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Cited by 367Functional Brain Connectivity StudiesMindfulness and Compassion InterventionsMind wandering and attention

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Effects of Meditation Experience on Functional Connectivity of Distributed Brain Networks

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Hasenkamp, Wendy, Barsalou, Lawrence W.·2012·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
DOI 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00038PMC PMC3290768

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Abstract

This study sought to examine the effect of meditation experience on brain networks underlying cognitive actions employed during contemplative practice. In a previous study, we proposed a basic model of naturalistic cognitive fluctuations that occur during the practice of focused attention meditation. This model specifies four intervals in a cognitive cycle: mind wandering (MW), awareness of MW, shifting of attention, and sustained attention. Using subjective input from experienced practitioners during meditation, we identified activity in salience network regions during awareness of MW and executive network regions during shifting and sustained attention. Brain regions associated with the default mode were active during MW. In the present study, we reasoned that repeated activation of attentional brain networks over years of practice may induce lasting functional connectivity changes within relevant circuits. To investigate this possibility, we created seeds representing the networks that were active during the four phases of the earlier study, and examined functional connectivity during the resting state in the same participants. Connectivity maps were then contrasted between participants with high vs. low meditation experience. Participants with more meditation experience exhibited increased connectivity within attentional networks, as well as between attentional regions and medial frontal regions. These neural relationships may be involved in the development of cognitive skills, such as maintaining attention and disengaging from distraction, that are often reported with meditation practice. Furthermore, because altered connectivity of brain regions in experienced meditators was observed in a non-meditative (resting) state, this may represent a transference of cognitive abilities "off the cushion" into daily life.

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Figure 1 Functional connectivity seeds. (A) A four-stage model of cognitive states experienced during FA meditation. Sustained focus on an object (FOCUS) is inevitably interrupted by mind wandering (MW). At some time during MW, awareness arises that the mind is not on the object (AWARE), followed by disengagement from the current train of thought and shifting of attention (SHIFT) back to the object (FOCUS). Previous results show differential brain activity for these four phases (see Appendix; Hasenkamp et al., 2012). Six millimeter spheres were drawn around the center of the activated clusters of interest to yield functional connectivity seeds. (B) On the activations from the FOCUS phase, an ROI was constructed around the right dlPFC (SEED1). (C) On the activations from the MW phase, ROIs were constructed around the ventromedial PFC and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (SEED2). (D) On the activations from the AWARE phase, ROIs were constructed around the dorsal ACC and bilateral anterior insula (SEED3). (E) On the activations from the SHIFT phase, ROIs were constructed around the right dlPFC and the right posterior parietal lobule (SEED4). (F) A cluster in the medial PFC/ACC was found to be less active during the SHIFT condition as participants’ meditation experience increased (see Appendix). To further understand this finding, this cluster is included as SEED5.
Figure 1 Functional connectivity seeds. (A) A four-stage model of cognitive states experienced during FA meditation. Sustained focus on an object (FOCUS) is inevitably interrupted by mind wandering (MW). At some time during MW, awareness arises that the mind is not on the object (AWARE), followed by disengagement from the current train of thought and shifting of attention (SHIFT) back to the object (FOCUS). Previous results show differential brain activity for these four phases (see Appendix; Hasenkamp et al., 2012). Six millimeter spheres were drawn around the center of the activated clusters of interest to yield functional connectivity seeds. (B) On the activations from the FOCUS phase, an ROI was constructed around the right dlPFC (SEED1). (C) On the activations from the MW phase, ROIs were constructed around the ventromedial PFC and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (SEED2). (D) On the activations from the AWARE phase, ROIs were constructed around the dorsal ACC and bilateral anterior insula (SEED3). (E) On the activations from the SHIFT phase, ROIs were constructed around the right dlPFC and the right posterior parietal lobule (SEED4). (F) A cluster in the medial PFC/ACC was found to be less active during the SHIFT condition as participants’ meditation experience increased (see Appendix). To further understand this finding, this cluster is included as SEED5.CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure 2 Functional connectivity differences between high and low practice participants. (A) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED1 and right insula, left dlPFC, and mid-cingulate. (B) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED2 and left orbitofrontal cortex; decreased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED1 and ACC. (C) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED3 and left inferior parietal lobule and left middle cingulate gyrus; decreased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED3 and cerebellar declive. (D) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED4 and left middle frontal cortex; decreased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED4 and right middle occipital gyrus. (E) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED5 and left inferior parietal lobule; decreased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED5 and left posterior cingulate cortex.
Figure 2 Functional connectivity differences between high and low practice participants. (A) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED1 and right insula, left dlPFC, and mid-cingulate. (B) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED2 and left orbitofrontal cortex; decreased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED1 and ACC. (C) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED3 and left inferior parietal lobule and left middle cingulate gyrus; decreased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED3 and cerebellar declive. (D) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED4 and left middle frontal cortex; decreased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED4 and right middle occipital gyrus. (E) Increased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED5 and left inferior parietal lobule; decreased functional connectivity in high practice participants between SEED5 and left posterior cingulate cortex.CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure A1 Theoretical and analytical models of FA meditation. (A) Theoretical model of dynamic cognitive states experienced during a session of FA meditation. A detailed description of this cognitive cycle is presented in the Introduction. (B) Analytical model for construction of phases surrounding each button press (represented by the heavy black vertical line). See Materials and Methods for more detailed information. This figure was adapted from a previous publication (Hasenkamp et al., 2012).
Figure A1 Theoretical and analytical models of FA meditation. (A) Theoretical model of dynamic cognitive states experienced during a session of FA meditation. A detailed description of this cognitive cycle is presented in the Introduction. (B) Analytical model for construction of phases surrounding each button press (represented by the heavy black vertical line). See Materials and Methods for more detailed information. This figure was adapted from a previous publication (Hasenkamp et al., 2012).CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure A2 Significant activations for phases of interest. Specific contrasts are listed in each panel. (A) Activations during the AWARE phase are in green (due to highly robust activations, this contrast was thresholded to p < 5.0 × 10−6). As the button press occurred during this phase, voxels that were also significantly active during a motor control task (motor > visual; p < 0.005) are shown in red. Prominent activity was detected in dorsal ACC and frontoinsular cortex. (B) Activations in lateral PFC and posterior parietal regions during the SHIFT phase. (C) Activation in dorsolateral PFC during the FOCUS phase. (D) Activations during MW phase included elements of the default mode network, as well as sensory and motor cortices and posterior insula. This figure was adapted from a previous publication (Hasenkamp et al., 2012).
Figure A2 Significant activations for phases of interest. Specific contrasts are listed in each panel. (A) Activations during the AWARE phase are in green (due to highly robust activations, this contrast was thresholded to p < 5.0 × 10−6). As the button press occurred during this phase, voxels that were also significantly active during a motor control task (motor > visual; p < 0.005) are shown in red. Prominent activity was detected in dorsal ACC and frontoinsular cortex. (B) Activations in lateral PFC and posterior parietal regions during the SHIFT phase. (C) Activation in dorsolateral PFC during the FOCUS phase. (D) Activations during MW phase included elements of the default mode network, as well as sensory and motor cortices and posterior insula. This figure was adapted from a previous publication (Hasenkamp et al., 2012).CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure A3 Bimodal distribution of practice time. Each subject’s estimated lifetime practice hours is plotted against his/her age. This subject population naturally fell into a bimodal distribution, with five participants having >2000 h of experience (“high practice”) and nine participants having <1200 h (“low practice”). This difference was significant by t-test (p < 0.001, see Table A1).
Figure A3 Bimodal distribution of practice time. Each subject’s estimated lifetime practice hours is plotted against his/her age. This subject population naturally fell into a bimodal distribution, with five participants having >2000 h of experience (“high practice”) and nine participants having <1200 h (“low practice”). This difference was significant by t-test (p < 0.001, see Table A1).CC BY-NC · PubMed Central
Figure A4 Practice time effects. (A) Several clusters that were negatively correlated with practice time during the SHIFT phase. The medial PFC/ACC cluster that was examined in B is circled. (B) Time courses from the medial PFC/ACC cluster were extracted, and HRFs were calculated from the onset of the SHIFT phase for each subject. Percent signal change (from MW, mean ± SEM) over time is plotted for high (N = 5) and low (N = 9) practice participants. The BOLD response is significantly reduced in high practice compared to low practice participants across the modeled time series. *Main effect of group over time by repeated-measures ANOVA, p = 0.010. This figure was adapted from a previous publication (Hasenkamp et al., 2012).
Figure A4 Practice time effects. (A) Several clusters that were negatively correlated with practice time during the SHIFT phase. The medial PFC/ACC cluster that was examined in B is circled. (B) Time courses from the medial PFC/ACC cluster were extracted, and HRFs were calculated from the onset of the SHIFT phase for each subject. Percent signal change (from MW, mean ± SEM) over time is plotted for high (N = 5) and low (N = 9) practice participants. The BOLD response is significantly reduced in high practice compared to low practice participants across the modeled time series. *Main effect of group over time by repeated-measures ANOVA, p = 0.010. This figure was adapted from a previous publication (Hasenkamp et al., 2012).CC BY-NC · PubMed Central

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  1. Taylor V. Daneault V. Grant J. A. Scavone G. Breton E. Roffe-Vidal S. Courtemanche J. Lavarenne A. S. Marrelec G. Benali H. Beauregard M. (in press). Impact of mindfulness training on the default mode network during a restful state: a functional connectivity study. Soc. Cogn. Affect. Neurosci. [Manuscript ID: SCAN-11–106]. PMC3541485 22446298

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Metadata

Authors
Hasenkamp, W., & Barsalou, L. W.
Affiliations
Emory University (US)
Corresponding author
Hasenkamp, Wendy
ORCID
Barsalou, Lawrence W.
Venue
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2012
Volume
6
Pages
38-38
ISSN
1662-5161 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fnhum.2012.00038
PMC
PMC3290768
OpenAlex
W2139765609
Cited by
367
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 8
FWCI
11.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (acceptedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Emory University
  • Mind and Life Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Mind wandering and attention
Keywords
meditation experience, functional connectivity, distributed brain networks, focused attention meditation, mind wandering, salience network, executive network, default mode network, sustained attention, attentional shift, resting state, meditation practitioners

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