Enhanced amygdala-cortical functional connectivity in meditators

Abstract

Functional connectivity in meditation experts during emotion processing was studied.•Enhanced neural connectivity in meditators during affective processing.•The enhanced neural connectivity may relate to the mental training of meditation.•Amygdala involves in meditation-related affective neuroplasticity. Previous studies have demonstrated that meditation is associated with neuroplastic changes in the brain regions including amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and temporal–parietal junction. Extended from these previous works, this study examined the functional connectivity of the amygdala in meditation experts during affective processing and observed that these experts had significantly stronger left amygdala (LA) connectivity with the dorsal ACC (dACC), premotor, and primary somatosensory cortices (PSC) while viewing affectively positive stimuli when compared to the novices. The current findings have implications for further understanding of affective neuroplastic changes associated with meditation in the amygdala.