(1) The effects of intensive mental training based on meditation on the functional and structural organization of the human brain have been addressed by several neuroscientific studies. However, how large-scale connectivity patterns are affected by long-term practice of the main forms of meditation, Focused Attention (FA) and Open Monitoring (OM), as well as by aging, has not yet been elucidated. (2) Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and multivariate pattern analysis, we investigated the impact of meditation expertise and age on functional connectivity patterns in large-scale brain networks during different meditation styles in long-term meditators. (3) The results show that fMRI connectivity patterns in multiple key brain networks can differentially predict the meditation expertise and age of long-term meditators. Expertise-predictive patterns are differently affected by FA and OM, while age-predictive patterns are not influenced by the meditation form. The FA meditation connectivity pattern modulated by expertise included nodes and connections implicated in focusing, sustaining and monitoring attention, while OM patterns included nodes associated with cognitive control and emotion regulation. (4) The study highlights a long-term effect of meditation practice on multivariate patterns of functional brain connectivity and suggests that meditation expertise is associated with specific neuroplastic changes in connectivity patterns within and between multiple brain networks.

Neuroplasticity within and between functional brain networks in mental training based on long-term meditation / Guidotti, R.; Del Gratta, C.; Perrucci, M. G.; Romani, G. L.; Raffone, A.. - In: BRAIN SCIENCES. - ISSN 2076-3425. - 11:8(2021). [10.3390/brainsci11081086]

Neuroplasticity within and between functional brain networks in mental training based on long-term meditation

Raffone A.
2021

Abstract

(1) The effects of intensive mental training based on meditation on the functional and structural organization of the human brain have been addressed by several neuroscientific studies. However, how large-scale connectivity patterns are affected by long-term practice of the main forms of meditation, Focused Attention (FA) and Open Monitoring (OM), as well as by aging, has not yet been elucidated. (2) Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and multivariate pattern analysis, we investigated the impact of meditation expertise and age on functional connectivity patterns in large-scale brain networks during different meditation styles in long-term meditators. (3) The results show that fMRI connectivity patterns in multiple key brain networks can differentially predict the meditation expertise and age of long-term meditators. Expertise-predictive patterns are differently affected by FA and OM, while age-predictive patterns are not influenced by the meditation form. The FA meditation connectivity pattern modulated by expertise included nodes and connections implicated in focusing, sustaining and monitoring attention, while OM patterns included nodes associated with cognitive control and emotion regulation. (4) The study highlights a long-term effect of meditation practice on multivariate patterns of functional brain connectivity and suggests that meditation expertise is associated with specific neuroplastic changes in connectivity patterns within and between multiple brain networks.
2021
brain networks; FMRI; functional connectivity; machine learning; meditation; MVPA; neuroplasticity
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Neuroplasticity within and between functional brain networks in mental training based on long-term meditation / Guidotti, R.; Del Gratta, C.; Perrucci, M. G.; Romani, G. L.; Raffone, A.. - In: BRAIN SCIENCES. - ISSN 2076-3425. - 11:8(2021). [10.3390/brainsci11081086]
File allegati a questo prodotto
File Dimensione Formato  
Guidotti_Neuroplasticity_2021.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (versione pubblicata con il layout dell'editore)
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 4.07 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
4.07 MB Adobe PDF

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1579956
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 6
  • Scopus 13
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 9
social impact