Topological changes of brain network during mindfulness meditation: an exploratory source level magnetoencephalographic study

Anna Lardone; Marianna Liparoti; Pierpaolo Sorrentino; Roberta Minino; Arianna Polverino; Emahnuel Troisi Lopez; Simona Bonavita; Fabio Lucidi; Giuseppe Sorrentino; Laura Mandolesi; Anna Lardone; Marianna Liparoti; Pierpaolo Sorrentino; Roberta Minino; Arianna Polverino; Emahnuel Troisi Lopez; Simona Bonavita; Fabio Lucidi; Giuseppe Sorrentino; Laura Mandolesi

doi:10.3934/Neuroscience.2022013

AIMS Neuroscience

2022, Volume 9, Issue 2: 250-263. doi: 10.3934/Neuroscience.2022013

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Research article

Topological changes of brain network during mindfulness meditation: an exploratory source level magnetoencephalographic study

1.
Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, University of Roma “Sapienza”, 00185 Rome, Italy
2.
Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Aix-Marseille University, 13005 Marseille, France
3.
Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems, CNR, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
4.
Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, University of Naples “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy
5.
Institute for Diagnosis and Cure Hermitage Capodimonte, 80131 Naples, Italy
6.
Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples Italy
7.
Department of Humanities, University Federico II, 80133, Naples
Anna Lardone and Marianna Liparoti contributed equally to the work

Received: 24 September 2021 Revised: 21 March 2022 Accepted: 21 March 2022 Published: 07 May 2022

We have previously evidenced that Mindfulness Meditation (MM) in experienced meditators (EMs) is associated with long-lasting topological changes in resting state condition. However, what occurs during the meditative phase is still debated.

Utilizing magnetoencephalography (MEG), the present study is aimed at comparing the topological features of the brain network in a group of EMs (n = 26) during the meditative phase with those of individuals who had no previous experience of any type of meditation (NM group, n = 29). A wide range of topological changes in the EM group as compared to the NM group has been shown. Specifically, in EMs, we have observed increased betweenness centrality in delta, alpha, and beta bands in both cortical (left medial orbital cortex, left postcentral area, and right visual primary cortex) and subcortical (left caudate nucleus and thalamus) areas. Furthermore, the degree of beta band in parietal and occipital areas of EMs was increased too.

Our exploratory study suggests that the MM can change the functional brain network and provides an explanatory hypothesis on the brain circuits characterizing the meditative process.
- functional connectivity,
- neuroplasticity,
- synchronization,
- graph theory,
- Vipassana Meditation
Citation: Anna Lardone, Marianna Liparoti, Pierpaolo Sorrentino, Roberta Minino, Arianna Polverino, Emahnuel Troisi Lopez, Simona Bonavita, Fabio Lucidi, Giuseppe Sorrentino, Laura Mandolesi. Topological changes of brain network during mindfulness meditation: an exploratory source level magnetoencephalographic study[J]. AIMS Neuroscience, 2022, 9(2): 250-263. doi: 10.3934/Neuroscience.2022013

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Abstract

We have previously evidenced that Mindfulness Meditation (MM) in experienced meditators (EMs) is associated with long-lasting topological changes in resting state condition. However, what occurs during the meditative phase is still debated.

Utilizing magnetoencephalography (MEG), the present study is aimed at comparing the topological features of the brain network in a group of EMs (n = 26) during the meditative phase with those of individuals who had no previous experience of any type of meditation (NM group, n = 29). A wide range of topological changes in the EM group as compared to the NM group has been shown. Specifically, in EMs, we have observed increased betweenness centrality in delta, alpha, and beta bands in both cortical (left medial orbital cortex, left postcentral area, and right visual primary cortex) and subcortical (left caudate nucleus and thalamus) areas. Furthermore, the degree of beta band in parietal and occipital areas of EMs was increased too.

Our exploratory study suggests that the MM can change the functional brain network and provides an explanatory hypothesis on the brain circuits characterizing the meditative process.

Abbreviations

AAL

Automated Anatomical Labeling

betweenness centrality

EEG

electroencephalography

experienced meditators

FDR

False Discovery Rate

fMRI

functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ICA

Independent Component Analysis

MEG

magnetoencephalography

Mindfulness Meditation

MST

minimum spanning tree

individuals who had no previous experience of any type of meditation

PLI

Phase Lag Index

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by funding from the Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II (Fondi ricerca dipartimentale 30% and 70% 2020/2021) to LM and from the University of Naples “Parthenope” to G.S. (Progetto BIGASC).
We would like to thank the “Prana Vidya Yoga” Association.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author contributions

All authors designed the research. AL, ML, ETL, RM and AP performed the research. AL, ML and PS analyzed the data. AL, ML, PS, SB, FL, GS and LM wrote the paper. All authors read, revised, and approved the final manuscript.

Availability of data

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Ethics approval

The study was approved by the “Comitato Etico Campania Centro” (Prot.n.93C.E./Reg. n.14-17OSS) and was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

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