Your brain on art, nature, and meditation: a pilot neuroimaging study

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 18

Published: Jan. 20, 2025

Objectives Exposure to art, nature, or meditation, all transcending human experiences, has beneficial effects on health and wellbeing. Focusing inward watching art nature videos elicits positive emotions that can help heal stress-related conditions. In a pilot functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) study, we explored the effect of digital compared contemplating universal connectedness (also known as transcendental meditation). The instructions were meditate connection Universal Soul linked sense expansion (“one with everything”), which was prompted by video galactic nebula also controlled for visual stimuli two other Methods Nine healthy adults (mean age = 29; range 19–42; 5 women) underwent block design fMRI scan using Siemens 3T Prisma scanner. blocks included (1) videos, (2) AI-generated (“machine hallucinations” Refik Anadol), (3) NASA Webb-produced images nebulas. Brain oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) processed FSL Version 6.0 general linear model (GLM) tested contrasts between meditation blocks, cluster-corrected p -value 0.05. Results Compared rest, led BOLD increases in bilateral lateral occipital fusiform gyri, well right postcentral gyrus hippocampus. viewing increased responses during observed left parietal central operculum, pre- supramarginal cortices. Conclusion Meditation rest showed brain activation regions associated object, sensory, memory processing. activity sensory object processing areas, integration region (error monitoring), while sensorimotor regions. Further studies are needed delineate distinct neural signature therapeutic inner contemplation meditative transcendent practices, its potential clinical applications.

Language: Английский

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Negative Emotion Modulates Postural Tremor Variability in Parkinson’s Disease: A Multimodal EEG and Motion Sensor Study Toward Behavioral Interventions

IBRO Neuroscience Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 1, 2025

Despite clinical observations of emotion-tremor interactions in Parkinson's disease (PD), the neurophysiological mechanisms mediating this relationship remain poorly characterized. This study employs a multimodal approach integrating 16-channel electroencephalography (EEG) and inertial motion sensors to investigate emotion-modulated postural tremor dynamics 20 PD patients healthy controls (HCs) during standardized video-induced emotional states (positive/neutral/negative). Key findings demonstrate impaired negative processing PD, manifested as paradoxical increases subjective valence (pleasure-displeasure ratings) coupled with reduced physiological arousal. Tremor variability predominantly correlated states, showing association scores positive correlation arousal levels. EEG analysis identified differential beta-band power modulation prefrontal (Fp1/Fp2) temporal (T3/T4) regions emotion processing. These results suggest that emotion-driven fluctuations originate from dysfunctional integration limbic motor networks. establish distinct phenotype, informing development closed-loop biofeedback systems for personalized neuromodulation.

Language: Английский

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Does Unfairness Evoke Anger or Disgust? A Quantitative Neurofunctional Dissection Based on 25 Years of Neuroimaging

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 21, 2024

Abstract Over the last decades, traditional ‘Homo economicus’ model has been increasingly challenged by convergent evidence underscoring impact of emotions on decision-making. A classic example is perception unfairness operationalized in Ultimatum Game where humans readily sacrifice personal gains to punish those who violate fairness norms. While emotional mechanism underlying costly punishments widely acknowledged, distinct contributions moral (anger or disgust) remain debated, partly due methodological limitations conventional experiments. Here, we capitalize a quantitative neurofunctional dissection approach combining recent developments neuroimaging meta-analyses, behavioral-level, network-level, and neurochemical-level decoding data from 3,266 participants functional studies determine common neural representations between two emotions. Experience engaged widespread bilateral network encompassing insular, cingulate, frontal regions, with dorsal striatal regions mediating decision reject unfair offers. Disgust defensive-avoidance circuit amygdalar, occipital, while anger non-overlapping systems including mid-cingulate, thalamic, regions. Unfairness disgust respectively commonly anterior mid-insula, latter additionally showed recruitment ventrolateral prefrontal orbitofrontal cortices. Multimodal network, behavioral, serotonergic provided more granular convincing these results. Findings indicate shared neuroaffective basis unfairness-induced punishment behavior suggest brain evolutionarily shaped protect individuals harm enforce societal

Language: Английский

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From Information to Knowledge: A Role for Knowledge Networks in Decision Making and Action Selection

Information, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(8), P. 487 - 487

Published: Aug. 15, 2024

The brain receives information via sensory inputs through the peripheral nervous system and stores a small subset as memories within central system. Short-term, working memory is present in hippocampus whereas long-term are distributed neural networks throughout brain. Elegant studies on mechanisms for storage neuroeconomic formulation of human decision making have been recognized with Nobel Prizes Physiology or Medicine Economics, respectively. There wide gap, however, our understanding how disparate bits translate into “knowledge”, by which knowledge used to make decisions. I propose that conceptualization “knowledge network” creation, recall critical start bridging this gap. Knowledge creation involves value-driven contextualization cross-validation certainty-seeking behaviors, including rumination reflection. recall, like memory, may occur oscillatory activity dynamically links multiple networks. These show correlated interactivity despite their presence widely separated regions system, brainstem, spinal cord gut. hippocampal–amygdala complex together entorhinal prefrontal cortices likely components since they participate contextual action selection. Sleep reflection processes attentional mediated habenula expected play key role consolidation. Unlike straightforward test determining loci requires implementation naturalistic decision-making paradigm. By formalizing neuroscientific concept networks, we can experimentally functionality recording large-scale during awake, naturally behaving animals. types difficult but important also advancing knowledge-driven opposed big data-driven models artificial intelligence. A network-driven function practical implications other spheres, such education treatment mental disorders.

Language: Английский

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The imprint of dissociative seizures on the brain

NeuroImage Clinical, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 43, P. 103664 - 103664

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Increased resting state functional connectivity between regions involved in emotion control with other specializations, e.g. motor (emotional hyperconnectivity) is one of the most consistent imaging findings persons suffering from dissociative seizures (DS). The overall goal this study was to better characterize DS-related emotional hyperconnectivity using dynamic analysis combined brainstem volumetry investigate 1. If restricted a single state. 2. How volume losses within modulatory and subnetworks neuromodulatory system influence expression hyperconnectivity. 13 (PDS) (f/m:10/3, mean age (SD) 44.6 (11.5)) 15 controls (CON) (f/m:10/5, 41.7 (13.0)) underwent mental health test battery structural at 3 T. Deformation based morphometry used assess brain loss by extracting Jacobian determinants 457 brain, forebrain structures. bold signals 445 rois were extracted CONN fMRI graph hierarchical identify 9 different states. Welch's t tests Kendall tau for group comparisons correlation analyses. duration Brain 6 longer PDS than CON (93.1(88.3) vs. 23.4(31.2), p = 0.01) positively correlated higher degrees somatization, depression, PTSD severity dissociation. Its global (90.4(3.2) vs 86.5(4.2) which caused an increased sense agency/body control. brainstem-forebrain atrophied PDS. Atrophy dwell time (modulatory: -0.295, 0.03; motor: -0.343, 0.015) atrophy subnetwork somatization -0.25, 0.036; -0.256, 0.033). episodes. remaining states not CON. synchronizes activity across regions. dysfunction that could facilitate abnormal interaction those controlling ownership during contribute tendency spinal motoneurons. impair resulting symptoms DS. Taken together, these indicate DS have neurophysiological underpinning.

Language: Английский

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Changes in Corticospinal Excitability During Physiological Stress: a Pilot Study

Published: Sept. 19, 2024

Language: Английский

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The relationship between emotional regulation and sports performance: A systematic review

Journal of Physical Education, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 35(1)

Published: July 17, 2024

The aim of the study was to investigate, through a systematic review literature, relationship between athletes’ emotional regulation in performance or competition. strategy (SPIDER) used, and keywords were used according respective vocabulary restricted each database (PubMed, SciElo, Portal BVS, SPORTDiscus, PsycNET). Boolean operators AND OR 2 inclusion 4 exclusion criteria adopted. This is registered on PROSPERO platform under ID CRD42020216250. For analysis qualitative synthesis, 10 studies included, 16 modalities identified with sample 434 athletes, 84.1% male 15.9% female. Regarding results, we can observe that sports lies interaction environmental, social, psychological factors, which trigger positive negative emotions impact performance. Moreover, it worth noting have verified phenomenon various instruments strategies, thus demonstrating heterogeneity included this review. No longitudinal observed; however, undergo alterations due sporting moment degree importance

Language: Английский

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Effects of Smile Training on Gait Disturbance in Parkinson’s Disease Patient with Neuropsychiatric Symptoms: A Single Case Design

Physical Therapy Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 27(3), P. 173 - 179

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

To verify the efficacy of smile training in improving gait disturbances patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) exhibiting neuropsychiatric symptoms. A single-case BAB design three intervention periods (B1, A1, and B2) was used. During B1 B2, 10 min (facial muscles positive thinking training) performed before usual exercise therapy. A1 period, participant received only Timed Up Go test (TUG) daily both directions. Tau-U calculated to determine effect size TUG time number steps taken during each period. Movement Disorder Society-Unified Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part III, Hospital Anxiety Depression (HADS), 10-meter walk at maximum speed, Berg Balance Scale, Characterizing Freezing Gait Questionnaire (C-FOGQ) were administered on day start last Comparisons time, turns revealed large reductions (Tau-U ≥0.74, p <0.01). The speed MDS-UPDRS III bradykinesia scores improved, whereas frequency freezing C-FOGQ remained unchanged. HADS did not show significant changes; however, made more statements his reflections. Smile may be an effective for other motor symptoms PD.

Language: Английский

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