PLoS One
September 25, 2012
Kieran C. R. Fox, Pierre Zakarauskas, Matthew L. Dixon et al.
194 citations
People who meditate for many years are better at accurately reporting their own internal bodily sensations than beginners. The study compared subjective reports of touch sensitivity in 20 body regions during a body-scanning meditation with objective measures of tactile sensitivity from prior research. Expert meditators (1–15,000 hours of experience) showed significantly greater introspective accuracy than novices, and overall meditation experience predicted individual accuracy. The findings suggest that long-term meditation practice may enhance the ability to accurately introspect.
Neuroimage
April 30, 2016
Melissa Ellamil, Kieran C. R. Fox, Matthew L. Dixon et al.
150 citations
By studying experienced mindfulness practitioners who can closely observe when a thought first arises, researchers identified distinct brain regions that activate before versus after a thought emerges. Activity in the medial temporal lobe and inferior parietal lobule peaked before the thought began, suggesting these areas help generate spontaneous thoughts. In contrast, regions including the medial prefrontal, temporopolar, mid-insular, lateral prefrontal, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortices activated at or just after the thought's onset, indicating a role in elaborating or reflecting on the thought. These timing differences may explain why spontaneous thoughts are so varied and how they connect to memory and attention.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
April 1, 2020
Matthew L. Dixon, Manesh Girn, Kalina Christoff
14 citations
preprint
When people face anxiety, they can either mindfully accept their feelings or elaborate on them through narrative. Mindful acceptance, which broadens attention to present-moment sensations without judgment, was linked to a more globally interconnected brain network, greater integration of interoceptive insula regions, and a shift in striatal connectivity from the default mode to the salience network. It also shifted central hubs from the default network to frontoparietal control network regions, which support metacognitive awareness and cognitive control. These findings suggest that the neural landscape underlying mindful acceptance is more integrated and flexible, aiding emotion regulation.
November 13, 2025
S. Sheth, Matthew L. Dixon, Lawrence M Ward et al.
1 citation
preprint
Human consciousness typically produces an ongoing, seemingly continuous stream of thought. Prior work has examined the neural correlates of thought content, but less is known about thought dynamics—how thoughts change over time. The Dynamic Framework of Thought proposes a neural model of how large-scale brain networks contribute to freely moving (spontaneous) versus deliberately constrained thought. In a neurophenomenological study, participants reported their thought stream in real time during fMRI scanning. Freely-moving thought was associated with greater activation of the default network (especially the medial-temporal subcomponent) than the frontoparietal control network, while deliberately constrained thought showed the opposite pattern. Distinct thought dynamics were also reflected in changes in functional coupling within and between these networks.
arXiv (Cornell University)
March 21, 2016
Kieran C. R. Fox, Matthew L. Dixon, Savannah Nijeboer et al.
Different styles of meditation produce distinct patterns of brain activity. A meta-analysis of 78 functional neuroimaging studies (31 experiments, 527 participants) found that four common meditation styles—focused attention, mantra recitation, open monitoring, and compassion/loving-kindness—reliably activate and deactivate different brain regions, with suggestive differences for three others (visualization, sense-withdrawal, and non-dual awareness). Some areas like the insula and anterior cingulate cortex are recruited across multiple techniques, but convergence is the exception. Medium effect sizes for activations (d = .59) and deactivations (d = -.74) suggest practical significance. The findings support the neurophysiological dissociability of meditation practices while highlighting methodological concerns.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
March 21, 2016
K. Fox, Matthew L. Dixon, Savannah Nijeboer et al.
Different styles of meditation produce distinct patterns of brain activity and deactivation, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 78 functional neuroimaging studies. Four common styles—focused attention, mantra recitation, open monitoring, and compassion/loving-kindness—showed reliably dissociable activation patterns consistent with their psychological aims. Some brain areas, such as the insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, were recruited across multiple techniques, but convergence was the exception. A preliminary effect-size analysis found medium effects for both activations and deactivations, suggesting potential practical significance. The review also raised methodological concerns and suggested avenues for future research.
arXiv Preprint Archive
March 21, 2016
Kieran C. R. Fox, Matthew L. Dixon, Savannah Nijeboer et al.
Meditation comprises diverse mental practices with distinct strategies. A meta-analysis of 78 neuroimaging studies (527 participants) found reliably different brain activation patterns for four common meditation styles—focused attention, mantra recitation, open monitoring, and compassion/loving-kindness—and suggestive differences for three others. Some brain regions (insula, pre/supplementary motor cortices, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, frontopolar cortex) were recruited across multiple techniques, but convergence was the exception. Effect sizes were medium for both activations (d = .59) and deactivations (d = -.74), indicating potential practical significance. The findings support the neurophysiological dissociability of meditation practices while highlighting methodological concerns and future research directions.