(Press-News.org) One of the intriguing abilities of the human mind is daydreaming, where the mind wanders off into spontaneous thoughts, fantasies and scenarios, often without conscious effort, allowing creativity and reflection to flow freely.
In a new study published in Frontiers of Human Neuroscience, University of Arizona researchers used low-intensity ultrasound technology to noninvasively alter a brain region associated with activities such as daydreaming, recalling memories and envisioning the future. They found that the technique can ultimately enhance mindfulness, marking a major advancement in the field of neuroscience.
The researchers used low-intensity ultrasound technology called transcranial-focused ultrasound or, TFUS, to alter the default mode network of the brain, a system of connected brain areas that are especially active during activities like daydreaming.
"We are the first to show that the default mode network can be directly targeted and noninvasively modulated," said lead study author Brian Lord, a postdoctoral researcher in the U of A Department of Psychology.
One area of the default mode network, the posterior cingulate cortex, has been implicated as a major player in how the mind grasps onto experiences, said Lord, who is part of the Science Enhanced Mindfulness Lab, or SEMA Lab, at the university's Center for Consciousness Studies. The default mode network is active when people engage in introspection or let their minds wander, perhaps embedding themselves in a story, recalling past memories or planning future scenarios.
"This is how we form narratives about ourselves," Lord said.
While this narrative making is natural and important to get a coherent sense of oneself, it can also impede people from being present in the moment, Lord said. For instance, when someone is trying to meditate, it could lead to rumination and negative thinking.
To enhance mindfulness and help people engage more with the current moment, Lord's team used TFUS, a tool that can stimulate specific areas of the brain noninvasively with millimeter precision.
Unlike other noninvasive brain stimulation methods, such as transcranial electrical stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, TFUS can penetrate below the cortex, the outermost layer of the brain. Just five minutes of stimulation can induce meaningful effects.
The experiment involved 30 participants who received TFUS to the posterior cingulate cortex of the default mode network of the brain. Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, to observe changes in brain activity. Participants were asked to report their feelings and experiences before and after the TFUS treatment.
The study found that TFUS reduced the brain's connectivity within the default mode network and affected participants' mindfulness and subjective experiences, such as their sense of self and perception of time.
"The best part is you are using a minimal amount of energy to alter brain activity. You are just giving a gentle push to the brain with low-intensity ultrasound," Lord said.
The ability to target and alter brain networks opens the possibility of using TFUS for precision therapeutics, which are medical treatments tailored specifically to an individual's unique characteristics, such as their genetic makeup, lifestyle and environment. TFUS could also potentially be used to treat mood disorders like depression and anxiety, a possibility other research groups are now exploring, Lord said.
"Unlike neuroimaging techniques where you can only make correlations with brain activity, noninvasive stimulation tools like TFUS allow you to probe the brain and develop causal models," Lord said. "That's a really powerful thing for the whole field of neuroscience."
END
Ultrasound technology can be used to boost mindfulness, study finds
2024-07-11
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Gravitational waves hint at dark matter and Big Bang mysteries
2024-07-11
RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Gravitational Waves, ripples in space-time predicted by Einstein almost a century ago, were detected for the first time in 2015. A new study led by Yanou Cui, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Riverside, reports that very simple forms of matter could create detectable gravitational wave backgrounds soon after the Big Bang.
“This mechanism of creating detectable gravitational wave backgrounds may shed light on ...
Study identifies seductive language for narcissists in job postings and the implications
2024-07-11
Employers and recruiting firms frequently infuse job postings with words and phrases like “ambitious,” “thinks outside the box,” “communicates persuasively” and “thinks strategically.”
However, according to a forthcoming Management Science study, such keywords signify “rule-bender” (versus “rule-follower”) language and heavily draw narcissistic applicants who are more likely to engage in unethical or fraudulent behavior–significantly ...
Black Americans develop mental resilience to discrimination early
2024-07-11
DURHAM, N.C. -- No one likes to feel like they’re not getting the respect or courtesy they deserve. Think about the last time you felt talked down to, or treated as inferior, or got worse customer service than another person in line.
But by the time most Americans reach adulthood, Blacks may have developed better coping skills for these disappointments than their white counterparts, potentially limiting the toll such experiences take on their mental health.
That’s one of the key takeaways of a Duke University study looking at how young men and women in the U.S. react ...
Living near oil and gas activity linked to poor mental health during preconception
2024-07-11
EMBARGOED UNTIL 4 P.M. ET Thursday, July 11, 2024
Contact:
Jillian McKoy, jpmckoy@bu.edu
Michael Saunders, msaunder@bu.edu
##
As the oil and gas industry continues its rapid expansion throughout North America, a growing body of research has linked fossil fuel development to physical and mental health conditions during and after pregnancy, including preterm birth, birth defects, and psychological stress.
But it appears that oil and gas production may be hazardous to this population even before they become pregnant.
A new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researchers suggests that ...
WISDOM project pioneers plan to secure cross-border data sharing to combat chronic immune mediated diseases affecting 10% of Europeans
2024-07-11
Integrating medical and research data, ensuring secure data sharing, and using advanced AI models offer immense possibilities to mitigate the impact of chronic immune-mediated diseases (CIMDs) affecting 10% of Europeans. The consortium aims to transform complex biological information into actionable insights.
WISDOM believes novel computational tools can provide valuable knowledge and guide decision-making throughout the patient journey, from diagnosis to treatment optimization.
“As a key partner in the WISDOM project, the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP) is committed to ensuring that patients' voices and perspectives are central to ...
$3 million federal grant to fund University of Montana research on bats, climate change
2024-07-11
MISSOULA – Since 2006, a fast-moving disease known as white-nose syndrome has killed an estimated 6.7 million bats, wiping out entire colonies and decimating creatures that provide an integral means of pest control.
In response, a first-of-its-kind study by the University of Montana recently was funded by the National Science Foundation to provide critical insights on three North American bat species that are adapting to the dual threats of this disease and climate change.
Awarded nearly $3 million dollars, the project will officially start Sept. 1, but groundwork already is well underway this summer.
Although infectious diseases occur naturally in wildlife ...
Scientific definition of a planet says it must orbit our sun; A new proposal would change that
2024-07-11
Key takeaways
The International Astronomical Union defines a planet as a celestial body that orbits the sun, is massive enough that gravity has forced it into a spherical shape, and has cleared away other objects near its orbit around the sun.
Scientists now recognize the existence of thousands of planets, but the IAU definition applies only to those within our solar system.
The new proposed definition specifies that the body may orbit one or more stars, brown dwarfs or stellar remnants and sets mass limits that should apply to planets everywhere.
Planetary scientists are proposing ...
Advanced imaging reveals how a parasitic ‘kiss’ alters cell metabolism
2024-07-11
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis, a lifelong chronic infection prevalent in about 30% of the human population. It poses little harm to healthy individuals but can result in severe consequences for immunocompromised people. If infection occurs during pregnancy, the parasite can cross the placenta and cause retinal or neurological issues in the developing fetus, and potentially death in severe cases.
There is currently no vaccine for Toxoplasma infection, and the biological mechanism by which the parasite affects the metabolism of host cells is still understudied.
In new research ...
New medication for stress urinary incontinence? Investigational drug shows promise
2024-07-11
Waltham — July 11, 2024 — An investigational medication designated TAS-303 shows efficacy and safety in treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), reports a placebo-controlled clinical trial in the August issue of The Journal of Urology®, an Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
"Our study adds new evidence that TAS-303 reduces the frequency of incontinence episodes in women with SUI, without the worrisome adverse ...
Warm or cold: Hibernation status matters when white-nose syndrome pathogen infects bats
2024-07-11
The fungal pathogen that causes white-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats uses different cell entry strategies depending on the host’s hibernation status – cold and inactive, or warm and active. The findings, which required the authors to develop a new bat cell line, highlight potential therapeutic interventions against WNS using epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, like the Food and Drug Administration-approved drug gefitinib. Bats – the second-most diverse group of mammals – play an important part in mitigating agricultural pests and the spread of insect-borne disease. However, millions of hibernating bats across North America are dying from ...