Meditation reduces brain activity in the default mode network in children with active cancer and survivors.
Aneesh Hehr, Allesandra Iadipaolo, Austin Morales, Cindy Cohen, Jeffrey W Taub, Felicity W K Harper, Elimelech Goldberg, Martin H Bluth, Christine A Rabinak, Hilary A Marusak
Pediatric blood & cancer October 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29917 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Children with cancer |
| Interventions | Martial arts-based meditation (focused attention mindful acceptance) Distraction |
| Topics | Meditation Default mode network |
| Keywords | Adolescents Martial arts |
| Key findings | Martial arts-based meditation was associated with lower activation in default mode network regions compared to a control condition, and may modulate DMN activity more effectively than distraction. |
Abstract
Mounting evidence demonstrates that meditation can lower pain and emotional distress in adults, and more recently, in children. Children may benefit from meditation given its accessibility across a variety of settings (e.g., surgical preparation). Recent neuroimaging studies in adults suggest that meditation techniques are neurobiologically distinct from other forms of emotion regulation, such as distraction, that rely on prefrontal control mechanisms, which are underdeveloped in youth. Rather, meditation techniques may not rely on "top-down" prefrontal control and may therefore be utilized across the lifespan. We examined neural activation in children with cancer, a potentially distressing diagnosis. During neuroimaging, children viewed distress-inducing video clips while using martial arts-based meditation (focused attention, mindful acceptance) or non-meditation (distraction) emotion regulation techniques. In a third condition (control), participants passively viewed the video clip. We found that meditation techniques were associated with lower activation in default mode network (DMN) regions, including the medial frontal cortex, precuneus, and posterior cingulate cortex, compared to the control condition. Additionally, we found evidence that meditation techniques may be more effective for modulating DMN activity than distraction. There were no differences in self-reported distress ratings between conditions. Together, these findings suggest that martial arts-based meditation modulates negative self-referential processing associated with the DMN, and may have implications for the management of pediatric pain and negative emotion.
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 4
- Strong Mind, Strong Body: The Promise of Mind-Body Interventions to Address Growing Mental Health Needs Among Youth. Mental health science June 1, 2023
- Dynamic Functional Connectivity Correlates of Trait Mindfulness in Early Adolescence. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science November 1, 2024
- Mindful young brains and minds: a systematic review of the neural correlates of mindfulness-based interventions in youth. Brain Imaging and Behavior April 1, 2025
- Psychedelics and the Autonomic Nervous System: A Perspective on Their Interplay and Therapeutic Potential. ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science February 18, 2025
Cites 20
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- The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Neuroimage June 13, 2008
- The wandering brain: Meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies of mind-wandering and related spontaneous thought processes Neuroimage February 25, 2015
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