The effect of meditation on brain structure: cortical thickness mapping and diffusion tensor imaging

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neuroimaging
• Brain Plasticity

Background:

• Neuroscientific evidence suggests meditation impacts neural processes related to attention and emotion.
• Meditation is hypothesized to induce functional and structural plasticity in the brain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate brain structural differences between long-term meditators and meditation-naïve controls.
• To identify specific cortical and white matter alterations associated with extensive meditation practice.

Main Methods:

• Whole-brain cortical thickness analysis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to assess white matter integrity.
• Comparison between 46 experienced meditators and 46 matched controls.

Main Results:

• Meditators exhibited greater cortical thickness in anterior brain regions (frontal and temporal lobes).
• Thinner cortical thickness was observed in posterior brain regions (parietal and occipital lobes).
• Increased fractional anisotropy and cortical thickness were noted adjacent to the medial prefrontal cortex.

Conclusions:

• Long-term meditation is linked to structural differences in both gray and white matter.
• These findings support meditation's role in inducing neuroplasticity.
• Brain structural changes may underlie meditation's effects on attention and emotion regulation.