Brain Mechanisms of Self-Transformation Through YogaBY DAVID VAGO, PH.D

Y O G A M E D I C I N EEDUCATION. EXPERIENCE. RESULTS.

BY TIFFANY CRUIKSHANK

Brain Mechanisms of Self-Transformation Through Yoga

http://contemplativeneurosciences.com dvago@bwh.harvard.edu

David Vago, Ph.D. Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory –

Cognitive, Affective, & Contemplative Clinical Neurosciences Department of Psychiatry

PatanjaliSwamiVivekananda

YOGA

Yamas

Medita,on Ethics SustainedPostures

BreathControl

Niyamas Asanas Pranayama Dharana

Dhyana

Samadhi

•  Sthiram sukham aasanam – “the position which is comfortable and steady”

Patanjali

Outline •  Mapping the Meditative & Yogi Mind Through Self-Transformation – Habits of Mind – A Cognitive Model for Suffering – Brain Networks underlying habits of mind – Stress and Allostatic Load

•  Modeling Core Limbs of Yoga practice – Brain Network Interactions

•  Current Neuroscientific Research •  Summary, Take-home Messages

Brain Mechanisms of Self-Transformation Through Yoga

Time & Proficiency

Diagnostic Tool

Navigation of Progress

Targets for Therapeutic Purposes

Cole et al. 2013

Time & Proficiency

Diagnostic Tool

Navigation of Progress

Targets for Therapeutic Purposes

Svādhyāya

•  Sanskrit term which literally means "one's own reading" and "self-study”

Study thy self, discover the divine.— Patanjali’s Yogasutra, II.44 [33]

Me

Percep,on Evalua,on

0 250 500 ms

Me Me

SensoryAwareness

Me Me

Meta-Awareness

MOMENT

Anger Anxiety & Fear

Sadness negative outlook

Habits of Mind Selfing – A String of Moments

Me

Percep,on Evalua,on

Me Me

SensoryAwareness

Me Me

Anger Anxiety & Fear

Sadness negative outlook

- - - -

•  Reification of Self – Pervasive Negative Self-focus & Worldview

•  Long-term impacts of Stress on Mind & Body

•  Depression, Anxiety, Cardiovascular disease

Me

Stress Stresshasalargeimpactonmyhealth

Me

Percep,on Evalua,on

0 250 500 ms

Me Me

SensoryAwareness

Me Me

Meta-Awareness

MOMENT

Stress

Me

Stress StresshasliDletonoimpactonmyhealth

The stress response

The stress response •  Stress - state of threatened homeostasis provoked by

psychological, environmental, or physiologic stressor (Chrousos & Gold, 1992)

•  Stressor - A stimulus (internal/external) that threatens homeostasis through activation of the HPA axis and SNS, resulting in physiological change or adaptation so that organism can deal with the threat (Maier & Watkins, 1998)

•  Immediate Response: •  Acute Phase: Sympathetic activation – HPA axis activation

(immediate autonomic/cardiovascular response)

•  Long-term: –  Decrease in reproductive & growth hormones –  Immune response is attenuated in long-term

The stress response

•  Eustress -  positive cognitive response to a stressor that is healthy, or gives one a feeling of fulfilment or other positive feelings. 

•  defined by how one perceives that stressor (e.g. a negative threat versus a positive challenge)

Lazarus, R. S. (1966). Psychological Stress and the Coping Process. New York, Toronto, London: McGraw-Hill Book Co.

HPA Axis

Allostatic Load •  Allostatic “overload” refers to the wear and tear that

results from: 1. too much stress, repeated “hits” from multiple stressors accompanied by inefficient management of allostasis 2. Prolonged response – slow to terminate autonomic/ neuroendocrine response 3. not turning on an adequate response in the first place [hyperactivity with other mediators (e.g., autoimmune disorder)] 4. not habituating to the recurrence of the same stressor and thus dampening the allostatic response. Chronic allostatic load (dysregulated allostasis) can lead to pathophysiology

McEwen & Gianaros, 2010

Popovich & McTigue, 2009. Nature Medicine

HPA Axis under Allostatic Overload

How do the core Yoga components map onto the 4

networks of selfing ?

Mechanisms• Central executive network - top-down attentional control and

working memory allowing monitoring for proper goal-directed behavior followed by self-correction if needed.

•  FPCN - executive monitoring, meta-awareness, reappraisal, and response inhibition mechanisms.

• Moral cognition network - positive forms of re-appraisal, as well as motivation and intention setting associated with self -care and prosocial behavior.

•  Low-level brain networks - modulate autonomic output through inhibitory connections coming from a dorsal attention network that functions to support early forms of attentional orienting, and engagement, parasympathetic activation through vagal efferents, conditioning of breathing musculature and Baroreceptors in the lungs.

•  Striatopallidal-thalamocortical network - facilitating extinction learning and reconsolidation of maladaptive habits into behavior that is aligned with intentions and outcomes into adaptive habits.

The Basic Neuroscience Research

Yoga for Self-regulation (4 primary factors for Self-Transformation)

1.  Emphasis on interoception and bottom-up input 2.  Perceptual Inference rather than Active inference 3.  More efficient bidirectional feedback and neuro-

visceral integration 4.  Increased Phasic Inhibition of maladaptive forms

of emotional, cognitive, & behavioral output (e.g., reactivity, negative appraisal, rumination) as well as autonomic output (vaso/pulmonary constriction, inflammation, muscle tension/pain

SUMMARY OF BRAIN IMAGING CROSS-SECTIONAL RESEARCH

Morphological Findings [Cortical Thickness, Voxel-based Morphometry (VBM), and Diffusion

Tensor Imaging Analyses]

From Lazar 2005; Pagnoni and Cekic, 2007; Holzel et al., 2008, 2010; Vestergaard-Poulsen et al. 2009; Luders et al. 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013; Grant et al., 2010; Tang et al., 2012; Farb et al., 2013; Fayed et al., 2013; Kang et al., 2013; Kumar et al., 2013; Leung et al., 2013;

ITG

Insula

Sensory/motor ctx

dACC

Insula

Hippocampus ITG/MT

OFC

Functional Findings [BOLD, Perfusion]

From Lou et al., 1999; Lazar et al., 2000; Brefczynski-Lewis et al, 2007; Farb et al, 2007; Lutz et al, 2008; Shimomura et al., 2008; Lutz et al., 2009; Davanger et al., 2010; Engstrom et al, 2010; Manna et al., 2010; Brewer et al, 2011; Gard et al., 2011; Ives-Deliperi et al., 2011; Kalyani et al., 2011; Taylor et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2011; Dickenson et. al., 2012; Hasencamp et al., 2012; Lee et al., 2012; Farb et al, 2013; Guleria et al, 2013; Lutz et al., 2013; Weng et al, 2013; Lutz et al, 2014

ITG

Insula

Sensory/motor ctx

dACC

Insula

Hippocampus ITG/MT

Striatum

PCC

pIPL

vlPFC

dlPFC

1999,Nature

•  Paranthropis(2.7–1.2Ma)

•  Rela5vevolumes(asapercentageofwholebrainsize)offourregionsoftheprefrontalcortexinhumansandgreatapes.

•  Rela5vesizeofhumanBA10(FPC)istwicethatofbothbonobosandchimpanzees

Data from Schenker (2007) and Semendeferi et al. (1998, 2001).

SummaryandTake-homeMessages

•  Suffering can be described through maladaptive habits of mind and reactions to stress (from both high and low-level) brain networks

•  Yoga can be conceptualized through 4 main components (Meditation, Ethics, Sustained postures, and Breath control)

•  Transformation of the Self is likely through greater integration of high and low-level networks and systems as well as a shift towards bottom-up interoceptive processing

http://contemplativeneurosciences.com/ dvago@bwh.Harvard.edu

Special Thanks to:

• EmilyStern

• SwathiIyer

• MonicaBenneV• EmilyFeeney• AndreaPoile

• BenFuchs• CourtneyHaley• LaurelMorris• LoreneLeung

Support from:

•  EinatLiebenthal•  JaneEpstein

•  HongPan

• DavidSilbersweig

http://contemplativeneurosciences.com/ dvago@bwh.harvard.edu

TheImpactFounda5on&Anonymous

PhilanthropicDona5onsShinzen Young & Stephanie Nash

Thank You

DavidR.Vago,Ph.D.,Brigham&Women'sHospital,HarvardMedicalSchool

hDp://contempla,veneurosciences.comdvago@bwh.harvard.edu

David.vago@vanderbilt.edu