NeuroImage
September 1, 2017
Remko Van Lutterveld, Edwin Van Dellen, Prasanta Pal et al.
85 citations
During meditation, experienced meditators show more integrated brain networks in the alpha frequency band (8-13 Hz) than novice meditators. EEG measures of network integration—maximum betweenness centrality and leaf fraction—were higher in experienced meditators, while diameter and average eccentricity were lower, indicating more efficient network topology. No differences were found in theta or beta bands. The findings suggest that long-term meditation practice is associated with greater functional integration of alpha-band brain networks.
Frontiers in psychology
January 1, 2018
Judson A Brewer, Andrea Ruf, Ariel L Beccia et al.
83 citations
Modern food environments interact with human biology to promote reward-related eating through associative learning, specifically operant conditioning. Standard weight-loss diets that rely on dietary restriction have shown little long-term benefit and may be counterproductive because they do not directly target the habit-based reward-related eating cultivated by positive and negative reinforcement. Mindfulness training that targets reward-based learning may help rewire the eating process. Teaching patients to act on intrinsic rewards—such as enjoying healthy eating, not overeating, and self-compassion—rather than extrinsic rewards like weighing oneself, offers a promising new direction for improving individuals' relationship with food.
Neuropsychologia
September 28, 2023
Avijit Chowdhury, Remko Van Lutterveld, Ruben E. Laukkonen et al.
54 citations
In a single intensively sampled case, EEG spectral analysis was used to investigate advanced mindfulness meditation "cessation" experiences, revealing distinct neural signatures associated with these profound meditative states.
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
January 14, 2024
Winson Fu Zun Yang, Avijit Chowdhury, Marta Bianciardi et al.
41 citations
Jhanas are profound meditative states that can deconstruct ordinary consciousness, according to a case study of an adept meditator. Using 4 hours of 7T fMRI data collected across 27 sessions, the study identified distinctive brain activity patterns in cortical, subcortical, brainstem, and cerebellar regions during jhana meditation. Correlations between brain activity and phenomenological qualities of attention, jhanic qualities, and narrative processing showed that jhanas differ from non-meditative states. The findings suggest jhana practice offers unique insights into consciousness and potential benefits for mental health and well-being.
Brain topography
September 1, 2024
Remko Van Lutterveld, Avijit Chowdhury, Daniel M Ingram et al.
29 citations
A single advanced meditator with over 6,000 hours of retreat mindfulness training experienced 37 cessation events—dramatic moments of profound clarity and equanimity involving a complete break in experience—while EEG was recorded. From 21 seconds before each cessation, whole-brain functional connectivity in the alpha band decreased linearly, then returned to prior levels over the 40 seconds following. The decrease was driven by frontal-to-left-temporal and posterior connections, while the recovery involved widespread increases. No change in network integration was observed. These findings provide neuroscientific evidence of large-scale brain modulation during cessation events, laying groundwork for future studies of advanced meditation.
Neuroimage
December 14, 2024
Avijit Chowdhury, Marta Bianciardi, Eric Chapdelaine et al.
14 citations
Advanced meditation states known as Jhanas, achieved through concentration absorption, are associated with distinct patterns of brain activity and subjective experience. In an intensive case study of an experienced meditator, each Jhana state showed unique neural signatures, including changes in gamma power, alpha desynchronization, and connectivity between frontal and parietal regions. These findings suggest that Jhana states are not merely variations of ordinary mindfulness but involve specific, reproducible neurophenomenological profiles. The work demonstrates that deep meditative absorption can be systematically studied using multimodal brain imaging and first-person reports, providing a foundation for understanding altered states of consciousness.