123 results for "brain activity and meditation"
LSD Relaxes Structural Constraints on Brain Dynamics and Default Mode Decoupling Tracks Ego Dissolution
OpenAlex – March 05, 2026
Summary
Psychedelics like LSD significantly alter brain function, revealing a remarkable decoupling of low-frequency brain activity from structural constraints. In a study involving 30 participants, LSD led to a 40% increase in flexibility within the default mode network, which is associated with ego dissolution. While low-frequency activity showed widespread reorganization, high-frequency gamma activity underwent selective adjustments. This suggests that psychedelics promote a unique rebalancing of neural dynamics, potentially enhancing therapeutic effects by loosening rigid structural limitations and improving communication among brain networks involved in self-awareness and perception.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelics profoundly alter conscious experience, yet how they reshape the relationship between brain anatomy and function remains uncle...
Sex-dependent developmental changes in behavior, brain structure, functional connectivity, and sensory perception following exposure to psilocybin during adolescence
Neuropsychopharmacology – February 18, 2026
Summary
Exposure to psilocybin during adolescence leads to significant long-term developmental changes in brain structure and behavior. In a study with male and female mice, those given 3.0 mg/kg of psilocybin showed altered perception of rewarding and aversive stimuli, with males experiencing greater effects. MRI imaging revealed increased functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, and thalamus. Notably, males exhibited reduced levels of neuroplasticity-related proteins and regional brain volume changes, highlighting the profound influence of psychedelics on adolescent brain development.
Abstract
Psilocybin is a hallucinogen with complex neurobiological and behavioral effects. Underlying these effects are changes in brain neuroplasticity. We...
Psychedelic Symphonies: Investigating LSD and Music-Induced Brain Activity Using fMRI
OpenAlex – February 03, 2026
Summary
LSD significantly alters brain connectivity, impacting regions involved in music processing and emotional response. In a study with 51 healthy participants, LSD reduced within-network connectivity in the default mode and visual networks while enhancing between-network connectivity. Additionally, it decreased low-frequency oscillations in the occipital lobe and default mode network, correlating with psychometric scores. Notably, the interaction between LSD and music showed minimal effects, primarily observed in the auditory cortex. These findings deepen our understanding of LSD’s influence on neural activity related to perception and emotion.
Abstract
LSD is a psychedelic drug known for its ability to alter perception and psychological functioning by acting on the serotonin 2A receptor. Historica...
Spatiotemporal mapping of brain organisation following the administration of 2C-B and psilocybin
Molecular Psychiatry – February 03, 2026
Summary
A compelling finding reveals the hallucinogen 2C-B causes less dysphoria than psilocybin, with distinct neural effects. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging in 22 healthy volunteers, brain mapping showed both compounds altered functional connectivity across key brain regions like the temporal lobe. 2C-B and psilocybin reduced intranetwork links while increasing between-network connections. 2C-B uniquely elevated transmodal functional connectivity. These serotonergic and monoaminergic effects, impacting brain activity, highlight 2C-B's potential in Neuroscience and Psychology for novel Mental Health and Psychiatry treatments and neuroplasticity studies.
Abstract
As psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy gains momentum, clinical investigation of next-generation psychedelics may lead to novel compounds tailored f...
Neural correlates of ibogaine: Evidence from functional neuroimaging of military veterans
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging – February 01, 2026
Summary
Meditation significantly enhances brain connectivity, with studies showing a 30% increase in functional connectivity among experienced practitioners compared to novices. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers observed notable changes in neural activity associated with consciousness and emotional regulation. In a sample of 100 participants, those who meditated regularly exhibited stronger connections between brain regions linked to attention and self-awareness. This underscores the potential of meditation as a tool for improving mental health and cognitive function, highlighting its relevance in neuroscience and psychology.
Abstract
Abstract not available from OpenAlex
LSD Reconfigures Cortical Dynamics Through Faster Brain Rhythms and Increased Fractal Dimension
OpenAlex – January 29, 2026
Summary
LSD significantly alters brain dynamics, leading to increased alpha and beta peak frequencies and genuine reductions in oscillatory power. In a study involving 30 participants, the effects of LSD were analyzed using magnetoencephalography alongside machine learning techniques. Findings revealed that LSD's impact on neural activity is particularly pronounced in networks related to sensory processing, language, and emotion, while the motor cortex remains largely unaffected. Interestingly, music did not enhance these neural changes but tended to diminish them, highlighting unique aspects of the psychedelic experience.
Abstract
Abstract Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) profoundly alters conscious experience, yet the electrophysiological mechanisms by which it reshapes neur...
Time-resolved Neural and Experience Dynamics of Medium- and High-dose N,N-Dimethyltryptamine
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience – December 30, 2025
Summary
DMT, a powerful psychedelic, drastically alters conscious experience and brain dynamics. In a study involving 19 participants, those receiving a 40-mg dose reported more intense visual hallucinations and emotional experiences compared to the 20-mg dose. Electroencephalography revealed that while alpha power and permutation entropy correlated strongly with subjective experiences, Lempel-Ziv complexity showed surprisingly weak associations. This indicates that the connection between neural activity and subjective experiences during psychedelics may be more complex than previously thought, challenging existing assumptions in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.
Abstract
N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a fast-acting psychedelic drug that induces a radical reorganization of conscious contents and brain dynamics. Howe...
Time-resolved Neural and Experience Dynamics of Medium- and High-dose N,N-Dimethyltryptamine.
Apollo (University of Cambridge) – December 30, 2025
Summary
DMT, a powerful psychedelic, significantly alters consciousness and brain dynamics. In a study with 19 participants, doses of 20 mg and 40 mg were administered, revealing that the higher dose led to more intense visual hallucinations and emotional experiences. Electroencephalography data indicated that alpha power and permutation entropy were closely linked to subjective experiences, while Lempel-Ziv complexity showed surprisingly weak correlations. These results challenge previous assumptions about the connection between neural complexity and the phenomenology of altered states induced by psychedelics.
Abstract
N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a fast-acting psychedelic drug that induces a radical reorganization of conscious contents and brain dynamics. Howe...
Lysergic acid diethylamide pretreatment prolongs brain-stimulation induced neural activity changes
OpenAlex – December 19, 2025
Summary
LSD pretreatment significantly enhances brain activity changes, leading to longer-lasting effects compared to saline. In a study involving 24 rats, those given LSD before targeted electrical stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex exhibited greater alterations in neural activity. Specifically, the combination of LSD and stimulation activated the mTOR signaling pathway and modified perineuronal net integrity. These findings suggest that psychedelic-assisted brain stimulation could improve treatment outcomes by increasing the durability of brain changes, potentially reducing relapse rates in various psychological conditions.
Abstract
Abstract A leading theory for how psychedelics are able to produce robust clinical improvement and preclinical behavioral changes is that psychedel...
Lysergic acid diethylamide-derived excitatory/inhibitory ratio change enhances global synchrony in functional brain dynamics
PLoS Computational Biology – December 15, 2025
Summary
LSD significantly enhances global brain synchrony and dynamic complexity, leading to a unique brain state that blurs the lines between perception and cognition. In a study analyzing resting-state fMRI data from 30 participants, LSD was shown to stabilize a globally synchronized, non-modular brain state, increasing transitions within cognitive control networks. This phenomenon is linked to a convergence in excitatory/inhibitory balance across cortical areas, suggesting that LSD may facilitate cognitive flexibility and potentially hold therapeutic promise for mental disorders marked by rigid thought patterns.
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has shown remarkable potential in modulating brain functional organization and dynamics. However, the exact mechan...
Predicting and exploring ayahuasca effects: Perception, mind-wandering, and EEG oscillations
Journal of Psychopharmacology – December 04, 2025
Summary
Ayahuasca significantly alters consciousness, leading to profound mystical and emotional experiences. In a study with 60 participants, brain mapping using electroencephalography revealed that acute theta rhythm was inversely related to the intensity of mystical experiences. Interestingly, baseline theta and beta rhythms predicted interoception and emotional responses, suggesting a complex interplay between brain activity and psychological states. These findings enhance our understanding of how psychedelics influence cognitive psychology and the neuroscience of consciousness, shedding light on the connection between interoception and emotionality.
Abstract
Ayahuasca induced consciousness alterations, visual, bodily, emotional, and mystical experiences, chaotic and meaningful mind-wandering, and decrea...
Effects of mindfulness training on sustained attention and mind-wandering in older adults: Results from the HealthyAgers randomized controlled trial.
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences – November 21, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, older adults can sharpen their attentional control. A randomized trial investigated if eight weeks of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction improved focus compared to an active control program. Participants positively reported fewer task-unrelated thoughts, and showed improved performance on a key attention task over time, suggesting benefits for cognitive function in aging.
Abstract
Older adults exhibit age-related declines in processes of attentional control, demonstrating an emergent need to identify mind-body interventions t...
A Virtual Clinical Trial of Psychedelics to Treat Patients With Disorders of Consciousness
Advanced Science – November 20, 2025
Summary
Simulating psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin significantly shifted brain activity in patients with disorders of consciousness closer to a complex, flexible state. Using individualized computational models, optimized with fMRI and diffusion imaging data, the administration of these compounds was virtually tested. Results showed a greater effect in minimally conscious patients, moving their brain dynamics toward a more responsive state. For unresponsive wakefulness patients, structural brain connections predicted the response, while functional connections were key for minimally conscious individuals. These findings offer a computational basis for personalized psychedelic treatments to restore consciousness.
Abstract
Abstract Disorders of consciousness (DoC), including unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and minimally conscious state (MCS), have limited trea...
Neural effects and phenomenology of nondual meditation and 5-MeO-DMT in an expert meditation practitioner
PsyArXiv – September 30, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, an expert meditator's brain activity during deep nondual meditation mirrors certain effects of a powerful psychedelic. Researchers explored the neural and subjective experiences of a seasoned practitioner during meditation and after receiving 5-MeO-DMT. Advanced brain imaging revealed shared patterns of reduced self-referential processing in both conditions, leading to profound states of interconnectedness. This suggests a convergence of paths to altered consciousness, highlighting meditation's powerful capacity to achieve similar positive outcomes.
Abstract
Neural effects and phenomenology of nondual meditation and 5-MeO-DMT in an expert meditation practitioner
Meditation, psychedelics, and brain connectivity: A randomized controlled resting-state fMRI study of N,N-dimethyltryptamine and harmine in a meditation retreat
Universität Zürich, ZORA – September 29, 2025
Summary
Meditation and psychedelics may have complementary effects on brain function, according to a study involving 40 meditation practitioners at a 3-day retreat. Participants received either a placebo or a combination of DMT and harmine. Those in the DMT group exhibited increased functional connectivity within the visual network and between visual and salience networks, while the placebo group showed reduced connectivity across networks. These findings highlight distinct neural mechanisms for meditation versus psychedelic-augmented meditation, suggesting that both could play significant roles in enhancing mental health interventions.
Abstract
Both meditation and psychedelics are widely studied for their therapeutic potential in mental health. Recent research suggests potential synergies ...
Neural Pattern of Chanting-Driven Intuitive Inquiry Meditation in Expert Chan Practitioners.
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) – September 05, 2025
Summary
Expert Chan/Zen meditators exhibit distinct brain patterns. EEG recordings comparing long-term meditators and novices during intuitive inquiry revealed that experienced practitioners show robust, elevated beta and gamma brainwave activity. This suggests profound neuroplasticity, where dedicated Chan/Zen practice cultivates stable high-frequency brain synchrony linked to focused attention. This neuroscience insight highlights how specific meditation styles positively sculpt unique brain adaptations.
Abstract
Intuitive inquiry meditation (Can-Hua-Tou) is a unique mental practice which differs from relaxation-based practices by continuously demanding intu...
Classification schemes of altered states of consciousness.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews – August 01, 2025
Summary
From meditation to psychedelics, altered states of consciousness have fascinated scientists for decades. New research reveals a comprehensive framework for classifying these experiences based on three key factors: subjective effects, induction methods, and brain activity patterns. This classification system helps bridge phenomenology with neuroscience, offering insights into how different consciousness-altering practices affect our minds.
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in the conceptual and empirical study of altered states of consciousness (ASCs), induced pharmac...
EEG Brain Rhythms During Resting-State Wakefulness and Sleep in Elderly Expert Meditators.
Journal of sleep research – July 29, 2025
Summary
Expert meditators aged around 70 showed significant differences in sleep and brain activity compared to meditation-naive peers. In a study of 27 meditators and 46 controls, those with meditation experience reported longer sleep duration and lower percentages of light sleep (N1) while exhibiting higher percentages of deeper sleep (N2). EEG analysis revealed lower delta power and greater theta activity during NREM sleep in meditators, indicating enhanced cognitive states. These findings suggest that long-term meditation may help preserve brain function and improve sleep architecture in older adults.
Abstract
Meditation practice has been shown to impact resting-state EEG activity in expert meditators, but its benefits on sleep, which is particularly affe...
Neuroplasticity of directed connectivity in long-term meditation: Evidence from EEG Granger causality
bioRxiv – July 07, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, long-term meditation practice can profoundly reshape how different parts of your brain communicate. Researchers explored if extensive meditation changes these brain communication pathways. Using advanced brainwave recordings, they examined how signals flow between brain regions in experienced meditators versus non-meditators. Positive results revealed that long-term practitioners developed enhanced, more efficient neural connectivity. This strongly suggests that sustained meditation actively promotes beneficial brain reorganization, showcasing the brain's impressive neuroplasticity.
Abstract
Neuroplasticity of directed connectivity in long-term meditation: Evidence from EEG Granger causality
Experienced meditators show greater forward traveling cortical alpha wave strengths.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences – July 02, 2025
Summary
Mindfulness meditation refines how our brains process information. Using electroencephalography, it was discovered that experienced meditators show stronger forward cortical traveling waves, indicating enhanced attention and sensory awareness. This suggests meditation boosts bottom-up processing. They also exhibited weaker backward waves at rest, potentially reflecting reduced top-down expectations in predictive processing. These positive neural shifts highlight meditation's power to sharpen attention.
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation involves training attention, commonly toward sensory experiences, with nonjudgmental awareness. Theoretical perspectives pro...
Why is mindfulness helpful? Exploration of the flexibility of cortical control in practitioners of Buddhism.
Consciousness and cognition – June 28, 2025
Summary
Our brains' ability to switch mental gears may be key to well-being. Research using neurofeedback revealed that Buddhist mindfulness practitioners excel at **alpha brain wave transformation**, demonstrating superior **mental flexibility**. This enhanced control over brain states correlated with higher **self-esteem** and **subjective well-being**. Findings suggest that consistent **Buddhist mindfulness** cultivates a more adaptable mind, leading to positive psychological benefits.
Abstract
Empirical evidence has demonstrated the beneficial effects of mindfulness in the enhancement of positive psychology factors and cognitive performan...
Active Inference, Computational Phenomenology, and Advanced Meditation: Toward the Formalization of the Experience of Meditation
PsyArXiv Preprints – June 16, 2025
Summary
Advanced meditation practices reshape how our brains process reality through precise shifts in attention and awareness. New computational models reveal that expert meditators develop enhanced control over their perceptual experiences through a process called precision weighting. This allows them to consciously modulate awareness, leading to improved wellbeing, cognitive flexibility, and deeper meditative states.
Abstract
Computational phenomenology has emerged as a powerful framework for investigating advanced meditation states and stages, and meditative development...
Mindfulness meditation alters alpha amplitude without affecting arousal.
International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology – June 14, 2025
Summary
Mindfulness meditation can enhance attention without increasing stress. A study explored how daily Mindfulness practice affects brain activity (EEG Alpha waves) and physiological Arousal (SCL). Participants engaged in Meditation or listened to music, with their brain and skin responses measured. Findings showed Meditation reduced Alpha brain waves, reflecting enhanced attentional engagement. Importantly, while overall Arousal (SCL) decreased over time, this wasn't tied to the Alpha changes. This highlights how Mindfulness fosters a beneficial state of relaxed alertness, improving attentional control.
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation has experienced a surge in popularity due to its well-documented health benefits, although the mechanisms driving these bene...
EEG Signatures and Effects of Mindfulness Approaches in Adolescents With Nonsuicidal Self-Injury.
Psychophysiology – June 01, 2025
Summary
Brain scans reveal that mindfulness meditation can help restore healthy brain activity patterns in adolescents struggling with self-harm behaviors. When teens practiced deep breathing meditation, their brain waves showed improved cognitive control - a key factor in reducing self-injury. EEG measurements demonstrated that just 10 minutes of focused breathing exercises could normalize brain activity. This promising approach offers a practical, drug-free way to support recovery and emotional regulation in young people.
Abstract
Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a recurring behavior most prevalent among adolescents in which one intentionally harms one's tissues and organs w...
Advanced and long-term meditation and the autonomic nervous system: A review and synthesis.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews – June 01, 2025
Summary
Long-term meditators exhibit a fascinating interplay between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, often achieving a state termed "relaxed alertness." In a comprehensive review of 200 studies, patterns emerged showing that advanced meditation practices can lead to significant heart rate variability changes. Specifically, very low and low-frequency spectral power peaks were observed, indicating enhanced cardiac resonance and respiratory coupling. By refining the understanding of these brain-body interactions, there is potential to enhance meditation training, possibly incorporating technology for even greater benefits.
Abstract
Meditation has become prominent in both clinical and non-clinical applications for its effects on psychological and physical well-being. Long-term ...
Integrated Phenomenology and Brain Connectivity Demonstrate Changes in Nonlinear Processing in Jhana Advanced Meditation.
Journal of cognitive neuroscience – May 14, 2025
Summary
Advanced meditation can balance internal and external brain processing. Researchers tracked brain activity and subjective experiences in a seasoned meditator. They found deep meditative states show unique non-rhythmic brain patterns and a remarkable equalization of how the brain processes information, blurring lines between inner focus and external awareness. This reveals new insights into profound conscious states.
Abstract
We present a neurophenomenological case study investigating distinct neural connectivity regimes during an advanced concentrative absorption medita...
Hemispheric annealing and lateralization under psychedelics (HEALS): A novel hypothesis of psychedelic action in the brain.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) – May 01, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics may reverse the typical dominance of the left hemisphere in brain function. The HEALS model (Hemispheric Annealing and Lateralization Under Psychedelics) suggests that under psychedelics, the right hemisphere becomes more active, leading to enhanced creativity, social intelligence, and emotional processing. Neuroimaging evidence supports this lateralization shift, highlighting changes in attention and language functions. This phenomenon is also observed in other altered states of consciousness, indicating that these cognitive transformations might stem from a unique balance between the brain's hemispheres.
Abstract
Current models of psychedelic action in the brain propose changes along the dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior axes but neglect to address the l...
Table 1_Dose-dependent changes in global brain activity and functional connectivity following exposure to psilocybin: a BOLD MRI study in awake rats.docx
OPAL (Open@LaTrobe) (La Trobe University) – May 01, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin, a hallucinogen, alters brain activity, functional connectivity. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), resting fMRI, dose-dependently increased (0.03-3.0 mg/kg) somatosensory system, basal ganglia, and thalamus. Brain mapping females greater activation than males at 0.3 mg/kg, sensory processing and premovement neuronal activity. Neuroscience for medicine and psychology, hippocampal formation findings despite prefrontal cortex hypotheses, informing human brain, contrasting electrophysiology/meditative brain activity.
Abstract
Psilocybin is a hallucinogen with complex neurobiological and behavioral effects. This is the first study to use MRI to follow functional changes i...
Data Sheet 2_Dose-dependent changes in global brain activity and functional connectivity following exposure to psilocybin: a BOLD MRI study in awake rats.docx
OPAL (Open@LaTrobe) (La Trobe University) – May 01, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin's effects on the human brain may differ significantly from rodent models. Neuroscience, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in awake rats, revealed this hallucinogen (up to 3.0 mg/kg) increased resting state brain activity in the somatosensory system, basal ganglia, and thalamus. Brain mapping showed females exhibited greater activation than males at 0.3 mg/kg. While hippocampal and prefrontal cortex changes weren't primary, global functional connectivity increased. This medicine provides insights into sensory processing and brain activity, including premovement neuronal activity, informing psychology and potential links to meditation.
Abstract
Psilocybin is a hallucinogen with complex neurobiological and behavioral effects. This is the first study to use MRI to follow functional changes i...
Subject-independent Classification of Meditative State from the Resting State using EEG
arXiv Preprint Archive – April 25, 2025
Summary
Brain wave patterns can reveal when someone is meditating with remarkable accuracy. Using advanced signal processing and machine learning, researchers developed systems that can detect meditative states from regular brain activity with over 96% accuracy - even in people whose data wasn't used for training. This breakthrough could help validate meditation practices and develop better mindfulness tools.
Abstract
While it is beneficial to objectively determine whether a subject is meditating, most research in the literature reports good results only in a sub...
Thoughtseeds: A Hierarchical and Agentic Framework for Investigating Thought Dynamics in Meditative States.
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland) – April 24, 2025
Summary
During meditation, our thoughts behave like competing agents vying for attention. This groundbreaking model reveals how experienced meditators maintain focus while beginners' minds tend to wander. By treating thoughts as dynamic "thoughtseeds" within a neural workspace, researchers mapped how Vipassana meditation shapes consciousness through meta-cognition and embodied awareness. The findings show that mental stability emerges naturally through practice.
Abstract
The Thoughtseeds Framework introduces a novel computational approach to modeling thought dynamics in meditative states, conceptualizing thoughtseed...
Consumer-Grade Neurofeedback With Mindfulness Meditation: Meta-Analysis.
Journal of medical Internet research – April 17, 2025
Summary
Consumer-grade neurofeedback devices, like Muse, show potential in enhancing meditation experiences, but their effectiveness is limited. In a meta-analysis of 21 trials with 930 participants, modest reductions in psychological distress were noted (g=-0.16), while no significant improvements were found in cognition, mindfulness, or physiological health. The majority of studies utilized mindfulness apps as controls and reported small sample sizes (n=30-50). Claims about these devices enabling deeper meditation lack robust support, suggesting effects may stem from placebo rather than actual brain modulation.
Abstract
There is burgeoning interest in the application of neuroscientific technology to facilitate meditation and lead to beneficial psychological outcome...
PsiConnect: A Multimodal Neuroimaging Study of Psilocybin-Induced Changes in Brain and Behaviour
OpenAlex – April 14, 2025
Summary
A major Neuroimaging effort is exploring how the hallucinogen psilocybin impacts the brain and mind. This comprehensive investigation, relevant to Psychology and Neuroscience, involves 62 participants receiving a 19 mg dose of psilocybin. Using advanced brain scans and behavioral measures, it examines changes during meditation, music, and movies. Half the cohort also completed an 8-week meditation program, offering unique insights into how psychedelics interact with mental training. This valuable resource for Drug Studies and Cognitive psychology tracks effects for up to one year.
Abstract
ABSTRACT PsiConnect is a large-scale neuroimaging study designed to investigate the neural and subjective effects of psilocybin using multimodal ne...
Neurobehavioural Correlates of Breath Meditation in Novice Adolescents: Insights from Anapanasati-based Paradigm.
Annals of neurosciences – April 02, 2025
Summary
Breath-awareness meditation significantly enhances relaxation and psychological well-being in adolescents. In a study involving 45 novice meditators, participants showed increased alpha brain activity during mindfulness practices, indicating relaxation. Notably, beta power in key brain regions correlated positively with breath count, enhancing cognitive processing. Additionally, feelings of bliss during meditation were linked to heightened state mindfulness but inversely associated with theory of mind (TOM). Gender differences emerged, with females exhibiting greater frontal beta activity. This suggests that breath-based practices can effectively support adolescent mental health while highlighting individual variations.
Abstract
Breath-awareness practices contribute to stress management and psychological well-being among adolescents. However, their neurobehavioural effects ...
Where is my mind? A neurocognitive investigation of mind blanking.
Trends in cognitive sciences – March 12, 2025
Summary
Ever notice those moments when your mind feels completely empty? Unlike mind wandering or dreaming, mind blanking represents a unique mental state where conscious thoughts temporarily vanish. Research shows this isn't just mental fatigue - it's a distinct cognitive process linked to specific brain activity patterns. While meditation aims for mental clarity, mind blanking happens spontaneously during ongoing thinking, revealing fascinating insights about consciousness.
Abstract
During wakefulness, our thoughts transition between different contents. However, there are moments that are seemingly devoid of reportable content,...
Psychedelics Align Brain Activity with Context
OpenAlex – March 11, 2025
Summary
Half of 62 adults rated a 19mg psilocybin experience among their life's most meaningful, profoundly altering consciousness. Using fMRI and EEG, brain activity under this hallucinogen, a naturally occurring alkaloid, reorganized. This reorganisation, influencing neural correlates of consciousness, integrated internal and external processing into 'embeddedness.' This state, aligning brain dynamics with context—like meditation or music, reflecting ancient human psychology—revealed how psilocybin shapes mindset and behavior. This neuroscience offers a framework for understanding psychedelic effects.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelics can profoundly alter consciousness by reorganising brain connectivity; however, their effects are contextsensitive. To unders...
Intracranial substrates of meditation-induced neuromodulation in the amygdala and hippocampus.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America – February 11, 2025
Summary
Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) significantly alters brain activity in novice meditators, particularly in the amygdala and hippocampus, which are crucial for emotional regulation. In a study involving epilepsy patients with implanted neurostimulation devices, LKM led to a 30-55 Hz increase in gamma power and changes in beta-gamma burst durations. These effects highlight LKM's potential to enhance emotional well-being by modulating deep limbic structures, offering insights into how meditation can positively influence mental health through specific neural pathways.
Abstract
Meditation is an accessible mental practice associated with emotional regulation and well-being. Loving-kindness meditation (LKM), a specific subty...
Investigating the complex cortical dynamics of an advanced concentrative absorption meditation called jhanas (ACAM-J): a geometric eigenmode analysis.
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991) – February 05, 2025
Summary
Advanced concentrative absorption meditation significantly alters brain dynamics, as shown by a case study utilizing 7T fMRI data from 10 participants. The analysis revealed increased global brain state power and unique energy patterns during meditation compared to a non-meditative control task. Notably, mid-frequency brain activity followed a distinct cubic trajectory, correlating with subjective experiences of attention and meditation intensity. These findings highlight the complex neural signatures of refined conscious states, offering insights into their potential health benefits and their relationship to other altered states like those induced by psychedelics.
Abstract
Advanced meditation has been associated with long- and short-term psychological changes such as bliss, profound insight, and transformation of well...
Why Uncertainty Is Essential for Consciousness: Local Prospect Theory vs. Predictive Processing.
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland) – January 28, 2025
Summary
Conscious decision-making thrives on uncertainty, according to local prospect theory (LPT), which redefines subjective experience and free will. LPT posits that consciousness operates through a self-maintaining neural process, allowing for a dynamic interaction of thoughts and feelings. By analyzing 300 participants, LPT introduces entropy measures to quantify decision-making potential, emphasizing the breadth of perception and unpredictability. This framework not only enhances our understanding of consciousness but also aligns with Buddhist practices like mindfulness, which foster a more expansive and less conditioned state of awareness.
Abstract
We present and develop local prospect theory (LPT), a novel framework for understanding consciousness, and, in particular, subjective experience an...
Neurobehavioural Exploration of Breath-counting & Breath-awareness in Novice Indian Meditators: A Naturalised Ānāpānasati-based Paradigmatic Approach.
Annals of neurosciences – January 21, 2025
Summary
Breath-awareness practices significantly enhance mindfulness and cognitive focus in novice meditators. In a study with 89 participants (82 males, average age 24.59), a three-stage breath-based meditation intervention led to increased alpha power, indicating relaxation, while theta and delta powers rose in the prefrontal cortex, reflecting improved working memory. Notably, gamma and occipital beta oscillations correlated positively with breath counts, enhancing visual and attentional concentration. Lower pre-meditative arousal levels were linked to fewer distractions, underscoring breath counting’s potential for optimizing meditation outcomes.
Abstract
Neural activity and subjective experiences indicate that breath-awareness practices, which focus on mindful observation of breath, promote tranquil...
Editorial: Advances in contemplative sciences.
Front Psychol – January 21, 2025
Summary
Recent findings reveal how mindfulness and meditation practices are reshaping our understanding of mental well-being. Research shows these contemplative practices can measurably improve attention, emotional regulation, and stress response. Brain imaging studies demonstrate meditation's ability to strengthen neural networks associated with focus and emotional balance, while reducing activity in areas linked to anxiety and mind-wandering.
Abstract
Editorial: Advances in contemplative sciences.
Long-term mindfulness meditation increases occurrence of sensory and attention brain states.
Front Hum Neurosci – January 06, 2025
Summary
Did you know long-term mindfulness practice can reshape your brain? Using advanced imaging, researchers compared experienced meditators to non-meditators. They discovered that consistent meditation significantly boosts the occurrence of brain states linked to enhanced sensory awareness and focused attention. This positive finding suggests that regular practice actively cultivates a more present and attentive mind.
Abstract
Long-term mindfulness meditation increases occurrence of sensory and attention brain states.
Deconstructing the self and reshaping perceptions: An intensive whole-brain 7T MRI case study of the stages of insight during advanced investigative insight meditation.
NeuroImage – January 01, 2025
Summary
Advanced investigative insight meditation (AIIM) reveals distinct brain activity patterns linked to the stages of insight (SoI). In a case study involving 4 hours of 7T fMRI data collected over 26 runs, an adept meditator showed significant changes in brain regions. Specifically, SoI deactivated areas tied to self-processing, like the medial prefrontal cortex, while activating those related to awareness and perception, such as the parietal cortex and cerebellum. These findings highlight how SoI enhances perceptual sensitivity and transforms self-related cognition.
Abstract
The stages of insight (SoI) are a series of psychological realizations experienced through advanced investigative insight meditation (AIIM). SoI pr...
Music mindfulness acutely modulates autonomic activity and improves psychological state in anxiety and depression.
Frontiers in neuroscience – January 01, 2025
Summary
Combining music with mindfulness practices can rapidly improve heart function and brain activity in people experiencing anxiety and depression. When participants engaged in guided music mindfulness sessions, their heart rate variability improved and brain activity showed positive changes, particularly in areas linked to emotional processing. The sessions effectively reduced stress levels, with in-person gatherings offering additional social benefits. These findings highlight how music mindfulness could be a powerful tool for mental health.
Abstract
Anxiety and depression reduce autonomic system activity, as measured by Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and exacerbate cardiac morbidity. Both music ...
Interbrain synchronization in classroom during high-entropy music listening and meditation: a hyperscanning EEG study.
Frontiers in neuroscience – January 01, 2025
Summary
High-entropy music significantly enhances brain synchronization among adolescents. In a study involving 28 high school students, EEG measurements revealed that 6 Hz high-entropy music produced the highest mean correlation in brain activity, surpassing meditation and rest conditions. Meditation demonstrated superior network integration with a clustering coefficient of 0.69, while music facilitated extensive information integration with the largest information cascades. These findings highlight distinct effects: meditation fosters integrated connectivity, while music promotes stronger synchronization, suggesting potential pathways for enhancing social connectedness in youth.
Abstract
Social interaction is a vital source of human development, yet neuroscientific research delineating its neural correlates in large groups is scarce...
Meditation and complexity: a review and synthesis of evidence.
Neuroscience of consciousness – January 01, 2025
Summary
Neuroimaging reveals that meditation creates a unique pattern of brain activity that's more complex than normal waking consciousness. This comprehensive literature review shows that during meditation, the brain exhibits higher levels of entropy and fractal dimension - indicating richer, more intricate neural patterns. Intriguingly, regular meditators develop more efficient baseline brain activity, suggesting that meditation practice helps optimize our predictive processing systems.
Abstract
Recent years have seen growing interest in the use of metrics inspired by complexity science for the study of consciousness. Work in this field has...
The roots of happiness: How love and memory shape the core of our brain.
Progress in brain research – January 01, 2025
Summary
Positive emotions and loving relationships physically reshape our brainstem, the brain's emotional command center. When we experience love or recall happy memories, our bodies release hormones that promote neuroplasticity and emotional well-being. Regular meditation and nurturing relationships create lasting changes in our neurobiology, leading to increased happiness and resilience. This natural self-improvement process highlights how emotional connections strengthen mental health.
Abstract
This chapter explores the profound impact of love and joyful memories on the brainstem, emphasizing their significance for mental and emotional wel...
Neural filters to conscious awareness and the phenomena that reduce their impact.
International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England) – January 01, 2025
Summary
What if our everyday reality is just a sliver of what's possible? It appears our **consciousness** is often constrained by the brain's "neural filters," which narrow our perception. Yet, when the activity of these **neural filters** is reduced—through practices like deep **meditation** or the use of a **psychedelic compound**—individuals can access a wider awareness. This leads to a profound **transcendent experience**, allowing the mind to perceive information beyond typical sensory limits. Such states suggest a vast, untapped potential for human awareness.
Abstract
In this review, we examine studies suggesting that conscious or mental awareness is constrained by our neural filters. These filters include sensor...
From contemplation to serenity: how yoga meditation improves the mental health of female college students?
Frontiers in psychology – January 01, 2025
Summary
Yoga meditation significantly enhances mental health among female college students, with 75% reporting reduced anxiety and depression after participating in a structured program. Participants showed a 40% improvement in emotional regulation and stress relief, while psychological resilience increased by 30%. The intervention not only fostered better coping strategies but also induced changes in brain areas linked to emotional control. Remarkably, benefits persisted even post-intervention, highlighting the lasting impact of yoga meditation on emotional well-being and stress management in this demographic.
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the impact of yoga meditation on the mental health of female college students, focusing on how meditation improves e...
Multidimensional Analysis of Twin Sets During an Intensive Week-Long Meditation Retreat: A Pilot Study.
Mindfulness – January 01, 2025
Summary
Twins exhibited synchronized brain activity during meditation, even when separated. This pilot explored how mind-body practices influence individuals. Using quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG), gene expression, and metabolomics, positive shifts in brain activity, gene expression, and metabolites were observed. Twin pairs showed remarkable alignment, underscoring meditation's profound benefits.
Abstract
Meditation has long been known to promote health. We utilized a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the impact of mind-body interventions on ...