Default Mode Network, Meditation, and Age-Associated Brain Changes: What Can We Learn from the Impact of Mental Training on Well-Being as a Psychotherapeutic Approach?
Ricardo Ramírez-Barrantes, M. Arancibia, Jana Stojanova, Mauricio Aspé-Sánchez, Claudio Córdova, Rodrigo Henríquez-Ch
Journal of Neural Transplantation and Plasticity April 2, 2019 DOI: 10.1155/2019/7067592 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation |
| Key findings | Meditation may facilitate healthy aging by regulating the default mode network and task-positive networks, potentially slowing cognitive decline. |
Abstract
Aging is a physiological process accompanied by cognitive decline, principally in memory and executive functions. Alterations in the connectivity of the default mode network (DMN) have been found to participate in cognitive decline, as well as in several neurocognitive disorders. The DMN has antisynchronic activity with attentional networks (task-positive networks (TPN)), which are critical to executive function and memory. Findings pointing to the regulation of the DMN via activation of TPN suggest that it can be used as a strategy for neuroprotection. Meditation is a noninvasive and nonpharmacological technique proven to increase meta-awareness, a cognitive ability which involves the control of both networks. In this review, we discuss the possibility of facilitating healthy aging through the regulation of networks through meditation. We propose that by practicing specific types of meditation, cognitive decline could be slowed, promoting a healthy lifestyle, which may enhance the quality of life for the elderly.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Brain's Default Mode Network | 2015 | Review | |
| Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology | 2012 | Review | |
| 20 years of the default mode network: A review and synthesis | 2023 | Review | |
| On the relationship between the “default mode network” and the “social brain” | 2012 | Review | |
| The default mode network and social understanding of others: what do brain connectivity studies tell us Healthy subjects, with some studies on patients with autism and psychopathy | 2014 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 18
- Neural Mechanisms and Psychology of Psychedelic Ego Dissolution Pharmacological Reviews September 9, 2022
- Effective Connectivity of Functionally Anticorrelated Networks Under Lysergic Acid Diethylamide. Biological Psychiatry February 1, 2023
- Psychedelics and mindfulness: A systematic review and meta-analysis Journal of Psychedelic Studies September 16, 2022
- The thalamocortical inhibitory network controls human conscious perception Neuroimage November 9, 2022
- Prefrontal cortical hemodynamics and functional network organization during Tai Chi standing meditation: an fNIRS study Frontiers in Human Neuroscience October 25, 2023
and 13 more in the library
Cites 61
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- The Brain's Default Mode Network Annual Review of Neuroscience May 4, 2015
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Experience sampling during fMRI reveals default network and executive system contributions to mind wandering. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences May 26, 2009
and 56 more in the library