Effects of gratitude meditation on neural network functional connectivity and brain-heart coupling.
Sunghyon Kyeong, Joohan Kim, Dae-Jin Kim, Hesun Erin Kim, Jae-Jin Kim
Scientific Reports July 11, 2017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05520-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Gratitude intervention Resentment intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Gratitude meditation lowers heart rate and alters resting-state functional connectivity in emotion and motivation brain networks compared with resentment. |
Abstract
A sense of gratitude is a powerful and positive experience that can promote a happier life, whereas resentment is associated with life dissatisfaction. To explore the effects of gratitude and resentment on mental well-being, we acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging and heart rate (HR) data before, during, and after the gratitude and resentment interventions. Functional connectivity (FC) analysis was conducted to identify the modulatory effects of gratitude on the default mode, emotion, and reward-motivation networks. The average HR was significantly lower during the gratitude intervention than during the resentment intervention. Temporostriatal FC showed a positive correlation with HR during the gratitude intervention, but not during the resentment intervention. Temporostriatal resting-state FC was significantly decreased after the gratitude intervention compared to the resentment intervention. After the gratitude intervention, resting-state FC of the amygdala with the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex were positively correlated with anxiety scale and depression scale, respectively. Taken together, our findings shed light on the effect of gratitude meditation on an individual's mental well-being, and indicate that it may be a means of improving both emotion regulation and self-motivation by modulating resting-state FC in emotion and motivation-related brain regions.
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 9
- Altered Brain Connectivity and Network Topological Organization in a Non-ordinary State of Consciousness Induced by Hypnosis Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience 2023
- Inducing a meditative state by artificial perturbations: A mechanistic understanding of brain dynamics underlying meditation. Network Neuroscience 2024
- The Immediate Impact of App-Based Psychotherapeutic Exercises on Anxiety: An RCT. Depression and Anxiety 2025
- Inducing a meditative state by artificial perturbations: A causal mechanistic understanding of brain dynamics underlying meditation bioRxiv Preprint Server July 27, 2023
- Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) modulates brain-heart connection: An EEG case study Frontiers in Human Neuroscience September 1, 2022
and 4 more in the library
Cites 8
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Impact of meditation training on the default mode network during a restful state Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience March 24, 2012
- Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being Current Directions in Psychological Science April 1, 2005
- Meditation as an intervention in stress reactivity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1976
and 3 more in the library