Meditation-Specific Prefrontal Cortical Activation during Acem Meditation: An FMRI Study
Perceptual and Motor Skills August 1, 2010 Svend Davanger, Øyvind Ellingsen, Are Holen et al.
Meditation that emphasizes a relaxed focus of attention, where thoughts and sensations arise freely, activates specific frontal brain areas distinct from concentrative control tasks. Using fMRI in experienced Acem meditation practitioners, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (BA47) showed significantly greater activation during repetition of a meditation sound compared to concentrative meditation-like tasks. This meditation-specific brain activation did not habituate over time but increased with continuous meditation bouts. The findings suggest that relaxed-focus meditation engages distinct prefrontal cortex regions, offering insight into the neurobiological correlates of such practices.