Alterations of regional cerebral glucose metabolism using18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography and electroencephalography analysis during mindfulness breathing in Anapanasati meditation: A preliminary analysis.
World journal of nuclear medicine January 1, 2021 Chanisa Chotipanich, Supatporn Tepmongkol, Yodchanan Wongsawat et al.
Anapanasati meditation, a breath-centered practice from the Buddhist Theravada tradition, alters brain metabolism. In six participants (two men, four women; ages 32–67), PET/CT scans showed moderate-to-marked increased glucose metabolism in the posterior cingulate cortex in all six, with mild-to-moderate increases in the whole frontal lobe in four and the precuneus in four. Semiquantitative analysis confirmed a significant increase in the right mid-to-posterior cingulate gyrus, and visible alpha waves appeared on frontal EEG. The findings suggest that Anapanasati meditation engages specific brain regions, particularly the posterior cingulate cortex, and is associated with frontal alpha activity.