Resting State Functional Connectivity Associated With Sahaja Yoga Meditation
Alfonso Barrós‐loscertales, Sergio Hernández, Yaqiong Xiao, José Luis González–Mora, Katya Rubia
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience March 16, 2021 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.614882 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 46 |
| Population | Sahaja Yoga Meditation experts and healthy participants without meditation experience |
| Intervention | Sahaja Yoga Meditation |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation |
| Keywords | Precuneus Resting State FMRI Insula Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex Functional connectivity Middle frontal gyrus Cognition Electroencephalography |
| Citations | 25 |
| Key findings | Long-term meditation practice increases functional connectivity between ventral and dorsal frontal regions and decreases connectivity between these regions and areas of the default mode network. |
Abstract
Neuroscience research has shown that meditation practices have effects on brain structure and function. However, few studies have combined information on the effects on structure and function in the same sample. Long-term daily meditation practice produces repeated activity of specific brain networks over years of practice, which may induce lasting structural and functional connectivity (FC) changes within relevant circuits. The aim of our study was therefore to identify differences in FC during the resting state between 23 Sahaja Yoga Meditation experts and 23 healthy participants without meditation experience. Seed-based FC analysis was performed departing from voxels that had shown structural differences between these same participants. The contrast of connectivity maps yielded that meditators showed increased FC between the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex but reduced FC between the left insula and the bilateral mid-cingulate as well as between the right angular gyrus and the bilateral precuneus/cuneus cortices. It thus appears that long-term meditation practice increases direct FC between ventral and dorsal frontal regions within brain networks related to attention and cognitive control and decreases FC between regions of these networks and areas of the default mode network.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Beyond the veil of duality—topographic reorganization model of meditation Neuroscience of Consciousness 2022
- Enhanced amygdala–anterior cingulate white matter structural connectivity in Sahaja Yoga Meditators PLoS One March 28, 2024
- Neural correlates of reduction in self-judgment after mindful self-compassion training: A pilot study with resting state fMRI. Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders March 1, 2025
- Exploring the Role of Melatonin in Meditation on Cardiovascular Health Biointerface Research in Applied Chemistry February 2, 2022
- Striatal functional connectivity associated with Sahaja Yoga meditation. Scientific Reports April 25, 2025
and 7 more in the library
Cites 28
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Meditation and attention: A comparison of the effects of concentrative and mindfulness meditation on sustained attention Mental Health, Religion & Culture May 1, 1999
- Effects of Meditation Experience on Functional Connectivity of Distributed Brain Networks Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 23 more in the library