On mind wandering, attention, brain networks, and meditation.
Explore (New York, N.Y.) January 1, 2013 Amit Sood, David T Jones
Human attention is naturally drawn to threats, pleasures, and novelty, but modern psychological worries and hurts often trigger mind wandering focused on the past and future. The brain's default mode network is linked to this mind wandering, and its abnormal activity may contribute to depression, anxiety, attention deficit, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Meditation can reverse some of these brain abnormalities, producing beneficial functional and structural changes. This narrative review explains how meditation works mechanistically, drawing on recent neuroscience advances regarding mind wandering, attention, and brain networks.