Brain Functional Mapping on Physiological Regulating Phenomena during Meditation Exercise

• Main Authors: Chien-Hui Liou, 劉劍輝
• Other Authors: 李嗣涔
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/76149316807435688902

博士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 電機工程學研究所 === 96 === It is interesting and meaningful to explore the brain function in various aspects. Meditation is a special mental operation which might promote body health. As yet, the internal mechanism and complete neurological interpretation still remain to be established. In this study, I chose Chinese Original Quiet Sitting (COQS) to be investigated by fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) technique. Also, as COQS processes two different parts: a short period of silent recitation of religious mantra and mental imagination of receiving spiritual energy (named “Invitation of Primordial Qi”: IPQ), and a long period of relaxation with no further action (named “Allow its Natural Workings”: ANW), these two states were detailed checked in my research separately. Besides, in order to get some original information, four kinds of ordinary physiological signals were detected, which were: SAO2 (%), ETCO2 (%), Heart Rate (BPM) and Respiration Rate (BPM). The EEG signals were also detected. Sixteen subjects were reported in COQS-IPQ study. Certain brain regions showed activation with statistical significance (p<0.005), which were: vACC, declive, middle occipital gyrus, corpora quadrigemina, thalamus, pineal body, fusiform gyrus, hippocampus, superior temporal gyrus, precuneus, precentral gyrus, insula, middle temporal gyrus, culmen and cingulate gyrus. These brain regions implied profound correlation between meditation and physiological adjustments. With the same analytical condition, no negative activation regions were found. Seventeen subjects participated in COQS-ANW study. Certain brain regions showed negative and positive activation with statistical significance (p<0.05). The main negative activation regions are: dACC, superior frontal gyrus, caudate body, amygdala and superior temporal gyrus. The positive activation regions are: vACC, declive, culmen, thalamus and hypothalamus. As meditation is such a complicated mental operation depending upon the physical and mental circumstances of each subject, I supposed that it might exhibit difference of temporal activity among meditation process. The temporal effects were also studied. Within the analytic process, the ANW state was divided into three periods to check the activation patterns. Special results had been found. It also showed several BOLD (Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent) signal patterns among the hypothalamus activation which concluded the hypothesis that their exhibited differences of temporal activity during meditation process. These results implied that the internal hormone adjustment might occur in different period during meditation process depending upon the physical and mental circumstances of each subject. The experimental results exhibited meaningful brain regions which supplied profound implications to the understanding of neural regulating activities. These may also impel further studies to the establishment of systematic interpretations for the meditation exercise. Since COQS-IPQ stage showed pineal activation, the salivary melatonin study might serve as an indirect and quantitative evidence of the activation of pineal body. The elaborate reason which causes pineal activation still need more study. The schematic diagrams of the COQS-IPQ and COQS-ANW operations were provided which offered the interpretations of the brain organ and the subsequent physiological affections during the meditation process. These results exhibited that neural regulating processes might perform during the meditation period. Although the experimental results offered some valuable information, as limited by the investigating technique and academic disciplines, the detail interpretations or mechanism and the correlation between meditation and human life through certain organs still need further studies.