The DOI matches its Crossref record; 46 of the 46 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Mechanisms of white matter changes induced by meditation
Open accessAbstract
Using diffusion tensor imaging, several recent studies have shown that training results in changes in white matter efficiency as measured by fractional anisotropy (FA). In our work, we found that a form of mindfulness meditation, integrative body-mind training (IBMT), improved FA in areas surrounding the anterior cingulate cortex after 4-wk training more than controls given relaxation training. Reductions in radial diffusivity (RD) have been interpreted as improved myelin but reductions in axial diffusivity (AD) involve other mechanisms, such as axonal density. We now report that after 4-wk training with IBMT, both RD and AD decrease accompanied by increased FA, indicating improved efficiency of white matter involves increased myelin as well as other axonal changes. However, 2-wk IBMT reduced AD, but not RD or FA, and improved moods. Our results demonstrate the time-course of white matter neuroplasticity in short-term meditation. This dynamic pattern of white matter change involving the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain network related to self-regulation, could provide a means for intervention to improve or prevent mental disorders.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“A longitudinal study in healthy students showed decreased RAD and AXD accompanied by increased FA after a 4-week integrative body-mind training compared to a relaxation training (Tang et al., 2012).”
From Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and white matter plasticity in individuals with subclinical depression and psychotic experiences: A Randomised Controlled Trial (2023) · cites this paper as Tang et al., 2012
In the citing paper
“For example, enhanced activation of the ACC and other prefrontal regions was observed in novice and experienced meditators (120–122), and as a result of ayahuasca administration (33, 63).”
From Examining the Potential Synergistic Effects Between Mindfulness Training and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (2021) · cites this paper as [122]
Citations
Cites
Advances in functional and structural MR image analysis and implementation as FSL
Smith, S. M., Jenkinson, M., Woolrich, M. W., Beckmann, C. F., Behrens, T. E. J., Johansen-Berg, H., Bannister, P. R., De Luca, M., Drobnjak, I., Flitney, D. E., et al. (2004) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.07.051 · Cited by 13,630
Tract-based spatial statistics: Voxelwise analysis of multi-subject diffusion data
Smith, S. M., Jenkinson, M., Johansen‐Berg, H., Rueckert, D., Nichols, T. E., Mackay, C. E., Watkins, K. E., Ciccarelli, O., Cader, M. Z., Matthews, P. M., et al. (2006) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.02.024 · Cited by 6,598
Cognitive and emotional influences in anterior cingulate cortex
Bush, G., Luu, P., & Posner, M. I. (2000) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/s1364-6613(00)01483-2 · Cited by 6,259
Self-citationNonrigid registration using free-form deformations: application to breast mr images
Rueckert, D., Sonoda, L. I., Hayes, C., Hill, D. L. G., Leach, M. O., & Hawkes, D. J. (1999) · IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging · doi:10.1109/42.796284 · Cited by 5,265
SMITH, S., & NICHOLS, T. (2009) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.03.061 · Cited by 5,250
Hölzel, B. K., Lazar, S. W., Gard, T., Schuman-Olivier, Z., Vago, D. R., & Ott, U. (2011) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691611419671 · Cited by 3,024
Dysmyelination revealed through MRI as increased radial (but unchanged axial) diffusion of water
Song, S.-K., Sun, S.-W., Ramsbottom, M. J., Chang, C., Russell, J., & Cross, A. H. (2002) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1006/nimg.2002.1267 · Cited by 2,582
Song, S.-K., Sun, S.-W., Ju, W.-K., Lin, S.-J., Cross, A. H., & Neufeld, A. H. (2003) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2003.07.005 · Cited by 1,738
Plasticity in gray and white: neuroimaging changes in brain structure during learning
Zatorre, R. J., Fields, R. D., & Johansen-Berg, H. (2012) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn.3045 · Cited by 1,685
Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation
Tang, Y.-Y., Ma, Y., Wang, J., Fan, Y., Feng, S., Lu, Q., Yu, Q., Sui, D., Rothbart, M. K., Fan, M., et al. (2007) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0707678104 · Cited by 1,597
Self-citationMapping complex tissue architecture with diffusion spectrum magnetic resonance imaging
Wedeen, V. J., Hagmann, P., Tseng, W. I., Reese, T. G., & Weisskoff, R. M. (2005) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.20642 · Cited by 1,339
White matter in learning, cognition, and psychiatric disorders
Fields, R. D. (2008) · Trends in Neurosciences · doi:10.1016/j.tins.2008.04.001 · Cited by 1,337
Training, maturation, and genetic influences on the development of executive attention
Rueda, M. R., Rothbart, M. K., McCandliss, B. D., Saccomanno, L., & Posner, M. I. (2005) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0506897102 · Cited by 1,110
Self-citationMRI Atlas of Human White Matter
Mori, S. (2005) · Cited by 1,103
MRI atlas of human white matter
Ling, C. L., & Rumpel, H. (2006) · Concepts in Magnetic Resonance Part A · doi:10.1002/cmr.a.20052 · Cited by 1,021
About “axial” and “radial” diffusivities
Wheeler‐Kingshott, C. A. M., & Cercignani, M. (2009) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.21965 · Cited by 885
Central and autonomic nervous system interaction is altered by short-term meditation
Tang, Y.-Y., Ma, Y., Fan, Y., Feng, H., Wang, J., Feng, S., Lu, Q., Hu, B., Lin, Y., Li, J., et al. (2009) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.0904031106 · Cited by 680
Self-citationAttention training and attention state training
Tang, Y., & Posner, M. I. (2009) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2009.01.009 · Cited by 566
Self-citationShort-term meditation induces white matter changes in the anterior cingulate
Tang, Y.-Y., Lu, Q., Geng, X., Stein, E. A., Yang, Y., & Posner, M. I. (2010) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1011043107 · Cited by 514
Self-citationBennett, I. J., Madden, D. J., Vaidya, C. J., Howard, D. V., & Howard, J. H. (2009) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.20872 · Cited by 508
Age-related differences in white matter microstructure: Region-specific patterns of diffusivity
Burzynska, A. Z., Preuschhof, C., Bäckman, L., Nyberg, L. H., Li, S., Lindenberger, U., & Heekeren, H. R. (2009) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.09.041 · Cited by 400
In vivo measurement of axon diameter distribution in the corpus callosum of rat brain
Barazany, D., Basser, P. J., & Assaf, Y. (2009) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/awp042 · Cited by 400
Altering Cortical Connectivity: Remediation-Induced Changes in the White Matter of Poor Readers
Keller, T. A., & Just, M. A. (2009) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2009.10.018 · Cited by 363
Rueda, M. R., Checa, P., & Cómbita, L. M. (2012) · Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2011.09.004 · Cited by 331
Microstructural White Matter Abnormalities and Remission of Geriatric Depression
Alexopoulos, G. S., Murphy, C. F., Gunning‐Dixon, F. M., Latoussakis, V., Kanellopoulos, D., Klimstra, S., Lim, K. O., & Hoptman, M. J. (2008) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07050744 · Cited by 303
Bosch, B., Arenaza-Urquijo, E. M., Rami, L., Sala-Llonch, R., Junqué, C., Solé-Padullés, C., Peña-Gómez, C., Bargalló, N., Molinuevo, J. L., & Bartrés-Faz, D. (2012) · Neurobiology of Aging · doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2010.02.004 · Cited by 272
Change in the Brain's White Matter
Fields, R. D. (2010) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1199139 · Cited by 265
Engvig, A., Fjell, A. M., Westlye, L. T., Moberget, T., Sundseth, Ø., Larsen, V. A., & Walhovd, K. B. (2012) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.21370 · Cited by 250
The Biological Basis of Diffusion Anisotropy
Beaulieu, C. (2009) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-374709-9.00006-7 · Cited by 240
In VivoDiffusion Tensor Imaging and Histopathology of the Fimbria-Fornix in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Concha, L., Livy, D. J., Beaulieu, C., Wheatley, B. M., & Gross, D. W. (2010) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.1619-09.2010 · Cited by 212
Magnetic resonance microimaging of intraaxonal water diffusion in live excised lamprey spinal cord
Takahashi, M., Hackney, D. B., Zhang, G., Wehrli, S. L., Wright, A. C., O'Brien, W. T., Uematsu, H., Wehrli, F. W., & Selzer, M. E. (2002) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.252249999 · Cited by 189
Tyszka, J., Readhead, C., Bearer, E., Pautler, R., & Jacobs, R. (2006) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.08.037 · Cited by 187
Posner, M. I. (2012) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199791217.001.0001 · Cited by 160
Self-citationNiogi (2010) · Frontiers in Neuroanatomy · doi:10.3389/neuro.05.002.2010 · Cited by 138
Enhanced white matter tracts integrity in children with abacus training
Hu, Y., Geng, F., Tao, L., Hu, N., Du, F., Fu, K., & Chen, F. (2010) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.20996 · Cited by 128
Metwalli, N. S., Benatar, M. G., Nair, G., Usher, S., Hu, X. P., & Carew, J. D. (2010) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2010.05.067 · Cited by 119
Regional brain axial and radial diffusivity changes during development
Kumar, R., Nguyen, H. D., Macey, P. M., Woo, M. A., & Harper, R. M. (2011) · Journal of Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1002/jnr.22757 · Cited by 119
Learning-Related Gray and White Matter Changes in Humans
Taubert, M., Villringer, A., & Ragert, P. (2011) · The Neuroscientist · doi:10.1177/1073858411419048 · Cited by 95
Kitayama, I. T., Yaga, T., Kayahara, T., Nakano, K., Murase, S., Otani, M., & Nomura, J. (1997) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(96)00502-1 · Cited by 81
Niogi, S. N. (2009) · Frontiers in Neuroanatomy · doi:10.3389/neuro.05.021.2009 · Cited by 68
Rostral brain axonal injury in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome
Kumar, R., Macey, P. M., Woo, M. A., & Harper, R. M. (2010) · Journal of Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1002/jnr.22385 · Cited by 56
Mechanism of Integrative Body-Mind Training
Tang, Y. (2011) · Neuroscience Bulletin · doi:10.1007/s12264-011-1141-2 · Cited by 44
Self-citationImpact of acute stress on human brain microstructure: An MR diffusion study of earthquake survivors
Chen, L., Lui, S., Wu, Q., Zhang, W., Zhou, D., Chen, H., Huang, X., Kuang, W., Chan, R. C. K., Mechelli, A., et al. (2011) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.21438 · Cited by 40
Myelin water weighted diffusion tensor imaging
Avram, A., Guidon, A., & Song, A. W. (2010) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.06.019 · Cited by 37
Stress-induced plasticity of monoamine axons
Liu, Y. (2006) · Frontiers in bioscience · doi:10.2741/1923 · Cited by 29
Learning-related gray and white matter changes in humans: An update
Taubert, M., Villringer, A., & Ragert, P. (2012) · MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) · Cited by 8
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The Neuroscience of Mindfulness Meditation
Tang, Y.-Y., Hölzel, B. K., & Posner, M. I. (2015) · Nature reviews. Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nrn3916 · Cited by 2,889
Self-citationFox, K. C. R., Nijeboer, S., Dixon, M. L., Floman, J. L., Ellamil, M., Rumak, S. P., Sedlmeier, P., & Christoff, K. (2014) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.03.016 · Cited by 804
Brühl, A. B., Delsignore, A., Komossa, K., & Weidt, S. (2014) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.08.003 · Cited by 439
“2012) including the connectivity in the respective circuits (Tang et al., 2012).”
White matter injury in ischemic stroke
Wang, Y., Liu, G., Hong, D., Chen, F., Ji, X., & Cao, G. (2016) · Progress in Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2016.04.005 · Cited by 316
Mindfulness meditation improves emotion regulation and reduces drug abuse
Tang, Y.-Y., Tang, R., & Posner, M. I. (2016) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.11.041 · Cited by 306
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Tang, Y.-Y., Lu, Q., Fan, M., Yang, Y., & Posner, M. I.
- Affiliations
- Texas Tech University (US)
- Dalian University of Technology (CN)
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CN)
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- University of Oregon (US)
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2012-06-11
- Volume
- 109
- Issue
- 26
- Pages
- 10570-10574
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC3387117
- OpenAlex
- W1988224232
- Cited by
- 335
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 38.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (R21DA030066)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Keywords
- mindfulness meditation, white matter plasticity, fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, axial diffusivity, anterior cingulate cortex, myelination, axon density, mood, self-regulation, neuroplasticity
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Humans, Myelin Sheath, Meditation, Self Efficacy
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
