Decoding Mindfulness With Multivariate Predictive Models.
Jarrod A Lewis-Peacock, Tor D Wager, Todd S. Braver
Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging April 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.10.018 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognitive neuroscience Contemplative neuroscience Neuromarkers Predictive modeling |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Multivariate predictive models represent a powerful methodology for identifying brain mechanisms of mindfulness meditation, illustrated by state induction and neuromarker strategies. |
Abstract
Identifying the brain mechanisms that underlie the salutary effects of mindfulness meditation and related practices is a critical goal of contemplative neuroscience. Here, we suggest that the use of multivariate predictive models represents a promising and powerful methodology that could be better leveraged to pursue this goal. This approach incorporates key principles of multivariate decoding, predictive classification, and model-based analyses, all of which represent a strong departure from conventional brain mapping approaches. We highlight 2 such research strategies-state induction and neuromarker identification-and provide illustrative examples of how these approaches have been used to examine central questions in mindfulness, such as the distinction between internally directed focused attention and mind wandering and the effects of mindfulness interventions on somatic pain and drug-related cravings. We conclude by discussing important issues to be addressed with future research, including key tradeoffs between using a personalized versus population-based approach to predictive modeling.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 21
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Dynamics of neural recruitment surrounding the spontaneous arising of thoughts in experienced mindfulness practitioners Neuroimage April 30, 2016
- Towards a computational phenomenology of mental action: modelling meta-awareness and attentional control with deep parametric active inference. Neuroscience of Consciousness 2021
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to Neurophenomenology - The Case of Studying Self Boundaries With Meditators. Frontiers in Psychology 2020
and 16 more in the library