Neuroplasticity Within and between Functional Brain Networks in Mental Training Based on Long-Term Meditation

(1) The effects of intensive mental training based on meditation on the functional and structural organization of the human brain have been addressed by several neuroscientific studies. However, how large-scale connectivity patterns are affected by long-term practice of the main forms of meditation, Focused Attention (FA) and Open Monitoring (OM), as well as by aging, has not yet been elucidated. (2) Using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and multivariate pattern analysis, we investigated the impact of meditation expertise and age on functional connectivity patterns in large-scale brain networks during different meditation styles in long-term meditators. (3) The results show that fMRI connectivity patterns in multiple key brain networks can differentially predict the meditation expertise and age of long-term meditators. Expertise-predictive patterns are differently affected by FA and OM, while age-predictive patterns are not influenced by the meditation form. The FA meditation connectivity pattern modulated by expertise included nodes and connections implicated in focusing, sustaining and monitoring attention, while OM patterns included nodes associated with cognitive control and emotion regulation. (4) The study highlights a long-term effect of meditation practice on multivariate patterns of functional brain connectivity and suggests that meditation expertise is associated with specific neuroplastic changes in connectivity patterns within and between multiple brain networks.

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Impact of Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Large-Scale Functional Brain Networks: From Local to Global

Frontiers in Physiology ◽

10.3389/fphys.2021.700261 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Thorsten Rings ◽

Randi von Wrede ◽

Timo Bröhl ◽

Sophia Schach ◽

Christoph Helmstaedter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vagus Nerve ◽

Nerve Stimulation ◽

Mode Of Action ◽

Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽

Large Scale ◽

Brain Networks ◽

Short Term ◽

Functional Brain ◽

Functional Brain Networks ◽

The Impact

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a novel non-invasive brain stimulation technique considered as a potential supplementary treatment option for a wide range of diseases. Although first promising findings were obtained so far, the exact mode of action of taVNS is not fully understood yet. We recently developed an examination schedule to probe for immediate taVNS-induced modifications of large-scale epileptic brain networks. With this schedule, we observed short-term taVNS to have a topology-modifying, robustness- and stability-enhancing immediate effect on large-scale functional brain networks from subjects with focal epilepsies. We here expand on this study and investigate the impact of short-term taVNS on various local and global characteristics of large-scale evolving functional brain networks from a group of 30 subjects with and without central nervous system diseases. Our findings point to differential, at first glance counterintuitive, taVNS-mediated alterations of local and global topological network characteristics that result in a reconfiguration of networks and a modification of their stability and robustness properties. We propose a model of a stimulation-related stretching and compression of evolving functional brain networks that may help to better understand the mode of action of taVNS.

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Disentangling functional connectivity effects of age and expertise in long-term meditators

10.1101/848507 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Roberto Guidotti ◽

Cosimo Del Gratta ◽

Mauro Gianni Perrucci ◽

Gian Luca Romani ◽

Antonino Raffone

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Brain Networks ◽

Focused Attention ◽

Brain Areas ◽

Age Related ◽

Connectivity Patterns ◽

Open Monitoring ◽

Multivariate Pattern ◽

Neurocognitive Decline

AbstractThe effects of intensive meditation practices on the functional and structural organization of the human brain have been addressed by a growing number of neuroscientific studies. However, the different modulations of meditation expertise and of ageing, in the underlying brain areas and networks, have not yet been fully elucidated. These effects should be distinguished in order to clarify how long-term meditation can modulate the connectivity between brain areas. To address this issue, we tested whether meditation expertise and age can be predicted from the multivariate pattern of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging connectivity, in Theravada Buddhist monks with long-term practice in two different meditation forms: Focused Attention (FA) and Open Monitoring (OM).We found that functional connectivity patterns in both meditation forms can be used to predict expertise and age of long-term meditators. Our findings suggest that meditation expertise is associated with meditation-specific brain networks modulations, while age-related modifications are general and independent from the meditation type. Specifically, expertise modulated patterns during FA meditation include nodes and connections implicated in focusing, sustaining and monitoring attention, while the predictive patterns during OM meditation include nodes associated with cognitive and affective monitoring. Thus, the two forms of meditation may differentially contribute to counteract the effects of neurocognitive decline with ageing by neuroplasticity of brain networks.

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The Influence of Multi-domain Cognitive Training on Large-scale Structural and Functional Brain Networks in MCI

Case Medical Research ◽

10.31525/ct1-nct03883308 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Training ◽

Large Scale ◽

Brain Networks ◽

Functional Brain ◽

Functional Brain Networks

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Large Scale Functional Brain Networks Underlying Temporal Integration of Audio-Visual Speech Perception: An EEG Study.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.726900312.793525800 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Anirban Basu

Keyword(s):

Speech Perception ◽

Large Scale ◽

Temporal Integration ◽

Brain Networks ◽

Visual Speech ◽

Functional Brain ◽

Functional Brain Networks ◽

Visual Speech Perception

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A Perspective On The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Basic Science Research and its Future implications

Coronaviruses ◽

10.2174/2666796701999201223161636 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 01 ◽

Author(s):

Yam Nath Paudel ◽

Efthalia Angelopoulou ◽

Bhupendra Raj Giri ◽

Christina Piperi ◽

Iekhsan Othman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Basic Science ◽

Large Scale ◽

Preventive Measure ◽

Science Research ◽

Research Institutes ◽

Basic Science Research ◽

Long Term Consequences ◽

Long Term Impact ◽

The Impact

: COVID-19 has emerged as a devastating pandemic of the century that the current generations have ever experienced. The COVID-19 pandemic has infected more than 12 million people around the globe and 0.5 million people have succumbed to death. Due to the lack of effective vaccines against the COVID-19, several nations throughout the globe has imposed a lock-down as a preventive measure to lower the spread of COVID-19 infection. As a result of lock-down most of the universities and research institutes has witnessed a long pause in basic science research ever. Much has been talked about the long-term impact of COVID-19 in economy, tourism, public health, small and large-scale business of several kind. However, the long-term implication of these research lab shutdown and its impact in the basic science research has not been much focused. Herein, we provide a perspective that portrays a common problem of all the basic science researchers throughout the globe and its long-term consequences.

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Anti-meningococcal B vaccination in Italian adolescents: a cost-effective health opportunity

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.586 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

D Panatto ◽

P Landa ◽

D Amicizia ◽

P L Lai ◽

E Lecini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Vaccination Strategy ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Dose Schedule ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Invasive Disease ◽

International Setting ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Invasive disease due to Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a serious public health problem even in developed countries, owing to its high lethality rate (8-15%) and the invalidating sequelae suffered by many (up to 60%) survivors. As the microorganism is transmitted via the airborne route, the only available weapon in the fight against Nm invasive disease is vaccination. Our aim was to carry out an HTA to evaluate the costs and benefits of anti-meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination with Trumenba® in adolescents in Italy, while also considering the impact of this new vaccination strategy on organizational and ethics aspects. Methods A lifetime Markov model was developed. MenB vaccination with the two-dose schedule of Trumenba® in adolescents was compared with 'non-vaccination'. Two perspectives were considered: the National Health Service (NHS) and society. Three disease phases were defined: acute, post-acute and long-term. Epidemiological, economic and health utilities data were taken from Italian and international literature. The analysis was conducted by means of Microsoft Excel 2010®. Results Our study indicated that vaccinating adolescents (11th year of life) with Trumenba® was cost-effective with an ICER = € 7,912/QALY from the NHS perspective and € 7,758/QALY from the perspective of society. Vaccinating adolescents reduces the number of cases of disease due to meningococcus B in one of the periods of highest incidence of the disease, resulting in significant economic and health savings. Conclusions This is the first study to evaluate the overall impact of free MenB vaccination in adolescents both in Italy and in the international setting. Although cases of invasive disease due to meningococcus B are few, if the overall impact of the disease is adequately considered, it becomes clear that including anti-meningococcal B vaccination into the immunization program for adolescents is strongly recommended from the health and economic standpoints. Key messages Free, large-scale MenB vaccination is key to strengthening the global fight against invasive meningococcal disease. Anti-meningococcal B vaccination in adolescents is a cost-effective health opportunity.

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