Brain and Mindfulness

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The main aim of this project is to explore the neuro-anatomical and -physiological correlates of meditation on attention and emotion-regulation. By investigating this, our scientific goal is to more generally identify the mechanisms and biomarkers of health and mental well-being. Therefore, the investigators use non-invasive imaging like Magneto-EncephaloGraphy (MEG), ElectroEncephaloGraphy (EEG), functional and anatomic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI; including Diffusion tensor - DTI). These brain measures will then be linked to behavioral measurements. Experimental methods (i.e., simple computer tasks) will be used to measure attention, conscious perception and regulation of pain and emotion.

Official Title
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The Impact of Meditation Practice on Attention and Emotion Regulation :Studies on Neural Correlation in Brain Imagery and Biomarkers of Stress and Inflammation

Conditions
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Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Magneto-encephalography (MEG)
* Other: Electro-encephalography (EEG)
* Other: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
* Other: Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (aMRI)
* Other: Meditation


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Age : 25-70 Being affiliated to a social security system. Motivated to participate in this study. Exclusion Criteria: Medication acting on the central nervous system Opioids, Antidepressive Agents. Actual or previous neurological or psychiatric illnesses Chronic pain or any other medical condition which is related to pain or an increased sensitivity to pain. Not having a personal or family history of epilepsy Alcohol or drugs consumption 2 days before or during the study.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 25 Years
Maximum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: 1. Participants without meditation experience<br>Novices. Note that there is no meditation intervention in this study but that the two groups differ in their lifetime meditation experience. | Other: Magneto-encephalography (MEG)<br>* Magneto-encephalography<br>Other: Electro-encephalography (EEG)<br>* Electro-encephalography<br>Other: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)<br>* Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging<br>Other: Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (aMRI)<br>* Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging<br>Other: Meditation<br>* Meditation<br>|
| Other: 2. Participant with a significant meditation experience<br>Experts : > 5000 hours of practice during their life. Note that there is no meditation intervention in this study but that the two groups differ in their lifetime meditation experience. | Other: Magneto-encephalography (MEG)<br>* Magneto-encephalography<br>Other: Electro-encephalography (EEG)<br>* Electro-encephalography<br>Other: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)<br>* Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging<br>Other: Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (aMRI)<br>* Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging<br>Other: Meditation<br>* Meditation<br>|
| Other: 3. Participants without meditation experience<br>Novices. There is no meditation intervention during the study but the investigators investigate the effects of meditation by comparing 2 groups who differ in their life time meditation experience (i.e., novices vs. experts). | Other: Magneto-encephalography (MEG)<br>* Magneto-encephalography<br>Other: Electro-encephalography (EEG)<br>* Electro-encephalography<br>Other: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)<br>* Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging<br>Other: Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (aMRI)<br>* Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging<br>|
| Other: 4. Participant with a significant meditation experience<br>Experts : > 5000 hours of practice during their life. There is no meditation intervention during the study but the investigators investigate the effects of meditation by comparing 2 groups who differ in their life time meditation experience (i.e., novices vs. experts). | Other: Magneto-encephalography (MEG)<br>* Magneto-encephalography<br>Other: Electro-encephalography (EEG)<br>* Electro-encephalography<br>Other: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)<br>* Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging<br>Other: Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (aMRI)<br>* Anatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Anatomical MRI scan | Brain structure | Day 1 | 
| Functional MRI scan | Brain activation: Haemodynamic response - BOLD signal. | Day1 | 
| EEG | Event-related potential fields : amplitude in fT and latency in ms. Oscillations : power spectral density and time-frequency oscillations in fT^2/Hz | Day 1 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Behavioral measure : Accuracy of the performed task actions | Participants will perform behavioral computer tasks in which accuracy and speed is important. Performance behavior will be measured in this task: Accuracy of the performed task actions: number of errors and hits | Day 1 | 
| Psychophysics: Pain threshold | Pain threshold: The threshold of pain or pain threshold is the point along a curve of increasing perception of a stimulus at which pain begins to be felt. The temperature in degrees Celcius at which heat becomes painful for a recipient. | Day 1 | 
| Psychophysiology : Respiration | Respiration rate: breaths/minute | Day 1 | 
| Subjective experience of the participant |  | Day 1 | 
| Studies biomarkers of inflammation | area of the inflamed site in mm^2, obtained by automatic image processing of a photography | Day 1 | 
| Behavioral measure : Speed of the performed task actions | Participants will perform behavioral computer tasks in which accuracy and speed is important. Performance behavior will be measured in this task: Speed of the performed task actions: in ms. | Day 1 | 
| Psychophysiology : Heart | Heart Rate: pulses/minute | Day 1 | 
| Psychophysiology : Heart rate variability | Heart rate variability (HRV): Using an electrocardiogram, the variation in the beat-to-beat interval; measured in ms. | Day 1 | 
| Psychophysiology : Muscles | Electromyography (EMG): Recording the electrical activity produced by muscles; measured in mV. | Day 1 | 
| Psychophysiology : Eyes | Eye gaze position: relative to center of the screen, in imm | Day 1 | 
| Psychophysiology : Pupillar response | Pupillar response: pupil diameter, in mm. | Day 1 | 
| Electrogastrogram | Recording the electrical signals that travel through the stomach muscles and control the muscles' contractions (waves/minute) | Day 1 |