Long-term meditation practitioners show greater functional connectivity within the default mode network, specifically in the medial prefrontal cortex, compared to non-meditators, even when not actively meditating. This suggests that regular meditation practice may produce lasting changes in brain regions involved in internalized attention and self-referential thought.
A four-week online mind-body training program for female healthcare providers reduced anxiety and trait anger and increased theta and alpha brainwave connectivity in the default mode network, while a control group showed no such changes. State anger, positive and negative affect, and self-esteem remained unchanged in both groups. The results suggest that mind-body training may alter brain networks linked to stress and anxiety.