Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity

TLDR

Philosophical traditions claim that living in the moment increases happiness, yet the human default mode is characterized by mind‑wandering linked to unhappiness and activation of a self‑referential brain network. The study aimed to examine brain activity in experienced meditators versus matched meditation‑naïve controls during several meditation practices. Researchers compared neural activity during concentration, loving‑kindness, and choiceless awareness meditations between the two groups. Experienced meditators showed reduced activation of medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortices and increased functional connectivity among posterior cingulate, dorsal anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, indicating decreased mind‑wandering and revealing potential neural mechanisms of meditation.

Abstract

Many philosophical and contemplative traditions teach that “living in the moment” increases happiness. However, the default mode of humans appears to be that of mind-wandering, which correlates with unhappiness, and with activation in a network of brain areas associated with self-referential processing. We investigated brain activity in experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls as they performed several different meditations (Concentration, Loving-Kindness, Choiceless Awareness). We found that the main nodes of the default-mode network (medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortices) were relatively deactivated in experienced meditators across all meditation types. Furthermore, functional connectivity analysis revealed stronger coupling in experienced meditators between the posterior cingulate, dorsal anterior cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (regions previously implicated in self-monitoring and cognitive control), both at baseline and during meditation. Our findings demonstrate differences in the default-mode network that are consistent with decreased mind-wandering. As such, these provide a unique understanding of possible neural mechanisms of meditation.