Where is my mind? A neurocognitive investigation of mind blanking.

Moments during wakefulness that seem empty of any reportable thought, called mind blanking (MB), are not simply gaps in experience but distinct mental states with their own characteristics. This review maps MB by examining how people report it, its brain activity, and its links to related phenomena such as meditation and sleep. The authors propose that ongoing experience varies in richness, and contentless events represent a diverse category of mental states. They argue that recognizing MB as a reportable mental category is essential for a full understanding of how the mind works during wakefulness.

Study at a glance

Abstract

During wakefulness, our thoughts transition between different contents. However, there are moments that are seemingly devoid of reportable content, referred to as mind blanking (MB). It remains unclear what these blanks represent, highlighting the definitional and phenomenological ambiguities surrounding MB. We map out MB in terms of its reportable expressions, neurophysiology, and relationship to adjacent phenomenology, including meditative practices and sleep. We propose a mechanistic account linking MB to changes at the physiological, neural, and cognitive levels. We suggest that ongoing experiences are characterized by degrees of richness, and that contentless events represent distinct mental states with their own diversity. We encourage future research to acknowledge MB as a reportable mental category, leading to a comprehensive understanding of ongoing experience.