Dynamic functional connectivity signatures of focused attention on the breath in adolescents.
Isaac N Treves, Aaron K Kucyi, Anna O Tierney, Emma Balkind, Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli, Zev Schuman-Olivier, John D E Gabrieli, Christian A Webb
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) February 5, 2025 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaf024 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDuring a breath-counting task, 72 adolescents showed increased static connectivity within attention-direction and orienting networks and anticorrelations between attention networks and the default mode network compared to rest. Dynamic connectivity analysis revealed four distinct brain states, including one anticorrelated with the default mode network that was proportionally more present during the task. Brain state markers distinguished breathing tasks from rest and momentary on-task from off-task attention, but no brain states reflected between-individual behavioral variability.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 72 |
| Population | Adolescents |
| Intervention | breath-counting task |
| Keywords | Breath meditation Decreased mind-wandering Dynamic functional connectivity Sustained attention |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | Breath-counting relative to rest increases static connectivity within attention networks and anticorrelations with the default mode network, and dynamic connectivity reveals distinct brain states for task versus rest and on-task versus off-task attention. |
Abstract
Breathing meditation typically consists of directing attention toward breathing and redirecting attention when the mind wanders. As yet, we do not have a full understanding of the neural mechanisms of breath attention, in particular, how large-scale network interactions may be different between breath attention and rest and how these interactions may be modulated during periods of on-task and off-task attention to the breath. One promising approach may be examining fMRI measures including static connectivity between brain regions as well as dynamic, time-varying brain states. In this study, we analyzed static and dynamic functional connectivity in 72 adolescents during a breath-counting task (BCT), leveraging physiological respiration data to detect objective on-task and off-task periods. During the BCT relative to rest, we identified increases in static connectivity within attention-direction and orienting networks and anticorrelations between attention networks and the DMN. Dynamic connectivity analysis revealed four distinct brain states, including a DMN-anticorrelated brain state, proportionally more present during the BCT than the rest. We found there were distinct brain state markers of (i) breathing tasks vs rest and (ii) momentary on-task vs off-task attention within the BCT, yet in this analysis, no identifiable brain states reflecting between-individual behavioral variability.