Correlates of Silence: Enhanced Microstructural Changes in the Uncinate Fasciculus

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Meditation Studies

Background:

• Silence is integral to meditation, yet its neurophysiology and link to subjective experiences remain under-explored.
• Existing research lacks focus on the neural underpinnings of silence in meditative practices.
• Understanding the neurophenomenology of silence is crucial for a comprehensive view of meditation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neurophysiology of silence-related meditative experiences.
• To associate first-person reports of silence during Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) with neuroanatomical changes.
• To explore the relationship between changes in self-reported silence and brain structure, specifically fractional anisotropy (FA).

Main Methods:

• Participants engaged in Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) for 6 weeks.
• First-person reports of cognitive, emotional, and physical experiences were collected before and after the 6-week QMT period.
• Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed on self-reported experiences, alongside fractional anisotropy (FA) measurements.

Main Results:

• Increased self-reported silence-related experiences were negatively correlated with changes in attentional effort.
• Enhanced silence experiences positively correlated with increased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the left uncinate fasciculus.
• The study identified specific neuroanatomical correlates associated with silence during meditation.

Conclusions:

• Changes in self-reported silence during QMT are linked to neurobiological alterations.
• The left uncinate fasciculus may play a role in the experience of silence during meditation.
• Findings contribute to understanding the neurophenomenology of silence in meditation practices.