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O efeito da prática de mindfulness na conectividade cerebral
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O estilo de vida actual é promotor de estados de depressão, ansiedade ou stress, cujo
tratamento passa maioritariamente pela prescrição de fármacos psicoactivos. Este panorama
tem preocupado a área da Medicina, que tem procurado respostas alternativas. Uma
delas é a prática de mindfulness, cujos benefícios têm sido amplamente testemunhados
pelos seus praticantes. No entanto, continua sem se conhecer exactamente a sua influência
na dinâmica do organismo, nomeadamente na actividade cerebral, pelo que o estudo de
eventuais alterações tem merecido crescente atenção da área da Neurociência. Com este
trabalho pretende-se estudar os efeitos da prática de mindfulness na conectividade cerebral,
através de uma abordagem objectiva e longitudinal. Para isso, foram utilizados os
dados de Electroencefalografia (EEG) recolhidos em 13 indivíduos, durante um trabalho
de investigação anterior. Os dados foram adquiridos em 4 sessões distintas: antes, durante,
no fim e após a realização de um curso de mindfulness. Em cada sessões, os indivíduos
realizaram a mesma tarefa, alternando entre o estado de repouso e de concentração. Os
registos de EEG foram utilizados para analisar a evolução da conectividade cerebral entre
as diferentes regiões do cérebro, ao longo das sessões. Nesta análise foram consideradas
as banda de frequências Teta, Alfa e Beta. Os resultados obtidos para as sessões 1 e 2
são idênticos e evidenciam a latência dos efeitos da prática de mindfulness. Através dos
resultados obtidos, conclui-se a existência de uma reorganização na dinâmica funcional
do cérebro, sendo observado um padrão de conectividade mais focalizado ao longo do
tempo, mais evidente a partir da 3ª sessão, permanecendo após o fim do curso, pois entre
a sessão 3 e a 4 (separadas por 2 meses) os padrões de conectividade apresentam semelhanças.
Tal observação sustenta a hipótese da promoção da neuroplasticidade através
prática de mindfulness.
Modern society’s lifestyle is a promoter of depression, anxiety and stress, which leads to the rise of psychoactive drugs consumption. This scenario constitutes a serious public health concern. To decrease this consumption, the field of medicine has been looking for alternative answers. Mindfulness practice is one of the alternative ways, its benefits have been widely known by its practitioners. However, its exact influence on the human organism remains unknown, namely about brain activity. This is the reason for the increasing attention from neuroscientists about mindfulness neurological effects. This work aims to study the effects of mindfulness practice on brain connectivity through an objective and longitudinal approach. For this study, Electroencephalography (EEG) records collected from 13 subjects during a previous investigation work were used. The data were acquired in 4 different sessions: before, during, at the end and two months after the conclusion of a mindfulness course. During each session, each subject performed a task alternating between the resting state and a cognitive process. EEG records were used to assess the brain connectivity evolution of different brain’s regions. This analysis was performed for the frequency bands Theta, Alpha and Beta. The results obtained between sessions 1 and 2 do not differ somuch, which proves a latency of the mindfulness effects. The results obtained indicate a reorganization in the brain’s functional dynamics, observing a connectivity pattern more localized over time. This is expressly evident from the 3rd session. The results show that after the end of the course those effects remain for some time, since the results for sessions 3 and 4 reveal similarities. This fact supports the hypothesis for mindfulness-induced neural plasticity.
Modern society’s lifestyle is a promoter of depression, anxiety and stress, which leads to the rise of psychoactive drugs consumption. This scenario constitutes a serious public health concern. To decrease this consumption, the field of medicine has been looking for alternative answers. Mindfulness practice is one of the alternative ways, its benefits have been widely known by its practitioners. However, its exact influence on the human organism remains unknown, namely about brain activity. This is the reason for the increasing attention from neuroscientists about mindfulness neurological effects. This work aims to study the effects of mindfulness practice on brain connectivity through an objective and longitudinal approach. For this study, Electroencephalography (EEG) records collected from 13 subjects during a previous investigation work were used. The data were acquired in 4 different sessions: before, during, at the end and two months after the conclusion of a mindfulness course. During each session, each subject performed a task alternating between the resting state and a cognitive process. EEG records were used to assess the brain connectivity evolution of different brain’s regions. This analysis was performed for the frequency bands Theta, Alpha and Beta. The results obtained between sessions 1 and 2 do not differ somuch, which proves a latency of the mindfulness effects. The results obtained indicate a reorganization in the brain’s functional dynamics, observing a connectivity pattern more localized over time. This is expressly evident from the 3rd session. The results show that after the end of the course those effects remain for some time, since the results for sessions 3 and 4 reveal similarities. This fact supports the hypothesis for mindfulness-induced neural plasticity.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Electroencefalografia conectividade cerebral funcional coerência processos cognitivo mindfuness