Enhanced amygdala-cortical functional connectivity in meditators

Mei Kei Leung; Che Hin Chan; Jing Yin; Chack Fan Lee; Kwok Fai So; Tatia M.C. Lee

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2015.01.052

Enhanced amygdala-cortical functional connectivity in meditators

Mei Kei Leung, Che Hin Chan, Jing Yin, Chack Fan Lee, Kwok Fai So, Tatia M.C. Lee

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that meditation is associated with neuroplastic changes in the brain regions including amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and temporal-parietal junction. Extended from these previous works, this study examined the functional connectivity of the amygdala in meditation experts during affective processing and observed that these experts had significantly stronger left amygdala (LA) connectivity with the dorsal ACC (dACC), premotor, and primary somatosensory cortices (PSC) while viewing affectively positive stimuli when compared to the novices. The current findings have implications for further understanding of affective neuroplastic changes associated with meditation in the amygdala.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	106-110
Number of pages	5
Journal	Neuroscience Letters
Volume	590
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2015.01.052
Publication status	Published - 7 Mar 2015

Keywords

Amygdala
Anterior cingulate cortex
Emotions
Functional connectivity
Meditation
Mirror neuron

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Neuroscience

More information

10.1016/j.neulet.2015.01.052

Cite this

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title = "Enhanced amygdala-cortical functional connectivity in meditators",

abstract = "Previous studies have demonstrated that meditation is associated with neuroplastic changes in the brain regions including amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and temporal-parietal junction. Extended from these previous works, this study examined the functional connectivity of the amygdala in meditation experts during affective processing and observed that these experts had significantly stronger left amygdala (LA) connectivity with the dorsal ACC (dACC), premotor, and primary somatosensory cortices (PSC) while viewing affectively positive stimuli when compared to the novices. The current findings have implications for further understanding of affective neuroplastic changes associated with meditation in the amygdala.",

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AU - Chan, Che Hin

AU - Yin, Jing

AU - Lee, Chack Fan

AU - So, Kwok Fai

AU - Lee, Tatia M.C.

PY - 2015/3/7

Y1 - 2015/3/7

N2 - Previous studies have demonstrated that meditation is associated with neuroplastic changes in the brain regions including amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and temporal-parietal junction. Extended from these previous works, this study examined the functional connectivity of the amygdala in meditation experts during affective processing and observed that these experts had significantly stronger left amygdala (LA) connectivity with the dorsal ACC (dACC), premotor, and primary somatosensory cortices (PSC) while viewing affectively positive stimuli when compared to the novices. The current findings have implications for further understanding of affective neuroplastic changes associated with meditation in the amygdala.

AB - Previous studies have demonstrated that meditation is associated with neuroplastic changes in the brain regions including amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and temporal-parietal junction. Extended from these previous works, this study examined the functional connectivity of the amygdala in meditation experts during affective processing and observed that these experts had significantly stronger left amygdala (LA) connectivity with the dorsal ACC (dACC), premotor, and primary somatosensory cortices (PSC) while viewing affectively positive stimuli when compared to the novices. The current findings have implications for further understanding of affective neuroplastic changes associated with meditation in the amygdala.

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KW - Anterior cingulate cortex

KW - Emotions

KW - Functional connectivity

KW - Meditation

KW - Mirror neuron

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DO - 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.01.052

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VL - 590

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JO - Neuroscience Letters

JF - Neuroscience Letters

ER -

Enhanced amygdala-cortical functional connectivity in meditators

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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