title: Activation of the anterior prefrontal cortex and serotonergic system is associated with improvements in mood and EEG changes induced by Zen meditation practice in novices.
abstract: To gain insight into the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in Zen meditation, we evaluated the effects of focused attention (FA) on breathing movements in the lower abdomen (Tanden) in novices. We investigated hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), an attention-related brain region, using 24-channel near-infrared spectroscopy during a 20-minute session of FA on Tanden breathing in 15 healthy volunteers. We found that the level of oxygenated hemoglobin in the anterior PFC was significantly increased during FA on Tanden breathing, accompanied by a reduction in feelings of negative mood compared to before the meditation session. Electroencephalography (EEG) revealed increased alpha band activity and decreased theta band activity during and after FA on Tanden breathing. EEG changes were correlated with a significant increase in whole blood serotonin (5-HT) levels. These results suggest that activation of the anterior PFC and 5-HT system may be responsible for the improvement of negative mood and EEG signal changes observed during FA on Tanden breathing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Xinjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fumoto
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Tamami
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sekiyama
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: Yoshinari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sato-Suzuki
authors.forename: Hideho
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000502:physiology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation; D008875:Middle Aged; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006433:Hemocyanins