bioRxiv
March 13, 2026
Brian Lord, Erica N. Lord, Jessica N. Schachtner et al.
preprint
Systematic focus training is increasingly recognized for its therapeutic benefits, with equanimity, the ability to maintain an open and accepting attitude towards all experience, identified as a critical mechanism for improving well-being. Physiologically, experienced meditators demonstrate reduced activity in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a hub of the default mode network (DMN), and...
October 8, 2025
Sebastian Ehmann, Brian Lord, Erica Cook et al.
preprint
Emerging research suggests some of the most profound meditation-induced psychological transformations require mastery of mental skills that enable access to advanced meditative states, stages, and endpoints. Such development, however, often demands years of sustained practice and expert guidance. Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) offers a novel means of potentially supporting meditative...
Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging
April 1, 2025
Brian Lord, John J B Allen, Shinzen Young et al.
4 citations
Mindfulness has gained widespread recognition for its benefits for mental health, cognitive performance, and well-being. However, the multifaceted nature of mindfulness, which encompasses elements such as attentional focus, emotional regulation, and present-moment awareness, complicates its definition and measurement. A key component that may underlie its broad benefits is equanimity-the...
January 31, 2024
Joshua Cain, Tracy Brandmeyer, Ninette Simonian et al.
9 citations
preprint
This study aims to assess the validity of focused ultrasound (FUS) stimulation as a method for facilitating meditative development, which may have application for novice or intermediate meditators seeking to improve their practice. A growing body of work suggests profound benefits to health and wellbeing following consistent meditation practice; however, successfully maintaining such a practice...
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
2024
Brian Lord, Joseph L. Sanguinetti, Lisannette Ruiz et al.
28 citations
Transcranial focused ultrasound (TFUS) is an emerging neuromodulation tool for temporarily altering brain activity and probing network functioning. The effects of TFUS on the default mode network (DMN) are unknown. The study examined the effects of transcranial focused ultrasound (TFUS) on the functional connectivity of the default mode network (DMN), specifically by targeting the posterior...
Mindfulness
April 13, 2023
Julieta Galante, Andrea Grabovac, Malcolm Wright et al.
82 citations
Abstract Millions of people globally have learned mindfulness meditation with the goal of improving health and well-being outcomes in both clinical and non-clinical contexts. An estimated half of these practitioners follow mindfulness teachers’ recommendations to continue regular meditation after completion of initial instruction, but it is unclear whether benefits are strengthened by regular...
Mindfulness
April 10, 2023
Malcolm Wright, Joseph L. Sanguinetti, Shinzen Young et al.
41 citations
Abstract Objectives Research into meditation-related emergent phenomenology is advancing, yet progress is hampered by significant incongruities between meditator self-reports and objective measurements (e.g., of brain states). We address these incongruities by developing and demonstrating the potential of contemplative theory to support scientific investigation. Method Our approach is to...