Larger Hippocampal Dimensions in Meditation Practitioners: Differential Effects in Women and Men
On average, the human hippocampus shows structural differences between meditators and non-meditators as well as between men and women. However, there is a lack of research exploring possible sex effects on hippocampal anatomy in the framework of meditation. Thus, we obtained high-resolution magnetic...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-03-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00186/full |
| _version_ | 1818195664030400512 |
|---|---|
| author | Eileen eLuders Paul Matthew Thompson Florian eKurth |
| author_facet | Eileen eLuders Paul Matthew Thompson Florian eKurth |
| author_sort | Eileen eLuders |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | On average, the human hippocampus shows structural differences between meditators and non-meditators as well as between men and women. However, there is a lack of research exploring possible sex effects on hippocampal anatomy in the framework of meditation. Thus, we obtained high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging data from 30 long-term meditation practitioners (15 men / 15 women) and 30 well-matched control subjects (15 men / 15 women) to assess if hippocampus-specific effects manifest differently in male and female brains. Hippocampal dimensions were enlarged both in male and in female meditators when compared to sex- and age-matched controls. However, meditation effects differed between men and women in magnitude, laterality, and location on the hippocampal surface. Such sex-divergent findings may be due to genetic (innate) or acquired differences between male and female brains in the areas involved in meditation and/or suggest that male and female hippocampi are differently receptive to mindfulness practices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:21:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10cd0526489e4db5a82f9f087416696d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:21:46Z |
| publishDate | 2015-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-10cd0526489e4db5a82f9f087416696d2022-12-22T00:43:12ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782015-03-01610.3389/fpsyg.2015.00186120433Larger Hippocampal Dimensions in Meditation Practitioners: Differential Effects in Women and MenEileen eLuders0Paul Matthew Thompson1Florian eKurth2UCLA School of MedicineUSC School of MedicineUCLA School of MedicineOn average, the human hippocampus shows structural differences between meditators and non-meditators as well as between men and women. However, there is a lack of research exploring possible sex effects on hippocampal anatomy in the framework of meditation. Thus, we obtained high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging data from 30 long-term meditation practitioners (15 men / 15 women) and 30 well-matched control subjects (15 men / 15 women) to assess if hippocampus-specific effects manifest differently in male and female brains. Hippocampal dimensions were enlarged both in male and in female meditators when compared to sex- and age-matched controls. However, meditation effects differed between men and women in magnitude, laterality, and location on the hippocampal surface. Such sex-divergent findings may be due to genetic (innate) or acquired differences between male and female brains in the areas involved in meditation and/or suggest that male and female hippocampi are differently receptive to mindfulness practices.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00186/fullBrainHippocampusgendermindfulnessMRISex |
| spellingShingle | Eileen eLuders Paul Matthew Thompson Florian eKurth Larger Hippocampal Dimensions in Meditation Practitioners: Differential Effects in Women and Men Frontiers in Psychology Brain Hippocampus gender mindfulness MRI Sex |
| title | Larger Hippocampal Dimensions in Meditation Practitioners: Differential Effects in Women and Men |
| title_full | Larger Hippocampal Dimensions in Meditation Practitioners: Differential Effects in Women and Men |
| title_fullStr | Larger Hippocampal Dimensions in Meditation Practitioners: Differential Effects in Women and Men |
| title_full_unstemmed | Larger Hippocampal Dimensions in Meditation Practitioners: Differential Effects in Women and Men |
| title_short | Larger Hippocampal Dimensions in Meditation Practitioners: Differential Effects in Women and Men |
| title_sort | larger hippocampal dimensions in meditation practitioners differential effects in women and men |
| topic | Brain Hippocampus gender mindfulness MRI Sex |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00186/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT eileeneluders largerhippocampaldimensionsinmeditationpractitionersdifferentialeffectsinwomenandmen AT paulmatthewthompson largerhippocampaldimensionsinmeditationpractitionersdifferentialeffectsinwomenandmen AT florianekurth largerhippocampaldimensionsinmeditationpractitionersdifferentialeffectsinwomenandmen |