Mindfulness Meditation and Network Neuroscience: Review, Synthesis, and Future Directions.
Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging April 1, 2025 Ruchika S Prakash, Anita Shankar, Vaibhav Tripathi et al. 13 citations
Network neuroscience examines brain organization by mapping connections between its elements. This review describes how mindfulness meditation may alter structural and functional brain networks. Although evidence is preliminary, studies suggest mindfulness shifts connector hubs—the anterior cingulate cortex, thalamus, and mid-insula—and reduces intraconnectivity within the default mode network. Global connectivity findings are mixed. The authors call for rigorous study designs, open science, and diverse samples to better understand mindfulness's impact on brain networks.