Trait Mindfulness and Functional Connectivity in Cognitive and Attentional Resting State Networks
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience April 12, 2019 Tracie D. Parkinson, J. Kornelsen, Stephen D. Smith
Trait mindfulness, the tendency to maintain open and compassionate attention to the present moment, is linked to specific patterns of brain connectivity. In 28 undergraduates, higher mindfulness scores correlated with increased functional connectivity in neural networks involved in attention, interoception, and executive control, and decreased connectivity in regions tied to self-referential thought and mind wandering. These patterns align with mindfulness benefits such as improved attention and self-regulation.