How similar are the changes in neural activity resulting from mindfulness practice in contrast to spiritual practice?
Joseph M Barnby, Neil W. Bailey, Richard Chambers, Paul B Fitzgerald
Consciousness and Cognition November 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2015.07.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Alpha inhibition Fronto-parietal network Inferior parietal lobule Neuroscience of mindfulness Neuroscience of spirituality Other Prefrontal cortex Quantitative neuroimaging Self Spiritual practice |
| Key findings | The review reports that across neuroimaging studies of meditators, religious/spiritual practitioners, and those doing both, a relative increase in prefrontal activation reflected mindfulness and related to decreased anxiety and improved well-being, while a relative decrease in inferior parietal cortex activation appeared to reflect spiritual belief, whether or not meditation was involved. The authors argue that because mindful and spiritual practices differ in focus on 'self' versus 'other', these neural components may help explain how 'self' and 'other' are represented in the brain. |
Abstract
Meditation and spiritual practices are conceptually similar, eliciting similar subjective experiences, and both appear to provide similar benefits to the practicing individuals. However, no research has examined whether the mechanism of action leading to the beneficial effects is similar in both practices. This review examines the neuroimaging research that has focused on groups of meditating individuals, groups who engage in religious/spiritual practices, and research that has examined groups who perform both practices together, in an attempt to assess whether this may be the case. Differences in the balance of activity between the parietal and prefrontal cortical activation were found between the three groups. A relative prefrontal increase was reflective of mindfulness, which related to decreased anxiety and improved well-being. A relative decrease in activation of the parietal cortex, specifically the inferior parietal cortex, appears to be reflective of spiritual belief, whether within the context of meditation or not. Because mindful and spiritual practices differ in focus regarding the 'self' or 'other' (higher being), these observations about neurological components that reflect spirituality may continue work towards understanding how the definition of 'self' and 'other' is represented in the brain, and how this may be reflected in behaviour. Future research can begin to use cohorts of participants in mindfulness studies which are controlled for using the variable of spirituality to explicitly examine how functional and structural similarities and differences may arise.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Psilocybin-assisted mindfulness training modulates self-consciousness and brain default mode network connectivity with lasting effects. Neuroimage August 1, 2019
- Neural Correlates of Personalized Spiritual Experiences Cerebral Cortex May 14, 2018
- A distinction between two instruments measuring dispositional mindfulness and the correlations between those measurements and the neuroanatomical structure Scientific Reports July 18, 2017
- Spirituality as a Therapeutic Approach for Severe Mental Illness: Insights from Neural Networks Religions April 16, 2024
- Religious and spiritual experiences from a neuroscientific and complex systems perspective. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews October 1, 2025
and 6 more in the library
Cites 36
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
and 31 more in the library