Long-term Chinese calligraphic handwriting reshapes the posterior cingulate cortex: A VBM study

As a special kind of handwriting with a brush, Chinese calligraphic handwriting (CCH) requires a large amount of practice with high levels of concentration and emotion regulation. Previous studies have showed that long-term CCH training has positive effects physically (induced by handwriting activities) and psychologically (induced by the state of relaxation and concentration), the latter of which is similar to the effects of meditation. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term CCH training effect on anxiety and attention, as well as brain structure. Participants were 32 individuals who had at least five years of CCH experience and 44 controls. Results showed that CCH training benefited individuals’ selective and divided attention but did not decrease their anxiety level. Moreover, the VBM analysis showed that long-term CCH training was mainly associated with smaller grey matter volumes (GMV) in the right precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). No brain areas showed larger GMV in the CCH group than the control group. Using two sets of regions of interest (ROIs), one related to meditation and the other to handwriting, ROI analysis showed significant differences between the CCH and the control group only at the meditation-related ROIs, not at the handwriting-related ROIs. Finally, for the whole sample, the GMV of both the whole brain and the PCC were negatively correlated with selective attention and divided attention. The present study was cross-sectional and had a relatively small sample size, but its results suggested that CCH training might benefit attention and influence particular brain structure through mental processes such as meditation.作为一种特殊的毛笔书写形式，中国书法手写（Chinese calligraphic handwriting, CCH）需要大量练习，且练习过程中需高度集中注意力与情绪调控。既往研究表明，长期书法练习可从生理（由书写活动引发）与心理（由放松与专注状态引发）两方面产生积极影响，其中心理效应与冥想（meditation）的作用相仿。本研究旨在探究长期书法练习对焦虑、注意力以及大脑结构的影响。本研究共纳入32名具备至少5年书法练习经历的受试者，以及44名对照个体。研究结果显示，长期书法练习可改善个体的选择性注意力与分配性注意力，但并未降低其焦虑水平。此外，基于体素形态学分析（Voxel-based morphometry, VBM）结果显示，长期书法练习主要与右侧楔前叶/后扣带回皮层（posterior cingulate cortex, PCC）的灰质体积（grey matter volumes, GMV）减小相关。书法练习组未出现大脑区域灰质体积显著大于对照组的情况。研究采用两套感兴趣区（regions of interest, ROIs）：一套与冥想相关，另一套与书写相关；感兴趣区分析结果显示，书法练习组与对照组仅在冥想相关感兴趣区存在显著差异，而在书写相关感兴趣区间无显著差异。最后，在全部研究样本中，全脑与后扣带回皮层（PCC）的灰质体积（GMV）均与选择性注意力、分配性注意力呈负相关。本研究为横断面研究，且样本量相对较小，但研究结果表明，书法练习可能通过冥想类心理过程改善注意力，并对特定大脑结构产生影响。