| Title |
Meditation and yoga practice are associated with smaller right amygdala volume: the Rotterdam study
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Brain Imaging and Behavior, February 2018
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s11682-018-9826-z |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Rinske A. Gotink, Meike W. Vernooij, M. Arfan Ikram, Wiro J. Niessen, Gabriel P. Krestin, Albert Hofman, Henning Tiemeier, M. G. Myriam Hunink |
| Abstract |
To determine the association between meditation and yoga practice, experienced stress, and amygdala and hippocampal volume in a large population-based study. This study was embedded within the population-based Rotterdam Study and included 3742 participants for cross-sectional association. Participants filled out a questionnaire assessing meditation practice, yoga practice, and experienced stress, and underwent a magnetic resonance scan of the brain. 2397 participants underwent multiple brain scans, and were assessed for structural change over time. Amygdala and hippocampal volumes were regions of interest, as these are structures that may be affected by meditation. Multivariable linear regression analysis and mixed linear models were performed adjusted for age, sex, educational level, intracranial volume, cardiovascular risk, anxiety, depression and stress. 15.7% of individuals participated in at least one form of practice. Those who performed meditation and yoga practices reported significantly more stress (mean difference 0.2 on a 1-5 scale, p < .001) and more depressive symptoms (mean difference 1.03 on CESD, p = .015). Partaking in meditation and yoga practices was associated with a significantly lower right amygdala volume (β = - 31.8 mm3, p = .005), and lower left hippocampus volume (β = - 75.3 mm3, p = .025). Repeated measurements using linear mixed models showed a significant effect over time on the right amygdala of practicing meditation and yoga (β = - 24.4 mm3, SE 11.3, p = .031). Partaking in meditation and yoga practice is associated with more experienced stress while it also helps cope with stress, and is associated with smaller right amygdala volume. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 133 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 33 | 25% |
| Spain | 9 | 7% |
| United Kingdom | 8 | 6% |
| Canada | 6 | 5% |
| Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 4 | 3% |
| Colombia | 3 | 2% |
| Mexico | 2 | 2% |
| Chile | 2 | 2% |
| South Africa | 2 | 2% |
| Other | 13 | 10% |
| Unknown | 51 | 38% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 120 | 90% |
| Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 7 | 5% |
| Scientists | 4 | 3% |
| Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 2 | 2% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 177 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 177 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Master | 30 | 17% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 20 | 11% |
| Researcher | 17 | 10% |
| Student > Bachelor | 12 | 7% |
| Professor | 7 | 4% |
| Other | 29 | 16% |
| Unknown | 62 | 35% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 25 | 14% |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 18 | 10% |
| Neuroscience | 15 | 8% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 13 | 7% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 8 | 5% |
| Other | 35 | 20% |
| Unknown | 63 | 36% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 198. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 26 January 2024.
All research outputs
#202,595
of 25,658,139 outputs
Outputs from Brain Imaging and Behavior
#9
of 1,188 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#4,697
of 448,266 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Brain Imaging and Behavior
#1
of 35 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,658,139 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,188 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 8.5. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 35 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 97% of its contemporaries.