Endogenous suspension and reset of consciousness: 7T fMRI brain mapping of the extended cessation meditative endpoint
bioRxiv Preprint Server September 6, 2025 Winson F.z. Yang, Akila Kadambi, Kilian Abellaneda-Pérez et al. 4 citations preprint
An advanced meditative state called extended cessation (EC), where consciousness is voluntarily suspended and later resumes with heightened clarity and equanimity, provides a natural model for studying consciousness. Using ultra-high-resolution 7T fMRI with dense sampling of three individuals, the research mapped whole-brain activity, connectivity, gradients, and eigenmodes during EC, linking them to brain chemistry and cognitive maps. EC increased activity in sensory regions, reduced activity in higher-order association areas, subcortex, and brainstem, expanded the principal cortical gradient, and decreased low-order global eigenmodes.