Exploring the effects of mindfulness meditation on resting-state functional connectivity: an overview.
Thomas Le François, Charlotte E Hilberdink, Bérengère Guillery-Girard, Elise Leroux, Pascal Delamillieure, Maxime Tréhout, Gaël Chételat, Annick Haelewyn, Eric Bui
Reviews in the Neurosciences June 3, 2026 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2026-0019 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthy meditation-naïve adults |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation training |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Brain networks Functional connectivity Meditation-naïve adults Mindfulness meditation Resting-state |
| Key findings | MMT may induce reorganization of functional connectivity within and between the default mode, salience, and central executive networks, linked to changes in cognitive and emotional processes. |
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation has received growing interest in research over the past decades. Mindfulness meditation training (MMT) can be employed as a mental practice to improve cognitive skills such as attention and emotion regulation and may promote well-being. Neuroimaging studies have emerged to understand the effects of MMT on brain functioning. However, no review exists on the effects of MMT on resting-state brain functional connectivity (rsFC) in healthy meditation-naïve adults specifically. We, therefore, aimed to provide an overview of studies that investigated the effects of MMT on rsFC in healthy meditation-naïve adults, as well as their link to cognitive and clinical measures. Several studies reported changes in MMT-induced rsFC within and between regions of the default mode (DMN), salience (SN), and central executive (CEN) networks. Both increases and decreases in rsFC have been observed for brain regions associated with these networks after MMT, each with differential roles in emotion regulation, stress, and cognitive functions. Some studies highlighted associations between changes in rsFC after MMT and modifications in cognitive performance and psycho-affective measures, which may be influenced by MMT-specific characteristics such as practice duration or delivery methods. MMT may induce a reorganization in the brain's functional architecture by altering rsFC within and between these networks and seems to modify processes related to attention, executive memory, emotional regulation, stress, and resilience. Investigating functional connectivity during rest in key brain networks seems a promising approach to understand the effects of mindfulness meditation on overall well-being.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 66
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
and 61 more in the library