Functional connectivity changes in meditators and novices during yoga nidra practice.
Suruchi Fialoke, Vaibhav Tripathi, Sonika Thakral, Anju Dhawan, Vidur Majahan, Rahul Garg
Scientific Reports June 5, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63765-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 61 |
| Population | Experienced meditators and novice controls |
| Intervention | Yoga nidra |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation |
| Keywords | Functional connectivity Yoga-nidra FMRI |
| Citations | 21 |
| Key findings | Experienced meditators showed significant reductions in default mode network functional connectivity during yoga nidra compared to novices, and this decoupling correlated with cumulative meditation and yoga practice hours. |
Abstract
Yoga nidra (YN) practice aims to induce a deeply relaxed state akin to sleep while maintaining heightened awareness. Despite the growing interest in its clinical applications, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying neural correlates of the practice of YN remains largely unexplored. In this fMRI investigation, we aim to discover the differences between wakeful resting states and states attained during YN practice. The study included individuals experienced in meditation and/or yogic practices, referred to as 'meditators' (n = 30), and novice controls (n = 31). The GLM analysis, based on audio instructions, demonstrated activation related to auditory cues without concurrent default mode network (DMN) deactivation. DMN seed based functional connectivity (FC) analysis revealed significant reductions in connectivity among meditators during YN as compared to controls. We did not find differences between the two groups during the pre and post resting state scans. Moreover, when DMN-FC was compared between the YN state and resting state, meditators showed distinct decoupling, whereas controls showed increased DMN-FC. Finally, participants exhibit a remarkable correlation between reduced DMN connectivity during YN and self-reported hours of cumulative meditation and yoga practice. Together, these results suggest a unique neural modulation of the DMN in meditators during YN which results in being restful yet aware, aligned with their subjective experience of the practice. The study deepens our understanding of the neural mechanisms of YN, revealing distinct DMN connectivity decoupling in meditators and its relationship with meditation and yoga experience. These findings have interdisciplinary implications for neuroscience, psychology, and yogic disciplines.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Effectiveness of Yoga-based guided meditation In Improving the quality of sleep in patients with coronary artery disease: The Yoga Nidra Trial American Journal of Preventive Cardiology July 1, 2026
- Prana-Centered AI Integrating Subtle Yogic Energetics Into Intelligent Wellness Systems Advances in Computational Intelligence and Robotics June 18, 2026
- Between Sleep and Liberation in Indian Traditions: Lucid Dreaming, Out-of-Body Experiences, and the Architectures of Liminal Consciousness Religions February 24, 2026
- Yoga Nidra and Pain: A between-, within-Group Meta-Analysis and Dose Response Meta-Regression Complementary Medicine Research November 4, 2025
- Samatvam (Equanimity) in Athlete Mental Training: Case Study of An Elite Swimmer May 28, 2025
and 4 more in the library
Cites 40
- Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology March 29, 2012
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- 20 years of the default mode network: A review and synthesis Neuron May 10, 2023
and 35 more in the library