Abstract
Mindfulness and compassion meditation are thought to cultivate prosocial behavior. However, the lack of diverse representation within both scientific and participant populations in contemplative neuroscience may limit generalizability and translation of prior findings. To address these issues, we propose a research framework called Intersectional Neuroscience which adapts research procedures to be more inclusive of under-represented groups. Intersectional Neuroscience builds inclusive processes into research design using two main approaches: 1) community engagement with diverse participants, and 2) individualized multivariate neuroscience methods to accommodate neural diversity. We tested the feasibility of this framework in partnership with a diverse U.S. meditation center (East Bay Meditation Center, Oakland, CA). Using focus group and community feedback, we adapted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) screening and recruitment procedures to be inclusive of participants from various under-represented groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, gender and sexual minorities, people with disabilities, neuropsychiatric disorders, and/or lower income. Using person-centered screening and study materials, we recruited and scanned 15 diverse meditators (80% racial/ethnic minorities, 53% gender and sexual minorities). The participants completed the EMBODY task – which applies individualized machine learning algorithms to fMRI data – to identify mental states during breath-focused meditation, a basic skill that stabilizes attention to support interoception and compassion. All 15 meditators’ unique brain patterns were recognized by machine learning algorithms significantly above chance levels. These individualized brain patterns were used to decode the internal focus of attention throughout a 10-min breath-focused meditation period, specific to each meditator. These data were used to compile individual-level attention profiles during meditation, such as the percentage time attending to the breath, mind wandering, or engaging in self-referential processing. This study provides feasibility of employing an intersectional neuroscience approach to include diverse participants and develop individualized neural metrics of meditation practice. Through inclusion of more under-represented groups while developing reciprocal partnerships, intersectional neuroscience turns the research process into an embodied form of social action.
Highlights
Contemplative practices such as mindfulness and compassion meditation hold promise for building more cooperative and multicultural societies, as they may increase prosocial behavior (Leiberg et al, 2011; Condon et al, 2013; Weng et al, 2015; Ashar et al, 2016) and neuroplasticity of networks involved in emotion regulation and empathic concern (Mascaro et al, 2013; Weng et al, 2013; Klimecki et al, 2014)
In our Intersectional Neuroscience framework, we tested whether an individualized approach to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study design and analysis would be feasible in this diverse sample of experienced meditators
We tested whether machine learning classifiers could (i) recognize participant-specific brain patterns relevant to breath-focused meditation, and (ii) be applied to decode these mental states that uniquely fluctuate during meditation practice for each meditator (Step 2)
Summary
Contemplative practices such as mindfulness and compassion meditation hold promise for building more cooperative and multicultural societies, as they may increase prosocial behavior (Leiberg et al, 2011; Condon et al, 2013; Weng et al, 2015; Ashar et al, 2016) and neuroplasticity of networks involved in emotion regulation and empathic concern (Mascaro et al, 2013; Weng et al, 2013; Klimecki et al, 2014). We propose an Intersectional Neuroscience framework within the context of contemplative neuroscience to address these issues In this framework, an intersectional lens (Crenshaw, 1991; Cole, 2009; Cho et al, 2013) is applied to neuroscience research procedures and methods, which aims to make the research as diverse and inclusive as possible, for people who belong to multiple marginalized identities (such as women of color). To develop and pilot the feasibility of this framework, we used (1) community engagement with a diverse contemplative community to increase cultural sensitivity of research procedures to various under-represented groups (Wallerstein and Duran, 2010), and (2) individualized multivariate fMRI methods that accommodate neural diversity and produce subjectspecific brain maps and statistics (Norman et al, 2006) representing mental states during breath-focused meditation. By adopting and integrating these methods, we aim to embody a more compassionate research framework that includes diverse identities and creates more equitable relationships
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