Mantra Meditation Suppression of Default Mode Beyond an Active Task: a Pilot Study
Rozalyn Simon, Johan Pihlsgård, Ulrika Berglind, Birgitta Söderfeldt, Maria Engström
May 22, 2017 DOI: 10.1007/s41465-017-0028-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Pilot study |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Kundalini yoga/meditation mantra meditation |
| Duration | 2-week period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mantra meditation training over two weeks decreased activations within subregions of the default mode network, specifically the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex and precuneus, beyond the effect of a finger-tapping control task. |
Abstract
Within the field of neuroimaging, the discovery of a constellation of brain regions silently active when we are “resting” has provided a new view into the elusive effects of meditative practice. This network, called the default mode network (DMN), has been shown by functional neuroimaging to be active when an individual is at rest. Meta-analyses of the fMRI neurocorrelates of meditation have shown that across diverse practices, the most common general effect appears to be modulation of regions within the DMN. The specific practice of mantra meditation is a form of task-positive concentration. These kinds of task-positive activities are regarded by many to be an anti-correlate of DMN activity, thereby in theory, reducing activations within the DMN as concentration on a particular task increases. Yet previous studies on mantra meditation using language tasks as controls have reported only activations, not deactivations within the DMN. A study by Berkovich-Ohana showed that word repetition as control task could mask some of the effects of mantra, which may explain why previous studies using language repetition as control task failed to find significant DMN deactivations during mantra meditation. To investigate these differences, we analyzed mantra meditation using a finger-tapping control task which required a minimal amount of focused attention, yet enough to reduce blood flow to the major hubs of the DMN and minimally reduce network activity. Using a finger-tapping control thus modifies the research question: Can a brief course of this kind be shown to modulate DMN activations during mantra practice beyond that of a minimally active/non-language finger-tapping control condition; and if so, can we see a training effect over time? Our results show that over a 2-week period of Kundalini yoga/meditation, participants successfully decreased activations within subregions of the DMN, namely the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (PACC) and the precuneus, during mantra meditation with trends toward decreased activation in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) as well. These decreased activations were significant despite use of a finger-tapping control task known to deactivate these regions, indicating that mantra practice suppresses activation in these DMN regions beyond the active control task. These results emphasize the importance of the choice of control task and provide insight into the “mantra effect.” Here, we show that training in mantra meditation, like other practices such as focused attention and open monitoring, also has a suppressive effect on activity within the DMN.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Beyond the veil of duality—topographic reorganization model of meditation Neuroscience of Consciousness 2022
- A Review of the Methodology, Taxonomy, and Definitions in Recent fMRI Research on Meditation Mindfulness November 12, 2021
- Brain Structure and Functional Connectivity Correlate with Psychosocial Development in Contemplative Practitioners and Controls Brain Science May 30, 2021
- Yoga as Advanced Cognitive Training: How Kirtan Kriya In Kundalini Yoga Changes the PTSD Brain Journal of Yoga and Physiotherapy September 3, 2019
- Spectral Analysis of Vishnu Sahasranama: Effects on Stress Levels and Memory Improvement Science Discovery June 27, 2026
and 2 more in the library
Cites 36
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- 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
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering Psychological Science March 28, 2013
and 31 more in the library