Meditation-Specific Prefrontal Cortical Activation during Acem Meditation: An FMRI Study

Meditation that emphasizes a relaxed focus of attention, where thoughts and sensations arise freely, activates specific frontal brain areas distinct from concentrative control tasks. Using fMRI in experienced Acem meditation practitioners, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (BA47) showed significantly greater activation during repetition of a meditation sound compared to concentrative meditation-like tasks. This meditation-specific brain activation did not habituate over time but increased with continuous meditation bouts. The findings suggest that relaxed-focus meditation engages distinct prefrontal cortex regions, offering insight into the neurobiological correlates of such practices.

Study at a glance

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.