Mindfulness disposition and default-mode network connectivity in older adults.
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience October 9, 2012 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nss115 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Older adults |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness disposition was associated with greater default-mode network connectivity in older adults, specifically in the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex and the precuneus. The authors argue this indicates mindfulness explains variance in connectivity of an intrinsic network they link to self-relevant mental exploration and cognitive and affective control. |
Abstract
An extensive body of research defines the default-mode network (DMN) to be one of the critical networks of the human brain, playing a pivotal functional role in processes of internal mentation. Alterations in the connectivity of this network as a function of aging have been found, with reductions associated with functional ramifications for the elderly population. This study examined associations between integrity of the DMN and trait levels of mindfulness disposition, defined by our ability to exert attentional and emotional control in the present moment, and, thereby, bring awareness to immediate experiences. Twenty-five older adults participated in the study and underwent a brief functional magnetic resonance imaging session and filled out questionnaires related to their overall health and mindfulness disposition. Mindfulness disposition was associated with greater connectivity of the DMN, specifically, in the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex and the precuneus. Mindfulness disposition, thus, explains variance in the connectivity of one of the more intrinsic networks of the human brain, known to be critical for promoting self-relevant mental explorations and building cognitive and affective control.
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 32
- Mindfulness is associated with intrinsic functional connectivity between default mode and salience networks Frontiers in Human Neuroscience August 25, 2015
- Mindfulness Training for Healthy Aging: Impact on Attention, Well-Being, and Inflammation Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience February 2, 2017
- Resting-State Network Functional Connectivity Patterns Associated with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale Brain Connectivity November 13, 2017
- Mindful attention promotes control of brain network dynamics for self-regulation and discontinues the past from the present Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 3, 2023
- Mindfulness in the focus of the neurosciences - The contribution of neuroimaging to the understanding of mindfulness. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience October 17, 2022
and 27 more in the library
Cites 29
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- 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
and 24 more in the library