Short-term meditation induces white matter changes in the anterior cingulate.
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.
Tang
Yi-Yuan
YY
Institute of Neuroinformatics and Lab for Body and Mind, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China. yiyuan@uoregon.edu
Lu
Qilin
Q
Geng
Xiujuan
X
Stein
Elliot A
EA
Yang
Yihong
Y
Posner
Michael I
MI
D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult