Joshua Cain

2 papers in the library · 11 citations · publishing 2024

Papers

Facilitating Meditation with Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation: A First Investigation in Experienced Practitioners

January 31, 2024 Joshua Cain, Tracy Brandmeyer, Ninette Simonian et al. 9 citations preprint

Focused ultrasound stimulation of the caudate nucleus significantly improves self-reported meditative depth and mood in experienced vipassana meditators, and is accompanied by reduced heart rate and increased heart rate variability. These physiological changes strongly correlate with reported depth, suggesting a mechanistic link between reduced arousal and successful meditation. Stimulation of the posterior cingulate cortex or insula did not produce similar effects. The findings indicate that targeted neuromodulation may help lower the barrier to consistent meditation practice for novice or intermediate meditators.

DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/3bzg6 Meditation Neuromodulation Focused ultrasound Psychotherapist +6

ENIGMA-Meditation: Worldwide consortium for neuroscientific investigations of meditation practices

April 8, 2024 Saampras Ganesan, Aki Tsuchiyagaito, Greg J. Siegle et al. 2 citations preprint

Meditation practices, which have been adapted into manualized interventions for conditions like depression, pain, addiction, and anxiety, show therapeutic promise, but their neuroscientific basis remains unclear. Current neuroimaging studies rely on small, heterogeneous datasets that vary in practice types, participant experience, clinical targets, and imaging methods, limiting generalizability and replicability. To address this, the ENIGMA-Meditation consortium was formed as a global collaboration to conduct systematic meta- and mega-analyses of distributed neuroimaging data using standardized methods. This framework aims to improve statistical power and rigorously characterize the neural mechanisms underlying meditation's effects on psychological and cognitive attributes, advancing the field of contemplative neuroscience.

DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/f2rvx Meditation Psychology Psychotherapist Philosophy +1