve Net
PubMed: 35524072
DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02496-9 -
Clinical Psychology Review Nov 2011Mindfulness-based meditation interventions have become increasingly popular in contemporary psychology. Other closely related meditation practices include... (Review)
Review
Mindfulness-based meditation interventions have become increasingly popular in contemporary psychology. Other closely related meditation practices include loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM), exercises oriented toward enhancing unconditional, positive emotional states of kindness and compassion. This article provides a review of the background, the techniques, and the empirical contemporary literature of LKM and CM. The literature suggests that LKM and CM are associated with an increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect. Preliminary findings from neuroendocrine studies indicate that CM may reduce stress-induced subjective distress and immune response. Neuroimaging studies suggest that LKM and CM may enhance activation of brain areas that are involved in emotional processing and empathy. Finally, preliminary intervention studies support application of these strategies in clinical populations. It is concluded that, when combined with empirically supported treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, LKM and CM may provide potentially useful strategies for targeting a variety of different psychological problems that involve interpersonal processes, such as depression, social anxiety, marital conflict, anger, and coping with the strains of long-term caregiving.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Empathy; Humans; Love; Meditation
PubMed: 21840289
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2011.07.003 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2021This evidence map presents a summary of studies that addressed the effects of meditation on various clinical and health conditions. Meditation is a contemplative...
This evidence map presents a summary of studies that addressed the effects of meditation on various clinical and health conditions. Meditation is a contemplative practice that has been used for the promotion of health, and the treatment of different conditions. The study is based on the search of four electronic databases for the period 1994-November 2019 and includes systematic reviews, meta-analyses, meta-syntheses, and integrative reviews. 3iE evidence gap map was the methodology of choice, and AMSTAR 2 was used for the analyses. Tableau was used to graphically display the confidence level, number of reviews, health outcomes, and intervention effects. This map encompasses 191 studies, with Mindfulness being the key word that retrieved the highest number of results. Several meditation techniques were evaluated in different contexts, and the confidence levels of 22 studies were high, 84 were moderate, and 82 were low. Two 2 meta-syntheses and 1 integrative review were also included. Most of the studies reported positive effects and a beneficial potential of the practice of meditation. Health outcomes were divided into five groups out of which mental health and vitality, and well-being and quality of life stood out with the largest number of studies. Meditation has been applied in different areas. This Evidence Map intends to be an easy visual tool to access valuable evidence-based information on this complementary therapy for patients, health professionals, and managers.
Topics: Humans; Meditation; Mindfulness; Quality of Life; Systematic Reviews as Topic
PubMed: 34926371
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.742715 -
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2023There are neurophysiological and phenomenological overlaps between psychedelic and meditative states, but there is little evidence on how exposure to psychedelics might...
There are neurophysiological and phenomenological overlaps between psychedelic and meditative states, but there is little evidence on how exposure to psychedelics might be associated with meditation-related variables. We assessed lifetime classic psychedelic use, ego dissolution during one's most intense experience using a classic psychedelic, and exposure to meditation in a representative sample (n = 953) of American adults. Those who reported experience with meditation were invited to complete a follow-up survey (n = 536, 92.1% response rate) measuring meditation-related variables. Models controlled for a range of potential confounds. Exposure to meditation was associated with lifetime classic psychedelic use and ego dissolution in covariate-adjusted models. In addition, among meditators, greater ego dissolution was associated with more frequent meditation practice. Both lifetime classic psychedelic use and ego dissolution were associated with enlightenment as motivation to practice meditation as well as lower likelihood of overall perceived barriers to meditation practice. Ego dissolution was positively associated with finding meditation more effective. Neither lifetime classic psychedelic use nor ego dissolution was associated with greater likelihood of meditation-related adverse effects. Taken together, results support potential synergy between psychedelics and meditation, but randomized controlled trials are necessary to establish safety and evaluate potential causal relationships.
Topics: Adult; Humans; United States; Hallucinogens; Meditation; Surveys and Questionnaires; Motivation; Psilocybin
PubMed: 35000559
DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2021.2022816 -
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback Mar 2022Mental and physical (MAP) training targets the brain and the body through a combination of focused-attention meditation and aerobic exercise. The following feasibility...
Mental and physical (MAP) training targets the brain and the body through a combination of focused-attention meditation and aerobic exercise. The following feasibility pilot study tested whether 6 weeks of MAP training improves mental health outcomes, while enhancing discrimination learning and heart rate variability (HRV) in a group of women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other stress-related conditions. Participants were assigned to training (n = 18) or no-training control (n = 8) groups depending on their ability and willingness to participate, and if their schedule allowed. Training sessions were held once a week for 6 weeks with 30 min of meditation followed by 30 min of aerobic exercise. Before and after 6 weeks of training, participants completed the Behavioral Pattern Separation Task as a measure of discrimination learning, self-report questionnaires of ruminative and trauma-related thoughts, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress, and an assessment of HRV at rest. After training, participants reported fewer ruminative and trauma-related thoughts, fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms, and less perceived stress (p's < 0.05). The positive impact on ruminative thoughts and depressive symptoms persisted 6 months after training. They also demonstrated enhanced discrimination of similar patterns of information (p < 0.05). HRV did not change after training (p > 0.05). Combining mental and physical training is an effective program for enhancing mental health and aspects of cognition in women living with HIV, although not necessarily through variance in heart rate.
Topics: Exercise; Female; HIV Infections; Heart Rate; Humans; Meditation; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Pilot Projects
PubMed: 35040014
DOI: 10.1007/s10484-021-09530-2 -
Current Opinion in Psychology Aug 2019Both brain alpha and theta power have been examined in the mindfulness meditation literature and suggested as key biological signatures that potentially facilitate a... (Review)
Review
Both brain alpha and theta power have been examined in the mindfulness meditation literature and suggested as key biological signatures that potentially facilitate a successful meditative state. However, the exact role of how alpha and theta waves contribute to the initiation and maintenance of a meditative state remains elusive. In this perspective paper, we discuss the role of frontal midline theta (FMθ) activity in brain white matter plasticity following mindfulness meditation. In accordance with the previous studies in humans, we propose that FMθ activity indexes the control needed to maintain the meditation state; whereas alpha activity is related to the preparation needed to achieve the meditative state. Without enough mental preparation, one often struggles with and has difficulty achieving a meditative state. Animal work provides further evidence supporting the hypothesis that mindfulness meditation induces white matter changes through increasing FMθ activity. These studies shed light on how to effectively enhance brain plasticity through mindfulness meditation.
Topics: Alpha Rhythm; Animals; Frontal Lobe; Humans; Meditation; Mindfulness; Neuronal Plasticity; Theta Rhythm; White Matter
PubMed: 31082635
DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.04.004 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Feb 2016Malignant neoplasms of the lymphoid or myeloid cell lines including lymphoma, leukaemia and myeloma are referred to as haematological malignancies. Complementary and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Malignant neoplasms of the lymphoid or myeloid cell lines including lymphoma, leukaemia and myeloma are referred to as haematological malignancies. Complementary and alternative treatment options such as meditation practice or yoga are becoming popular by treating all aspects of the disease including physical and psychological symptoms. However, there is still unclear evidence about meditation's effectiveness, and how its practice affects the lives of haematologically-diseased patients.
OBJECTIVES
This review aims to assess the benefits and harms of meditation practice as an additional treatment to standard care for adults with haematological malignancies.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, Issue 8, 2015), MEDLINE (1950 to August 2015), databases of ongoing trials, the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) (http://www.controlled-trials.com/mrct/), conference proceedings of annual meetings of: the American Society of Hematology; American Society of Clinical Oncology; European Hematology Association; European Congress for Integrative Medicine; and Global Advances in Health and Medicine (2010 to 2015).
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using meditation practice for adult patients with haematological malignancies.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently extracted data from eligible studies and assessed the risk of bias according to predefined criteria. We evaluated quality of life and depression. The other outcomes of overall survival, anxiety, fatigue, quality of sleep and adverse events could not be evaluated, because they were not assessed in the included trial.
MAIN RESULTS
We included only one small trial published as an abstract article. The included study investigated the effects of meditation practice on patients newly hospitalised with acute leukaemia. Ninety-one participants enrolled in the study, but only 42 participants remained in the trial throughout the six-month follow-up period and were eligible for analysis. There was no information provided about the average age and sex of the study population. We found a high risk for attrition bias and unclear risk for reporting bias, performance and detection bias because of missing data due to abstract publication only, thus we judged the overall risk of bias as high. According to the GRADE criteria, we judged the overall quality of the body of evidence for all predefined outcomes as 'very low', due to the extent of missing data on the study population, and the small sample size.As the abstract publication did not provide numbers and results except P values, we are not able to give more details.Meditation practice might be beneficial for the quality of life of haematologically-diseased patients, with higher scores for participants in the mediation arms compared to the participants in the usual care control group (low quality of evidence). Levels of depression decreased for those practising meditation in both the spiritually-framed meditation group and the secularly-focused meditation group in comparison to the usual care control group, whose levels of depression remained constant (low quality of evidence). The influence of meditation practice on overall survival, fatigue, anxiety, quality of sleep and adverse events remained unclear, as these outcomes were not evaluated in the included trial.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
To estimate the effects of meditation practice for patients suffering from haematological malignancies, more high quality randomised controlled trials are needed. At present there is not enough information available on the effects of meditation in haematologically-diseased patients to draw any conclusion.
Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Depression; Hematologic Neoplasms; Humans; Leukemia; Meditation; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 26840029
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011157.pub2 -
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Jul 2023The present editorial synopsises the benefits and challenges in meditative and non-meditative mindfulness practices and explores shorter and more creative approaches in...
The present editorial synopsises the benefits and challenges in meditative and non-meditative mindfulness practices and explores shorter and more creative approaches in mind-body interventions, emphasizing inclusivity and evidence-based practices. This collection, launched in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, aims to bring together research on a variety of mindful practices, to discuss their role in supporting wellbeing.
Topics: Mindfulness; Meditation; Complementary Therapies; Evidence-Based Practice
PubMed: 37454103
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-04069-7 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2023Mental wellness can be related to healthier living, the learning process and working environments for people in the university community. A wide range of mental wellness...
Mental wellness can be related to healthier living, the learning process and working environments for people in the university community. A wide range of mental wellness programmes have been explored to provide students with pleasant and satisfying experiences. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of integrating Zen meditation and music listening on the mindfulness and happiness levels of university music therapy students. A qualitative methodology was used, and data were collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews. To investigate various aspects of data regarding the role of the meditation and music (MM) programme for mindfulness and happiness, this study used thematic analysis within a qualitative research design. The findings of this study suggest that the 8-week Mindfulness Meditation (MM) programme is a potential approach for enhancing mindfulness, happiness and stress management. These results carry broader implications, particularly in terms of supporting mental health resources in higher education. Furthermore, the study contributes to the ongoing discussion regarding the positive impact of combining meditation and music to promote mental well-being. This integrated approach has the potential to strengthen coping strategies and further promote the integration of music and meditation practices in various contexts, including higher education.
Topics: Humans; Meditation; Happiness; Music; Mindfulness; Emotions
PubMed: 38063569
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20237140 -
British Journal of Health Psychology Sep 2022Meditation interventions typically show small to moderate effects on health and well-being, but we know little about how these effects vary across individuals. This... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVES
Meditation interventions typically show small to moderate effects on health and well-being, but we know little about how these effects vary across individuals. This meta-analytic study investigates the relationship between baseline participant characteristics and the outcomes of meditation.
METHODS
A systematic search yielded 51 eligible studies with 7782 participants. A combination of subgroup analyses and meta-regression based on the random-effects model were used.
RESULTS
We found that a higher baseline level of psychopathology or depression was associated with deterioration in mental health after a meditation intervention. On the other hand, participants with higher scores on interpersonal variables, motivation, medical conditions, and mindfulness showed higher levels of positive meditation outcomes. Higher well-being and stress were simultaneously associated with moderate increases in negative and positive meditation outcomes. Participant demographics, psychological traits, self-concept, and length of meditation practice did not significantly influence the response to meditation.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, we found that meditation interventions affect participants differently, and identified some of the individual characteristics that should be considered when using meditation interventions.
Topics: Humans; Individuality; Meditation; Mental Health; Mindfulness
PubMed: 35224829
DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12589