Dynamics of neural recruitment surrounding the spontaneous arising of thoughts in experienced mindfulness practitioners
Melissa Ellamil, Kieran C. R. Fox, Matthew L. Dixon, Sean Pritchard, Rebecca M. Todd, Evan Thompson, Kalina Christoff
Neuroimage April 30, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.04.034 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Experienced mindfulness practitioners |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Dynamics music Psychotherapist Cognitive psychology Cognitive science Pedagogy |
| Citations | 150 |
| Key findings | Brain regions including the medial temporal lobe and inferior parietal lobule show peak activation before a spontaneous thought arises, while other regions activate at or after the thought's onset. |
Abstract
Thoughts arise spontaneously in our minds with remarkable frequency, but tracking the brain systems associated with the early inception of a thought has proved challenging. Here we addressed this issue by taking advantage of the heightened introspective ability of experienced mindfulness practitioners to observe the onset of their spontaneously arising thoughts. We found subtle differences in timing among the many regions typically recruited by spontaneous thought. In some of these regions, fMRI signal peaked prior to the spontaneous arising of a thought - most notably in the medial temporal lobe and inferior parietal lobule. In contrast, activation in the medial prefrontal, temporopolar, mid-insular, lateral prefrontal, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortices peaked together with or immediately following the arising of spontaneous thought. We propose that brain regions that show antecedent recruitment may be preferentially involved in the initial inception of spontaneous thoughts, while those that show later recruitment may be preferentially involved in the subsequent elaboration and metacognitive processing of spontaneous thoughts. Our findings highlight the temporal dynamics of neural recruitment surrounding the emergence of spontaneous thoughts and may help account for some of spontaneous thought's peculiar qualities, including its wild diversity of content and its links to memory and attention.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| 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 | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 40
- The role of the default mode network in component processes underlying the wandering mind Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience March 21, 2017
- Studying the experience of meditation through Micro-phenomenology Current Opinion in Psychology October 25, 2018
- The neural correlates of ongoing conscious thought iScience February 2, 2021
- Chain free association, creativity, and the default mode network Neuropsychologia March 17, 2018
- The Phenomenal Contents and Neural Correlates of Spontaneous Thoughts across Wakefulness, NREM Sleep, and REM Sleep Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience May 31, 2017
and 35 more in the library
Cites 19
- Experience sampling during fMRI reveals default network and executive system contributions to mind wandering. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences May 26, 2009
- Neural correlates of attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 28, 2007
- Mental Training Affects Distribution of Limited Brain Resources PLoS Biology May 4, 2007
- The wandering brain: Meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies of mind-wandering and related spontaneous thought processes Neuroimage February 25, 2015
- Intensive meditation training improves perceptual discrimination and sustained attention. Psychological Science June 1, 2010
and 14 more in the library