Mindfulness Meditation Is Related to Long-Lasting Changes in Hippocampal Functional Topology during Resting State: A Magnetoencephalography Study
Anna Lardone, Marianna Liparoti, Pierpaolo Sorrentino, Rosaria Rucco, Francesca Jacini, Arianna Polverino, Roberta Minino, Matteo Pesoli, Fabio Baselice, Antonietta Sorriso, Giampaolo Ferraioli, Giuseppe Sorrentino, Laura Mandolesi
Neural Plasticity December 18, 2018 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5340717 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractLong-term Vipassana meditation practice is associated with changes in brain network organization. Using magnetoencephalography to compare meditators with non-meditators, the study found topological modifications in functional resting-state brain networks. In the theta frequency band, meditators showed a statistically significantly higher degree—a measure of connectivity—in the right hippocampus compared to controls. Given the hippocampus's role in memory and its involvement in Alzheimer's disease, the findings suggest meditation could contribute to preventive strategies against age-related cognitive decline.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Vipassana meditators and controls |
| Topics | Meditation Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Magnetoencephalography Hippocampal formation Neuroscience Hippocampus |
| Citations | 72 |
| Key finding | Meditators showed statistically significantly higher degree in the right hippocampus in the theta band compared to controls. |
Abstract
It has been suggested that the practice of meditation is associated to neuroplasticity phenomena, reducing age-related brain degeneration and improving cognitive functions. Neuroimaging studies have shown that the brain connectivity changes in meditators. In the present work, we aim to describe the possible long-term effects of meditation on the brain networks. To this aim, we used magnetoencephalography to study functional resting-state brain networks in Vipassana meditators. We observed topological modifications in the brain network in meditators compared to controls. More specifically, in the theta band, the meditators showed statistically significant (p corrected = 0.009) higher degree (a centrality index that represents the number of connections incident upon a given node) in the right hippocampus as compared to controls. Taking into account the role of the hippocampus in memory processes, and in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, meditation might have a potential role in a panel of preventive strategies.