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Meditation leads to reduced default mode network activity beyond an active task
Open accessAbstract
Meditation has been associated with relatively reduced activity in the default mode network, a brain network implicated in self-related thinking and mind wandering. However, previous imaging studies have typically compared meditation to rest, despite other studies having reported differences in brain activation patterns between meditators and controls at rest. Moreover, rest is associated with a range of brain activation patterns across individuals that has only recently begun to be better characterized. Therefore, in this study we compared meditation to another active cognitive task, both to replicate the findings that meditation is associated with relatively reduced default mode network activity and to extend these findings by testing whether default mode activity was reduced during meditation, beyond the typical reductions observed during effortful tasks. In addition, prior studies had used small groups, whereas in the present study we tested these hypotheses in a larger group. The results indicated that meditation is associated with reduced activations in the default mode network, relative to an active task, for meditators as compared to controls. Regions of the default mode network showing a Group × Task interaction included the posterior cingulate/precuneus and anterior cingulate cortex. These findings replicate and extend prior work indicating that the suppression of default mode processing may represent a central neural process in long-term meditation, and they suggest that meditation leads to relatively reduced default mode processing beyond that observed during another active cognitive task.
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“Neuroimaging studies revealed reduced default mode network (DMN) activation and enhanced DMN-central executive network (CEN) connectivity in experienced meditators, suggesting that CEN negatively regulates the DMN (Bauer et al., 2019; Brewer et al., 2011; Garrison et al., 2015).”
From Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for People with Parkinson’s Disease and Their Caregivers: a Pilot Study (2022) · cites this paper as Garrison et al., 2015
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“According to the findings, functional connectivity in the DMN is negatively correlated with that of the salience network (Doll et al., 2015), other brain neural networks (Josipovic et al., 2011), and the mindfulness scores of mindful breathing practitioners (Garrison et al., 2015).”
From Frontal Electroencephalography Asymmetry and Desynchronized Functional Connectivity Associated with Long-Term and Short-Term Breathing Training (2026) · cites this paper as Garrison et al., 2015
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“Furthermore, meditation also attenuates activity of the default mode network (DMN),14 with dysfunction of the DMN subsystem in the anterior (medial prefrontal cortex) and posterior (cingulate cortex) following a larger number of long-term meditations.15 16”
From Biological mechanism study of meditation and its application in mental disorders (2020) · cites this paper as [15]
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Citations
Cites
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Rebecchi, K., & Hagège, H. (2022) · Frontiers in Education · doi:10.3389/feduc.2022.774685 · Cited by 15
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Meditation and Complexity: a Systematic ReviewPreprint
Atad, D. A., Mediano, P. A. M., Rosas, F. E., & Berkovich‐Ohana, A. (2023) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/np97r · Cited by 11
Pascarella, A., Thölke, P., David Meunier, A., O’Byrne, J., Lajnef, T., Raffone, A., Guidotti, R., Pizzella, V., Marzetti, L., & Jerbi, K. (2025) · Neuroscience of Consciousness · doi:10.1093/nc/niaf047 · Cited by 13
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Tai Chi Practice Buffers Aging Effects in Functional Brain Connectivity
Cerna, J., Gupta, P., He, M., Ziegelman, L., Hu, Y., & Hernandez, M. E. (2024) · Brain Sciences · doi:10.3390/brainsci14090901 · Cited by 10
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“…is vital for everyday functioning and critical disease management behaviors, we speculate that interventions facilitating DMN suppression (e.g., mindfulness-based practices, working memory training; Garrison et al., 2015; Salmi et al., 2018) may be beneficial for PLWH and the challenges they face.”
BackgroundPsilocybin as a Novel Pharmacotherapy for Treatment-Refractory Anorexia Nervosa
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Evolutionary Perspectives on Religion and Violence
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Catching the wandering mind: Meditation as a window into spontaneous thoughtPreprint
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“This agrees with other studies suggesting meditation experience is associated with differential default mode activity and connectivity (Farb, Segal, & Anderson, 2013; Garrison et al., 2015; Hasenkamp & Barsalou, 2012; Jang et al., 2011; Mooneyham et al., 2016; Taylor et al., 2013).”
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“Meditation practice can alter a person’s state of consciousness and the DMN activity may change via PFC activation [54,49,53,55].”
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Panitz, D. Y., Mendelsohn, A., Cabral, J., & Berkovich‐Ohana, A. (2025) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2024.1482353 · Cited by 11
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RunMe: An Adaptive Sound System for Running Meditation
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“long-term meditators exhibit increased resting state connectivity within the default network[52,53] as well as in attentional networks, and between the attentional networks and medial frontal regions[54,55].”
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“…three time scales for neural changes in meditation and prayer, we can emphasise, that (1) acute effects involve reduced DMN (Brewer et al., 2011; Garrison et al., 2015; Tomasino et al., 2013) and increased insula activation (Fox et al., 2016), (2) post-acute effects involve post-meditation…”
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Functionality of arousal-regulating brain circuitry at rest predicts human cognitive abilities
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“…to areas of the Default Mode Network (DMN), which are often linked to Brodmann areas (BA) 7, 10, 23, 25, 31, and 32, as well as the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC; BA 24, 32, and 33), the Posterior Cingulate Cortex (PCC; BA 23, 31), the Precuneus, and the superior parietal lobule (BA 7 and 5).”
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“The SRT has been used to measure SRP in mindfulness meditation studies that assert an SLP model (Brewer et al., 2011; Farb et al., 2007; Garrison et al., 2015).”
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“Our result aligns with previous studies reporting a reduction in DMN activity during meditation (Ganesan, Moffat, Van Dam, Lorenzetti, & Zalesky, 2023; Garrison, Zeffiro, Scheinost, Constable, & Brewer, 2015).”
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“Further recent fMRI studies have also shown decreased activation in the DMN (ACC, fusiform gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, precuneus) in comparison to an active task (Garrison et al., 2015; Tomasino et al., 2012).”
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“Previous research suggests that mindfulness can improve creative performance by enhancing executive control or increasing efficiency in relevant brain regions (e.g., the Default Mode Network—see Garrison et al. 2015; or the Executive Control Network—see Taren et al. 2017).”
Microstate Dynamics of Focused Attention Meditation
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“The neural bases of mindfulness-related exercises (e.g. meditation) also highlight the activation disparities between the attentional and default mode networks (Brewer et al., 2011, Garrison, Zeffiro, Scheinost, Constable, & Brewer, 2015).”
BackgroundNeurotheology: Practical Applications with Regard to Integrative Psychiatry
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“Furthermore, a number of studies have explored the impact of the MBSR program on neuronal function in the default mode network and particularly on frontal-limbic interactions that are involved with the modulation of emotional reactivity [34].”
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“Reductions in PCC activation during MT have also repeatedly been reported for participants more naïve to the practice [29, 32 – 34].”
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Pentatonic sequences and monaural beats to facilitate relaxation: an EEG study
Costa, M., Visentin, C., Occhionero, M., Tonetti, L., Prodi, N., & Natale, V. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1369485 · Cited by 4
Hidden in plain sight? Sustained attention is the source of both educational and spiritual practice
Buttarazzi, G. F., & Sinha, S. (2025) · Cogent Education · doi:10.1080/2331186x.2025.2535884 · Cited by 6
“…moment, which in turn can have positive consequences on our capacity to engage with deeper and more complex educational hap-penings, as well as enhancing our sense of wellbeing by engaging us in life events, with others and what we are doing or experiencing more fully (Garrison et al., 2015).”
Taheri, M. A., Torabi, S., Nabavi, N., Modarresi-Asem, F., Sisara, M. A., Rezaei, A., Maftoun, P., & Semsarha, F. (2022) · The Scientific Journal of Cosmointel · doi:10.61450/joci.v1i2.29 · Cited by 10
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“Moreover, decreases in the activation of DMN have been witnessed during FA meditation when compared to resting state condition (Garrison et al., 2015).”
BackgroundA contemplative perspective on mind wandering
Didriksen, L. S. (2022) · New Perspectives on Mind-Wandering · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-06955-0_10 · Cited by 3
Conceptual Advances in the Default Space Model of Consciousness
Jerath, R., Beveridge, C., & Jensen, M. A. (2018) · World Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.4236/wjns.2018.82020 · Cited by 3
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Connection 100—An Auto-Ethnography of My (Mystical) Connection Experiences
Sosteric, M. (2022) · Religions · doi:10.3390/rel13100993 · Cited by 5
“…on one’s ontological predilections, to connection to deeper neurological structures and functions of the brain (Carhart-Harris and Friston 2010; Garrison et al. 2015; Newberg et al. 2001) or, if one is willing to consider that consciousness might be rooted outside the body, to wider…”
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“Previous studies have reported the activation of the DMN during mind wandering [9], while meditation practices aim to counteract this DMN activation [8].”
BackgroundUnderstanding the variability in ketamine’s efficacy in managing treatment-resistant depression
Bryan, J. (2024) · Discover Psychology · doi:10.1007/s44202-024-00277-5 · Cited by 3
“Research has illustrated how MBIs can allow patients to develop greater cognitive flexibility and divert attention from negative rumination and back towards the present moment [20, 68].”
Yoga as Advanced Cognitive Training: How Kirtan Kriya In Kundalini Yoga Changes the PTSD Brain
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Negative and Positive Mind-Wandering
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Evaluating an Instructional Resource Used for Teaching and Learning Meditation: a Pilot Study
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Cerebral lateralization and religion: the roles of ritual and the DMN
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The influence of mindfulness meditation on mind wandering and its mechanism
Hongtao, S. H. A. O., Guiqin, R. E. N., Xiaoqian, D. I. N. G., Mengmeng, S. H. I., Ruiyan, L. I., & Li, Y. (2023) · Advances in Psychological Science · doi:10.3724/sp.j.1042.2023.02368 · Cited by 3
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Breathing and the brain: Pranayama, an ancient self-directed approach to neuromodulation
Bhargav, H., Mehta, U. M., Kumar, A. R., Subramanian, S., & Keshavan, M. S. (2025) · Asian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2025.104788 · Cited by 3
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Generative Multi-Sensory Meditation: Exploring Immersive Depth and Activation in Virtual Reality
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Neurofeedback from the Posterior Cingulate Cortex as a Mental Mirror for Meditation
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Patient Evaluation: Precautions and Managing Expectations
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Temporal Changes in the State Effect of Meditation on Response Inhibition Processes
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“Additionally, subjective effort and spontaneous thought during each meditation were evaluated immediately after each meditation (Garrison et al., 2014, 2015; Lumma et al., 2015).”
MethodAn Interpretation and Application of the ‘Four Paths of Yoga' for a Positive Well-Being
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Suspending the embodied self in meditation attenuates beta oscillations in posterior medial cortexPreprint
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Default mode network anti-correlation as a transdiagnostic biomarker of cognitive functionPreprint
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“Reduced activity in the DMN has been reported during meditation practice in experienced meditators relative to nonmeditators [16,43].”
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“Specifically, FMT rhythms are activated when subjects are required to maintain attention during the task (Arnau, 2019 ; Brandmeyer & Delorme, 2018 ; Garrison et al., 2015 ; Ishihara & Yoshii, 1972 ).”
Dinámica Cerebral de Varones con Estrés tras una Intervención en Línea de Atención Plena Compasiva
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Toward a Brain Network Science of Mindfulness
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Metadata
- Authors
- Garrison, K. A., Zeffiro, T. A., Scheinost, D., Constable, R. T., & Brewer, J. A.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (US)
- Corresponding author
- Brewer, Judson A.
- Venue
- Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience
- Published
- 2015-04-23
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 712-720
- ISSN
- 1530-7026 (ISSN-L)
- 1531-135X
- PMC
- PMC4529365
- OpenAlex
- W2093668364
- Cited by
- 295
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 30 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 47 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 5
- FWCI
- 14.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Cognitive Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network (American Medical Association) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- American Heart Association (14CRP18200010)
- Yale University
- National Institutes of Health (14CRP18200010)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (K12 DA00167, K12DA000167, T32DA022975)
- NIH Clinical Center
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (R01AT007922)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Mind wandering and attention
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Keywords
- meditation, default mode network, resting-state brain activity, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, anterior cingulate cortex, mind wandering
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Neural Pathways, Neuropsychological Tests, Rest, Meditation
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