Does Meditation Alter Brain Responses to Negative Stimuli? A Systematic Review
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience November 13, 2018 Andressa A Magalhaes, L. Oliveira, M. Pereira et al.
Meditation practice appears to engage cognitive and attentional control resources in the brain when people face negative emotional stimuli, even without being asked to regulate their emotions. A systematic review of 11 eligible studies found that both novice and long-term meditators showed greater prefrontal and frontal brain activity during exposure to negative stimuli, suggesting increased recruitment of control mechanisms. Findings from emotion-related brain areas were limited, but some studies indicated greater insular activity in meditators, potentially reflecting heightened bodily awareness. These results support the idea that meditation fosters interoceptive awareness of bodily and emotional states.