Meditation induces structural and functional changes in large-scale brain networks, rather than affecting only specific brain regions. Structural MRI studies suggest meditation impacts neuronal plasticity, altering gray and white matter. Functional MRI studies show meditation is associated with decreased activity in the default mode network and increased activation in brain regions involved in cognitive and emotional control.
In a cross-sectional study of 42 healthy female working managers, social quality of life was significantly associated with functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) at rest. Higher social quality of life scores corresponded to reduced connectivity between the right and left lateral parietal regions of the DMN. The study examined four quality of life domains—physiological, psychological, social, and environmental—but only the social domain showed a link to DMN connectivity. This is described as the first analysis of neural correlates of quality of life in the brain, though limited to a female subgroup.