Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging
April 1, 2025
Vaibhav Tripathi, Ishaan Batta, Andre Zamani et al.
23 citations
The default mode network (DMN) is linked to self-referential thinking, memory, and goal-directed cognition. Its functional connectivity with frontoparietal networks involved in attention and executive control may indicate cognitive health. This review examines DMN connectivity metrics as potential biomarkers across states like attention, mind wandering, and meditation, and in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression, and ADHD. It also addresses the reliability of network estimation and offers recommendations for using functional connectivity measures as biomarkers of cognitive health.
Neuroscience of consciousness
January 1, 2025
Daniel A Atad, Pedro A M Mediano, Fernando E Rosas et al.
10 citations
A scoping review of neural complexity in meditation finds that, during meditation, brain activity shows higher complexity compared to waking rest or mind-wandering, while regular meditation practice is associated with decreased baseline complexity as a long-term trait. The review disentangles different families of complexity measures, distinguishes short-term state effects from long-term trait effects, and considers differences among meditation styles. It provides a framework to guide debates and offers practical guidelines for future research on complexity and consciousness.
Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging
April 1, 2025
Yanli Lin, Daniel A Atad, Anthony P Zanesco
4 citations
EEG remains a powerful and non-obsolete tool for studying the neural basis of mindfulness. The review outlines EEG's unique advantages for experimental design, highlights new analytic approaches and translational paradigms, and gives examples from the authors' work and the broader literature. It argues that EEG can still spark new insights in both basic science and clinical applications of mindfulness, and encourages investigators to fully use its capabilities to advance contemplative neuroscience.
Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging
April 1, 2025
Clemens C C Bauer, Daniel A Atad, Norman Farb et al.
3 citations
The observer effect—the idea that observing a phenomenon changes it—is often seen as a problem to control, but this paper argues it should be actively studied and used. Mindfulness practices, which cultivate present-moment, nonjudgmental awareness, are proposed as a way to account for and intentionally harness this effect. In research, mindfulness training may help participants give more precise self-reports by reducing reactive biases. Evidence suggests mindfulness improves interoceptive awareness and reduces automatic judgment, potentially increasing measurement validity. Clinically, therapies often aim to make unconscious patterns observable; mindfulness cultivates meta-awareness, allowing individuals to observe cravings or anxiety without reactivity, facilitating psychological change. The paper proposes developing an observer-effect index to code observer influence.