Meditation is linked to reduced activity in the default mode network, a brain system tied to self-focused thought and mind wandering, even when compared to an active cognitive task rather than just rest. In a larger group than prior studies, meditators showed less default mode network activation during meditation than non-meditators performing a control task. Key regions involved were the posterior cingulate/precuneus and anterior cingulate cortex. These findings suggest that suppression of default mode processing is a central neural process in long-term meditation, extending beyond what is seen during other effortful tasks.
A nonrandomized, single-arm study tested whether typically developing adolescents could learn to self-regulate the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) using real-time functional MRI neurofeedback during mindfulness training. Thirty-four adolescents (mean age 15; 14 females) completed the task across neurofeedback and non-neurofeedback runs. Neurofeedback runs showed significantly decreased PCC activity during the Focus-on-Breath condition compared with Describe (z = -2.38 to -6.27). State awareness of physical sensations increased after neurofeedback and was maintained at 1-week follow-up (Cohen's d = 0.69). The findings demonstrate feasibility and tolerability of this approach in healthy adolescents and replicate the role of the PCC in mindfulness.
People who practice focused attention meditation learn more from negative feedback than nonmeditators, and this effect increases with meditation experience. Meditators also show a smaller feedback-related negativity (FRN) brain signal, a pattern linked to higher tonic dopamine levels. The findings suggest that regular meditation may persistently raise tonic dopamine, thereby altering how the brain processes feedback. The study involved a probabilistic selection task to measure feedback-based learning.