June 2016 PMID 27032724

Functional neuroanatomy of meditation: A review and meta-analysis of 78 functional neuroimaging investigations.

Kieran C R Fox, Matthew L Dixon, Savannah Nijeboer, Manesh Girn, James L Floman, Michael Lifshitz, Melissa Ellamil, Peter Sedlmeier, Kalina Christoff

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Mentions

Peak: 2 in Mar 2022

across 6 sources since Jan 2018

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120,738

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5,069

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Jan 2018 – Oct 2025

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AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions exhibit a genuine interest in the article’s findings, with examples like references to activated brain regions, such as the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, revealing a focus on neural mechanisms. The tone combines technical references with curiosity, reflecting both respect for the study and desire to explore its implications further.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge the validity and relevance of the review, emphasizing how it consolidates findings across multiple studies.

InterestHigh interest

Participants show high curiosity, often referencing specific brain regions and meditation styles, indicating strong engagement with the topic.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts include detailed analysis and personal interpretations, demonstrating moderate depth of discussion.

ImpactModerate impact

The collective tone suggests recognition of the study's importance in advancing understanding of meditation's neural basis, but few posts suggest immediate applications.

Abstract in brief

This review and meta-analysis of 78 neuroimaging studies shows that different meditation styles (such as focused attention, mantra recitation, open monitoring, and compassion practices) activate and deactivate specific brain regions in ways that align with their mental goals.
Certain brain areas like the insula, pre-supplementary motor cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and frontopolar cortex are consistently involved across multiple meditation styles, but overall, different practices tend to recruit distinct brain networks.
The analysis found medium-sized effects for both brain activations and deactivations during meditation, highlighting that these practices have meaningful effects on brain function, though the study also points out some methodological challenges and the need for future research improvements.]

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