title: Brain Network Reconfiguration and Perceptual Decoupling During an Absorptive State of Consciousness.
abstract: Trance is an absorptive state of consciousness characterized by narrowed awareness of external surroundings and has long been used-for example, by shamans-to gain insight. Shamans across cultures often induce trance by listening to rhythmic drumming. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined the brain-network configuration associated with trance. Experienced shamanic practitioners (n = 15) listened to rhythmic drumming, and either entered a trance state or remained in a nontrance state during 8-min scans. We analyzed changes in network connectivity. Trance was associated with higher eigenvector centrality (i.e., stronger hubs) in 3 regions: posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), and left insula/operculum. Seed-based analysis revealed increased coactivation of the PCC (a default network hub involved in internally oriented cognitive states) with the dACC and insula (control-network regions involved in maintaining relevant neural streams). This coactivation suggests that an internally oriented neural stream was amplified by the modulatory control network. Additionally, during trance, seeds within the auditory pathway were less connected, possibly indicating perceptual decoupling and suppression of the repetitive auditory stimuli. In sum, trance involved coactive default and control networks, and decoupled sensory processing. This network reconfiguration may promote an extended internal train of thought wherein integration and insight can occur.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hove
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stelzer
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany Neurocomputation and Neuroimaging Unit, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nierhaus
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabrina D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gundlach
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Margulies
authors.affiliation: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Koene R A
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Van Dijk
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany The MARCS Institute, University of Western Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: Kristianstad, Sweden.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Merker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003243:Consciousness / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012146:Rest; D057566:Self Report; D019423:Shamanism; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology
keywords: brain networks; eigenvector centrality; functional connectivity; shaman; trance