Key result
Mindfulness meditation in experienced meditators was associated with significantly increased betweenness centrality in delta, alpha, and beta frequency bands across specific cortical and subcortical areas compared to non-meditators.
Why the study?
What topological changes occur in the brain network during the meditative phase of mindfulness meditation remains debated.
Does Mindfulness Meditation alter the topological features of the brain network in experienced meditators compared to non-meditators?
Observational (n=55)
None
No
Does Mindfulness Meditation alter the topological features of the brain network in experienced meditators compared to non-meditators?
p-value: p=<0.05
Mindfulness meditation is associated with functional brain network changes, providing an explanatory hypothesis for the brain circuits characterizing the meditative process.
Altered network topology during meditation in experts remains exploratory; leaves open whether MEG metrics predict clinical outcomes in larger trials.
We have previously evidenced that Mindfulness Meditation (MM) in experienced meditators (EMs) is associated with long-lasting topological changes in resting state condition. However, what occurs during the meditative phase is still debated. Utilizing magnetoencephalography (MEG), the present study is aimed at comparing the topological features of the brain network in a group of EMs (n = 26) during the meditative phase with those of individuals who had no previous experience of any type of meditation (NM group, n = 29). A wide range of topological changes in the EM group as compared to the NM group has been shown. Specifically, in EMs, we have observed increased betweenness centrality in delta, alpha, and beta bands in both cortical (left medial orbital cortex, left postcentral area, and right visual primary cortex) and subcortical (left caudate nucleus and thalamus) areas. Furthermore, the degree of beta band in parietal and occipital areas of EMs was increased too. Our exploratory study suggests that the MM can change the functional brain network and provides an explanatory hypothesis on the brain circuits characterizing the meditative process.
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Lardone et al. (2022) conducted an observational in Healthy (Experienced Meditators vs Non-Meditators) (n=55). Mindfulness Meditation (Vipassana) vs. No meditation experience (pseudo-meditation) was evaluated on Topological features of the brain network (betweenness centrality and degree) using Phase Lag Index (p=<0.05). Mindfulness meditation in experienced meditators was associated with significantly increased betweenness centrality in delta, alpha, and beta frequency bands across specific cortical and subcortical areas compared to non-meditators.
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