title: Autogenic training alters cerebral activation patterns in fMRI.
abstract: Cerebral activation patterns during the first three auto-suggestive phases of autogenic training (AT) were investigated in relation to perceived experiences. Nineteen volunteers trained in AT and 19 controls were studied with fMRI during the first steps of autogenic training. FMRI revealed activation of the left postcentral areas during AT in those with experience in AT, which also correlated with the level of AT experience. Activation of prefrontal and insular cortex was significantly higher in the group with experience in AT while insular activation was correlated with number years of simple relaxation exercises. Specific activation in subjects experienced in AT may represent a training effect. Furthermore, the correlation of insular activation suggests that these subjects are different from untrained subjects in emotional processing or self-awareness.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Essen and University Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlamann
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naglatzki
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Greiff
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forsting
authors.forename: Elke R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Gizewski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001346:Autosuggestion; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D012063:Relaxation / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult