Short-term meditation induces white matter changes in the anterior cingulate.
Yi-Yuan Tang, Qilin Lu, Xiujuan Geng, Elliot A. Stein, Yihong Yang, Michael I Posner
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America August 31, 2010 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1011043107 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Dose | 11 h |
| Measures | fractional anisotropy (FA) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Eleven hours of IBMT increased fractional anisotropy in the corona radiata, indicating improved white matter connectivity, which the authors propose may enhance self-regulation and reduce risk of mental disorders. |
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is part of a network implicated in the development of self-regulation and whose connectivity changes dramatically in development. In previous studies we showed that 3 h of mental training, based on traditional Chinese medicine (integrative body-mind training, IBMT), increases ACC activity and improves self-regulation. However, it is not known whether changes in white matter connectivity can result from small amounts of mental training. We here report that 11 h of IBMT increases fractional anisotropy (FA), an index indicating the integrity and efficiency of white matter in the corona radiata, an important white-matter tract connecting the ACC to other structures. Thus IBMT could provide a means for improving self-regulation and perhaps reducing or preventing various mental disorders.