Neuromodulation and meditation: A review and synthesis toward promoting well-being and understanding consciousness and brain.
K. Abellaneda-Pérez, Ruby M. Potash, Á. Pascual-Leone, M. Sacchet
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews August 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105862 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractNon-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) can help researchers investigate the neural mechanisms underlying meditation's beneficial effects on well-being and consciousness. Prior research has mainly targeted frontal and parietal cortices, suggesting NIBS might boost meditation's behavioral and neural effects. NIBS has also revealed distinct neural signatures in long-term meditators. However, methodological variations across studies make definitive interpretation of results challenging. Future work should focus on core substrates of meditation, including specific brain networks and oscillations, and causal mechanisms of advanced meditation. Overall, NIBS-meditation research holds promise for enhancing meditation-based interventions in both non-clinical and clinical populations.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Medicine Psychology |
| Key finding | Non-invasive brain stimulation can causally investigate neural mechanisms of meditation and may boost meditation's behavioral and neural effects, but methodological variations challenge definitive interpretation. |
Abstract
The neuroscience of meditation is providing insight into meditation's beneficial effects on well-being and informing understanding of consciousness. However, further research is needed to explicate mechanisms linking brain activity and meditation. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) presents a promising approach for causally investigating neural mechanisms of meditation. Prior NIBS-meditation research has predominantly targeted frontal and parietal cortices suggesting that it might be possible to boost the behavioral and neural effects of meditation with NIBS. Moreover, NIBS has revealed distinct neural signatures in long-term meditators. Nonetheless, methodological variations in NIBS-meditation research contributes to challenges for definitive interpretation of previous results. Future NIBS studies should further investigate core substrates of meditation, including specific brain networks and oscillations, and causal neural mechanisms of advanced meditation. Overall, NIBS-meditation research holds promise for enhancing meditation-based interventions in support of well-being and resilience in both non-clinical and clinical populations, and for uncovering the brain-mind mechanisms of meditation and consciousness.