Structural plasticity of the social brain: Differential change after socio-affective and cognitive mental training.

ABSTRACT: Although neuroscientific research has revealed experience-dependent brain changes across the life span in sensory, motor, and cognitive domains, plasticity relating to social capacities remains largely unknown. To investigate whether the targeted mental training of different cognitive and social skills can induce specific changes in brain morphology, we collected longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data throughout a 9-month mental training intervention from a large sample of adults between 20 and 55 years of age. By means of various daily mental exercises and weekly instructed group sessions, training protocols specifically addressed three functional domains: (i) mindfulness-based attention and interoception, (ii) socio-affective skills (compassion, dealing with difficult emotion

SUBMITTER: Valk SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5627980 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature