Effects of mindfulness meditation on conscious and non-conscious components of the mind

The aim of the present review is to investigate previous studies concerning the effects of meditation and dispositional mindfulness on conscious and implicit or non-conscious attitudes. First we present a brief perspective on conscious and non-conscious states of mind. Then we introducethefundamentalbasesofmindfulnessmeditation. Third we review studies on dispositional mindfulness and meditation that employed either direct or indirect measures to assess explicit and implicit attitudes. Finally, we briefly present how meditation has been associated with the psychotherapeutic practice of psychoanalysis and, hence, as a therapeutic technique to access the unconscious. Until now, few studies have investigated the impact of meditation on non-conscious states of mind and personality; nevertheless, both scientific studies involving implicit measures and reflections from psychotherapy have underlined the importance of meditation in promoting psychological well-being, leading to de-automatization of automatic patterns of responding and to higher levels of self-awareness

Editorial: Neuroimaging and neuropsychology of meditation states

2noopenopenTomasino, Barbara; Fabbro, FrancoTomasino, Barbara; Fabbro, Franc

Temperament and Character Effects on Late Adolescents' Well-Being and Emotional-Behavioural Difficulties

Background. Research on adults points to personality as a crucial determinant of well- being. The present study investigates the question of personality's relation to well-being and psychosocial adjustment in adolescence. Methods. We assessed the role of temperament and character (Temperament and Character Inventory, TCI-125), on psychological well-being (PWB; Psychological Well- Being scales), subjective well-being (SWB; Positive and Negative Affect, PA and NA, respectively), and psychosocial adjustment (emotional-behavioural problems measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for Adolescents, SDQ-A), in 72 Italian late adolescents (aged 17.5 0.75). Multiple regressions were conducted to predict PWB, SWB, and SDQ-A scores using TCI-125 scales as predictors. Results. Character maturity, and in particular Self-Directedness, had a widespread protective effect on well-being and psychosocial adjustment, while different strengths and emotional-behavioural difficulties were associated to specific temperamental and character traits. For example, Harm-Avoidance and Novelty-Seeking positively predicted internalized and externalized problems, respectively. Discussion. The present results suggest the usefulness of continuing to evaluate temperament and, in particular, character dimensions in investigations focused on adolescents' well-being and psychosocial functioning, especially in the contexts of potential interventions aimed at enhancing development of adolescents' character dimensions at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal levels

Identifying environmental sounds: a multimodal mapping study

Our environment is full of auditory events such as warnings or hazards, and their correct recognition is essential. We explored environmental sound (ES) recognition in a series of studies. In study 1 we performed an Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-Analysis of neuroimaging studies addressing ES processing to delineate the network of areas consistently involved in ES processing. In study 2 we reported a series of 7 neurosurgical patients with lesions involving the areas found consistently activated by the ALE meta-analysis and tested their ES recognition abilities. In study 3 we investigated how the areas involved in ES might be functionally deregulated as an effect of lesion by performing an fMRI study on patients (in comparison to healthy controls). Areas found to be consistently activated in the ALE quantitative meta-analysis involved the STG/MTG, insula/rolandic operculum, parahippocampal gyrus and inferior frontal gyrus complex bilaterally. Some of these areas were found modulated by design choices, e.g., type of task, type of control condition, type of stimuli. Patients with lesions in these areas of the left and the right hemisphere had an impaired ES recognition. The most frequently lesioned area corresponded to the hippocampus/insula/superior temporal gyrus. For the most part, the patients’ responses were unrelated to the target sounds or were semantically related to the target sounds. The other type of responses were: auditorily related, semantically and auditorily related, and I don't Know answers. The fMRI evidenced deregulations of the activation reported in the right IFG and in the STG bilaterally and in the left insula. We showed that some of these clusters of activation truly reflect ES processing, whereas others are related to design choices. Our results allowed a parcelization of the activation found along the MTG/STG are

Genome-Wide Analysis in Brazilian Xavante Indians Reveals Low Degree of Admixture

Characterization of population genetic variation and structure can be used as tools for research in human genetics and population isolates are of great interest. the aim of the present study was to characterize the genetic structure of Xavante Indians and compare it with other populations. the Xavante, an indigenous population living in Brazilian Central Plateau, is one of the largest native groups in Brazil. A subset of 53 unrelated subjects was selected from the initial sample of 300 Xavante Indians. Using 86,197 markers, Xavante were compared with all populations of HapMap Phase III and HGDP-CEPH projects and with a Southeast Brazilian population sample to establish its population structure. Principal Components Analysis showed that the Xavante Indians are concentrated in the Amerindian axis near other populations of known Amerindian ancestry such as Karitiana, Pima, Surui and Maya and a low degree of genetic admixture was observed. This is consistent with the historical records of bottlenecks experience and cultural isolation. By calculating pair-wise F-st statistics we characterized the genetic differentiation between Xavante Indians and representative populations of the HapMap and from HGDP-CEPH project. We found that the genetic differentiation between Xavante Indians and populations of Ameridian, Asian, European, and African ancestry increased progressively. Our results indicate that the Xavante is a population that remained genetically isolated over the past decades and can offer advantages for genome-wide mapping studies of inherited disorders.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)INCT- Obesidade e DiabetesUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Disciplina Endocrinol, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Lab Genet & Mol Cardiol, Inst Heart, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Social Med, Ribeirao Preto, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Disciplina Endocrinol, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Contributions of Neuropsychology to the Study of Ancient Literature

The present work introduces the neuropsychological paradigm as a new approach to studying ancient literature. In the first part of the article, an epistemological framework for the proper use of neuropsychology in relation to ancient literature is presented. The article then discusses neuropsychological methods of studying different human experiences and dimensions already addressed by ancient literatures. The experiences of human encounters with gods among ancient cultures are first considered, through the contributions of Julian Jaynes and Eric R. Dodds. The concepts of right and left in the Bible, and that of soul are then discussed. Ecstatic experience in Paul of Tarsus is also presented, with a particular focus on glossolalia. Neuroscientific differences between mindful and unitive meditative practices are then described referring to ancient Buddhist literature, and finally a brief description of dreams in ancient Greek literature is proposed. Neuropsychology variously enables a more profound understanding of themes characterizing human experiences that ancient literature has already explored; these investigations prove that the collaboration of neuroscience and humanistic studies can return fruitful and interesting results

Obesity and its relationship with cardiovascular risk factors in a Japanese-Brazilian population

OBJETIVO: Descrever associações entre excesso de peso e obesidade abdominal com fatores de risco cardiovascular na população nipo-brasileira de Mombuca, Guatapará, SP. MÉTODOS: Participaram do estudo 131 indivíduos com descendência japonesa (69,2% da primeira e 30,8% da segunda geração), com idade > 20 anos, correspondendo a 66,8% da população residente dessa faixa etária. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionários padronizados e foram realizados exames clínicos e laboratoriais. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de sobrepeso foi de 29,6% entre os homens e de 25,6% entre as mulheres e a de obesidade foi de 46,3% entre os homens e de 39,0% entre as mulheres. Entre os homens a prevalência de obesidade abdominal foi de 55,6% e entre as mulheres de 20,8%. O índice de massa corpórea foi associado independentemente com triglicérides, circunferência abdominal e idade; a pressão arterial sistólica com a circunferência abdominal. CONCLUSÃO: O presente estudo enfatiza a necessidade de medidas de intervenção para a prevenção da obesidade na população nipo-brasileira de Mombuca.OBJECTIVE: To describe associations of weight excess and abdominal obesity with cardiovascular risk factors in a Japanese-Brazilian population from Mombuca, Guatapará, SP. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 131 individuals of Japanese ancestry (69.2% first and 30.8% second generation), aged 20 years or more, corresponding to 66.8% of the resident population from this age group. Data were collected through standardized questionnaires and laboratory and physical examinations were performed. RESULTS: Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 29.6% and 46.3% in men and 25.6% and 39.0% in women, respectively. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 55.6% in men and 20.8% in women. Body mass index was independently associated with triglycerides, waist circumference and age; systolic blood pressure with waist circumference. CONCLUSIONS: Data from the present survey highlight the necessity of interventions to prevent obesity in the Japanese-Brazilian population from Mombuca

Prevalência do diabetes melito na comunidade nipo-brasileira de Mombuca, Guatapará, SP

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in the Japanese-Brazilian community of Mombuca in relation to risk factors (FR) for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 131 individuals of Japanese ancestry (69% first generation), aged 20 years or more, submitted to socio-cultural, anthropometric, and biochemistry evaluation. RESULTS: Of the individuals studied (n = 131, age = 55.1 ± 15.9 years), 58.8% were women. The prevalence of DM2 and IGT were 13.7% and 14.5%, respectively. Regarding RF, 76.3% presented dyslipidemia, 52.7% abdominal obesity, 48.1% arterial hypertension, and 42.3% whole body obesity. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of DM2, IGT, and RF in this Japanese-Brazilian community was higher than in the adult population of the city of Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil, suggesting an increase in risk conditions for these morbidities.OBJETIVO: Estimar prevalências de diabetes melito tipo 2 (DM2) e tolerância à glicose diminuída (TGD) na comunidade de Mombuca, Guatapará, SP, relacionando-as com fatores de risco (FR) para diabetes e doenças cardiovasculares. SUJEITOS E MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com 131 nipo-brasileiros (69% de 1ª geração), idade > 20 anos, ambos os sexos, com avaliação sociocultural, antropométrica e bioquímica. RESULTADOS: Dos 131 participantes (idade média = 55,1 ± 15,9 anos), a maioria (58,8%) era do sexo feminino. As prevalências de DM2 e TGD foram 13,7% e 14,5%, respectivamente. Em relação aos FR, 76,3% apresentaram dislipidemia, 52,7%, obesidade abdominal (OA), 48,1%, hipertensão arterial (HA) e 42,3%, obesidade geral. CONCLUSÕES: As prevalências de DM2, TGD e FR observadas nos nipo-brasileiros foram superiores aos valores da população adulta de Ribeirão Preto, SP, sugerindo acentuação de situações predisponentes dessas morbidades

Prevalência do diabetes melito na comunidade nipo-brasileira de Mombuca, Guatapará, SP

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in the Japanese-Brazilian community of Mombuca in relation to risk factors (FR) for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 131 individuals of Japanese ancestry (69% first generation), aged 20 years or more, submitted to socio-cultural, anthropometric, and biochemistry evaluation. RESULTS: Of the individuals studied (n = 131, age = 55.1 ± 15.9 years), 58.8% were women. The prevalence of DM2 and IGT were 13.7% and 14.5%, respectively. Regarding RF, 76.3% presented dyslipidemia, 52.7% abdominal obesity, 48.1% arterial hypertension, and 42.3% whole body obesity. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of DM2, IGT, and RF in this Japanese-Brazilian community was higher than in the adult population of the city of Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil, suggesting an increase in risk conditions for these morbidities.OBJETIVO: Estimar prevalências de diabetes melito tipo 2 (DM2) e tolerância à glicose diminuída (TGD) na comunidade de Mombuca, Guatapará, SP, relacionando-as com fatores de risco (FR) para diabetes e doenças cardiovasculares. SUJEITOS E MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com 131 nipo-brasileiros (69% de 1ª geração), idade > 20 anos, ambos os sexos, com avaliação sociocultural, antropométrica e bioquímica. RESULTADOS: Dos 131 participantes (idade média = 55,1 ± 15,9 anos), a maioria (58,8%) era do sexo feminino. As prevalências de DM2 e TGD foram 13,7% e 14,5%, respectivamente. Em relação aos FR, 76,3% apresentaram dislipidemia, 52,7%, obesidade abdominal (OA), 48,1%, hipertensão arterial (HA) e 42,3%, obesidade geral. CONCLUSÕES: As prevalências de DM2, TGD e FR observadas nos nipo-brasileiros foram superiores aos valores da população adulta de Ribeirão Preto, SP, sugerindo acentuação de situações predisponentes dessas morbidades