Increased default mode network connectivity associated with meditation
Joon Hwan Jang, Wi Hoon Jung, Do‐hyung Kang, Min Soo Byun, Soo Jin Kwon, Chi‐hoon Choi, Jun Soo Kwon
Neuroscience Letters October 28, 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2010.10.056 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractLong-term meditation practitioners show greater functional connectivity within the default mode network, specifically in the medial prefrontal cortex, compared to non-meditators, even when not actively meditating. This suggests that regular meditation practice may produce lasting changes in brain regions involved in internalized attention and self-referential thought.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 68 |
| Population | Meditation practitioners and healthy controls without meditation experience |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation |
| Keywords | Posterior cingulate Functional connectivity Prefrontal cortex |
| Citations | 267 |
| Key finding | Meditation practitioners demonstrated greater functional connectivity within the default mode network in the medial prefrontal cortex area compared to controls. |
Abstract
Areas associated with the default mode network (DMN) are substantially similar to those associated with meditation practice. However, no studies on DMN connectivity during resting states have been conducted on meditation practitioners. It was hypothesized that meditators would show heightened functional connectivity in areas of cortical midline activity. Thirty-five meditation practitioners and 33 healthy controls without meditation experience were included in this study. All subjects received 4.68-min resting state functional scanning runs. The posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex were chosen as seed regions for the DMN map. Meditation practitioners demonstrated greater functional connectivity within the DMN in the medial prefrontal cortex area (xyz=339-21) than did controls. These results suggest that the long-term practice of meditation may be associated with functional changes in regions related to internalized attention even when meditation is not being practiced.