Meditation-Specific Prefrontal Cortical Activation during Acem Meditation: An FMRI Study
Svend Davanger, Øyvind Ellingsen, Are Holen, Kenneth Hugdahl
Perceptual and Motor Skills August 1, 2010 DOI: 10.2466/02.04.22.pms.111.4.291-306 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Experienced practitioners of Acem meditation |
| Intervention | repetition of a meditation sound |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (BA47) was significantly more activated during repetition of a meditation sound than during concentrative meditation-like cognitive tasks, and this activation increased with continuous meditation bouts. |
Abstract
Some of the most popular meditation practices emphasize a relaxed focus of attention in which thoughts, images, sensations, and emotions may emerge and pass freely without actively controlling or pursuing them. Several recent studies show that meditation activates frontal brain areas associated with attention focusing and physical relaxation. The objective of the present study was to assess whether brain activation during relaxed focusing on a meditation sound could be distinguished from similar, concentrative control tasks. Brain activation was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in experienced practitioners of Acem meditation. Bilateral areas of the inferior frontal gyrus (BA47) were significantly more activated during repetition of a meditation sound than during concentrative meditation-like cognitive tasks. Meditation-specific brain activation did not habituate over time, but increased in strength with continuous meditation bouts. These observations suggest that meditation with a relaxed focus of attention may activate distinct areas of the prefrontal cortex, with implications for the understanding of neurobiological correlates of meditation.