An Overview of Neurophenomenological Approaches to Meditation and Their Relevance to Clinical Research.
Antoine Lutz, Oussama Abdoun, Yair Dor-Ziderman, Fynn-Mathis Trautwein, Aviva Berkovich-Ohana
Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging April 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.11.008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Active inference Microphenomenology Neurophenomenology Self |
| Citations | 18 |
| Key findings | Methodological innovations in neurophenomenology, centered around rigorous first-person investigation, highlight the potential of epistemologically beneficial mutual constraints among phenomenological, computational, and neurophysiological domains for an integrated understanding of mental illness and its treatment. |
Abstract
There is a renewed interest in taking phenomenology seriously in consciousness research, contemporary psychiatry, and neurocomputation. The neurophenomenology research program, pioneered by Varela, rigorously examines subjective experience using first-person methodologies, inspired by phenomenology and contemplative practices. This review explores recent advancements in neurophenomenological approaches, particularly their application to meditation practices and potential clinical research translations. First, we examine innovative multidimensional phenomenological assessment tools designed to capture subtle, dynamic shifts in experiential content and structures of consciousness during meditation. These experience sampling approaches enable shedding new light on the mechanisms and dynamic trajectories of meditation practice and retreat. Second, we highlight how empirical studies in neurophenomenology leverage the expertise of experienced meditators to deconstruct aversive and self-related processes, providing detailed first-person reports that guide researchers in identifying novel behavioral and neurodynamic markers associated with pain regulation, self-dissolution, and acceptance of mortality. Finally, we discuss a recent framework, deep computational neurophenomenology, that updates the theoretical ambitions of neurophenomenology to naturalize phenomenology. This framework uses the formalism of deep parametric active inference, where parametric depth refers to a property of generative models that can form beliefs about the parameters of their own modeling process. Collectively, these methodological innovations, centered around rigorous first-person investigation, highlight the potential of epistemologically beneficial mutual constraints among phenomenological, computational, and neurophysiological domains. This could contribute to an integrated understanding of the biological basis of mental illness, its treatment, and its tight connections to the lived experience of the patient.
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
Cited by 15
- Intrinsic neural timescales exhibit different lengths in distinct meditation techniques. Neuroimage August 15, 2024
- Training the embodied self in its impermanence: meditators evidence neurophysiological markers of death acceptance. Neuroscience of Consciousness 2025
- Beyond mindfulness: how Buddhist meditation transforms consciousness through distinct psychological pathways. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- Deconstructive meditations and psychotherapy: Transforming the perception of the self. World Journal of Psychiatry June 19, 2025
- Now is the time: operationalizing generative neurophenomenology through interpersonal methods. Neuroscience of Consciousness 2025
and 10 more in the library
Cites 50
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Interoception, contemplative practice, and health Frontiers in Psychology June 9, 2015
- Guiding the study of brain dynamics by using first-person data: Synchrony patterns correlate with ongoing conscious states during a simple visual task Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 22, 2002
- The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists PLoS One May 24, 2017
- Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
and 45 more in the library