Good vibrations: Sternal vibration enhances white matter density and interoceptive awareness

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Vibration-based therapies are promising for psychiatric symptoms.
• Novel neurostimulation methods like sternal vibration need further study.
• The neuroplastic effects of sternal vibration are unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine sternal vibration's effects on white matter microstructure and dissociation.
• To investigate neuroplastic changes using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI).
• To assess sternal vibration paired with mindfulness meditation in trauma-exposed adults.

Main Methods:

• 116 trauma-exposed adults with dissociation underwent MRI scans.
• Participants completed 8 mindfulness meditation sessions.
• Half received sternal vibration augmentation; the other half did not.

Main Results:

• Sternal vibration significantly improved body awareness and neurite density index (NDI) in the corticospinal tract (CST).
• Increased NDI in the cerebral peduncle correlated with decreased body dissociation in the vibration group.
• No significant clinical-white matter associations were found in the non-vibration group.

Conclusions:

• Sternal vibration combined with mindfulness meditation enhances body awareness and white matter integrity.
• This non-invasive neurostimulation promotes neuroplasticity, improving interoception.
• Sternal vibration may benefit psychiatric populations by enhancing interoceptive awareness.