A longitudinal study of the effect of short-term meditation training on functional network organization of the aging brain.
Francesca A Cotier, Ruibin Zhang, Tatia M C Lee
Scientific Reports April 4, 2017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-00678-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Elderly |
| Interventions | Meditation training Relaxation training |
| Duration | Eight-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Eight weeks of meditation training decreased intra-connectivity in the default mode, salience, and somatomotor networks and reduced connectivity between the default mode network and other modules in older adults. |
Abstract
The beneficial effects of meditation on preserving age-related changes in cognitive functioning are well established. Yet, the neural underpinnings of these positive effects have not been fully unveiled. This study employed a prospective longitudinal design, and graph-based analysis, to study how an eight-week meditation training vs. relaxation training shaped network configuration at global, intermediate, and local levels using graph theory in the elderly. At the intermediate level, meditation training lead to decreased intra-connectivity in the default mode network (DMN), salience network (SAN) and somatomotor network (SMN) modules post training. Also, there was decreased connectivity strength between the DMN and other modules. At a local level, meditation training lowered nodal strength in the left posterior cingulate gryus, bilateral paracentral lobule, and middle cingulate gyrus. According to previous literature, the direction of these changes is consistent with a movement towards a more self-detached viewpoint, as well as more efficient processing. Furthermore, our findings highlight the importance of considering brain network changes across organizational levels, as well as the pace at which these changes may occur. Overall, this study provides further support for short-term meditation as a potentially beneficial method of mental training for the elderly that warrants further investigation.
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 27
- Mindfulness meditation increases default mode, salience, and central executive network connectivity Scientific Reports August 2, 2022
- Beyond the veil of duality—topographic reorganization model of meditation Neuroscience of Consciousness 2022
- Effect of an 18-Month Meditation Training on Regional Brain Volume and Perfusion in Older Adults JAMA Neurology October 10, 2022
- Decoding Depth of Meditation: Electroencephalography Insights From Expert Vipassana Practitioners Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science October 17, 2024
- Mindfulness Meditation and Network Neuroscience: Review, Synthesis, and Future Directions. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging April 1, 2025
and 22 more in the library
Cites 21
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Neural correlates of attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 28, 2007
- Mapping the self in the brain's default mode network Neuroimage February 15, 2016
- Mindfulness meditation training alters cortical representations of interoceptive attention Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience June 11, 2012
and 16 more in the library