Meditation attenuates Default-mode activity: a pilot study using ultra-high strength MRI

Using ultra-high strength 7 Tesla fMRI, a pilot study scanned 10 beginner meditators during focused attention meditation and rest. Meditation significantly reduced activity in Default-mode network hubs—antero-medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus—and in visual and thalamic regions, even after adjusting for physiological differences between conditions. State Mindfulness Scale scores significantly increased after the meditation session and remained elevated at a two-week follow-up. The findings support that focused attention meditation attenuates default-mode activity linked to self-referential processing, establishing the feasibility of 7 Tesla fMRI for meditation research.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Mapping the neurobiology of meditation using 3 Tesla functional MRI (fMRI) has burgeoned recently. However, limitations in signal quality and neuroanatomical resolution have impacted reliability and precision of extant findings. Although ultra-high strength 7 Tesla MRI overcomes these limitations, investigation of meditation using 7 Tesla fMRI is still in its infancy. Methods In this feasibility study, we scanned 10 individuals who were beginner meditators using 7 Tesla fMRI while they performed focused attention meditation and non-focused rest. We also measured and adjusted the fMRI signal for key physiological differences between meditation and rest. Finally, we explored the 2-week impact of the single fMRI meditation session on mindfulness, anxiety and focused attention attributes. Results Group-level task fMRI analyses revealed significant reductions in activity during meditation relative to rest in Default-mode network hubs, i.e., antero-medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortices, precuneus, as well as visual and thalamic regions. These findings survived stringent statistical corrections for fluctuations in physiological responses which demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.05/n, Bonferroni controlled) between meditation and rest. Compared to baseline, State Mindfulness Scale (SMS) scores were significantly elevated (F = 8.16, p<0.05/n, Bonferroni controlled) following the fMRI meditation session, and were closely maintained at 2-week follow up. Conclusions This pilot study establishes the feasibility and utility of investigating focused attention meditation using ultra-high strength (7 Tesla) fMRI, by supporting widespread evidence that focused attention meditation attenuates Default-mode activity responsible for self-referential processing. Future functional neuroimaging studies of meditation should control for physiological confounds and include behavioural assessments.