Right Broca's area is hyperactive in right-handed subjects during meditation: Possible clinical implications?
Dipti Magan, Raj Kumar Yadav
Medical Hypotheses May 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2021.110556 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Apparently healthy male, right-handed long-term meditators |
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Attention-task Broca’s area Long-term meditators Positron emission tomography Right hemisphere |
| Key findings | The right Broca's area was significantly hyperactive during meditation compared to baseline, while left Broca's area showed only a subtle increase. |
Abstract
Broca's area, conventionally located in left (categorical) hemisphere of brain, is responsible for integrating linguistic and non-linguistic processing however, functionality of its right homolog remains partly understood and explored. This perception is based on the fact that in 96% of right-handed individuals, who constitute 91% of human population, the left hemisphere is dominant or categorical hemisphere. Here, we introduce novel scientific-based hypothesis that the right homolog of Broca's region which we observed hyperactive during attention focused meditation, might further play an important role in patients with attention deficits and language and speech disorders. Meditation includes self-regulation practices that focus on attention and awareness to achieve better control on mental processes. The positron emission tomography of brain in twelve (12) apparently healthy male, right-handed long-term meditators showed that the right Broca's area was significantly hyperactive (p = 0.002) during Meditation vs. Baseline while there was only a subtle increase in the activity of left Broca's area. Our results suggest that hitherto partly explored and understood right homolog of the Broca's area (referred to as right Broca's area) may have some important role, especially during meditation which needs to be explored further.
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
Cites 5
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- The meeting of meditative disciplines and western psychology: A mutually enriching dialogue. American Psychologist 2006
- Brain Plasticity and Neurophysiological Correlates of Meditation in Long-Term Meditators: A 18Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography Study Based on an Innovative Methodology The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine December 1, 2019
- Meditation-Specific Prefrontal Cortical Activation during Acem Meditation: An FMRI Study Perceptual and Motor Skills August 1, 2010
- Cerebral blood flow effects of yoga training: preliminary evaluation of 4 cases. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine January 2009