Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
May 26, 2009
Kalina Christoff, Alan M Gordon, Jonathan Smallwood et al.
1,832 citations
Mind wandering, which occupies a large portion of waking life, involves parallel recruitment of both default and executive brain networks, two systems previously thought to work in opposition. Using fMRI with experience sampling during a task, activation in default network regions, particularly medial prefrontal cortex, was linked to subjective reports of mind wandering and to performance errors. Executive network recruitment also occurred, especially when participants lacked meta-awareness of their mind wandering. The findings suggest that mind wandering represents a unique mental state where these networks cooperate rather than oppose each other.
Frontiers in human neuroscience
January 1, 2013
Kieran C R Fox, Savannah Nijeboer, Elizaveta Solomonova et al.
297 citations
Mind wandering during wakefulness and dreaming during sleep share many features: both involve audiovisual, emotional, fantasy-tinged narratives tied to personal concerns, draw on long-term memory, simulate social interactions, and lack meta-awareness. Comparing neuroimaging data shows that both states activate default mode network regions such as medial prefrontal cortex, medial temporal lobe, and posterior cingulate, which support self-referential thought and memory. However, dreaming appears as an intensified version of mind wandering, with longer, more immersive, and more visual content, along with even deeper deactivation of prefrontal executive regions responsible for cognitive control and metacognition. This suggests dreaming amplifies the same features that distinguish mind wandering from goal-directed thought.
Neuropsychopharmacology
September 20, 2021
Andre Zamani, Kalina Christoff, Robin Carhart‐Harris
50 citations
The prefrontal cortex contains multiple subregions linked to different large-scale brain networks, supporting a wide range of mental phenomena from goal-directed thought and executive functions to mind-wandering and psychedelic experiences. A key dimension distinguishing conscious experiences is the stability or variability of mental states over time, which is central to the dynamic framework of thought (DFT) and the relaxed beliefs under psychedelics (REBUS) model. This review synthesizes these frameworks to explain how prefrontal subregions may differentially contribute to the stability and variability of thought and conscious experience, and suggests future research directions.
arXiv Preprint Archive
May 23, 2016
Kieran C. R. Fox, Manesh Girn, Cameron C. Parro et al.
Psychedelic substances produce radical psychological effects and have been surrounded by political and legal controversy since their widespread adoption about 50 years ago. This review examines functional neuroimaging studies that investigate the neural correlates of the psychedelic experience, highlighting connections with the psychological and neural bases of creativity, daydreaming, and dreaming. The authors synthesize findings from these imaging investigations to show how brain activity during psychedelic states overlaps with patterns seen during imaginative and creative thought processes.
arXiv Preprint Archive
May 11, 2016
Kieran C. R. Fox, Yoona Kang, Michael Lifshitz et al.
Meditation and hypnosis can change how thoughts flow automatically, potentially making thinking more flexible and less rigid. Three mechanisms are proposed: reducing the tendency for thoughts to chain together automatically; making thought chains more varied and less habitual; and creating new, intentionally chosen mental habits. Evidence from behavioral and cognitive neuroscience shows these practices influence internal cognition, with possible benefits for mental adaptability.
arXiv Preprint Archive
March 21, 2016
Kieran C. R. Fox, Matthew L. Dixon, Savannah Nijeboer et al.
Meditation comprises diverse mental practices with distinct strategies. A meta-analysis of 78 neuroimaging studies (527 participants) found reliably different brain activation patterns for four common meditation styles—focused attention, mantra recitation, open monitoring, and compassion/loving-kindness—and suggestive differences for three others. Some brain regions (insula, pre/supplementary motor cortices, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, frontopolar cortex) were recruited across multiple techniques, but convergence was the exception. Effect sizes were medium for both activations (d = .59) and deactivations (d = -.74), indicating potential practical significance. The findings support the neurophysiological dissociability of meditation practices while highlighting methodological concerns and future research directions.