Abstract
Objectives
Neuroimaging-based research has revealed varying effects of meditation/mindfulness in sections of the cingulate cortex. However, a formal review of this literature is currently missing.
Methods
PubMed and APA PsycINFO databases were searched to identify studies based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI), structural MRI (sMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) that reported effects (or explicitly stated null effects) of meditation/mindfulness in the cingulate.
Results
Of the 49 studies published over the last two decades, the majority were cross-sectional in nature (69%) and employed fMRI (61%). Most studies reported significant effects in the anterior cingulate cortex (55%), followed by the posterior cingulate cortex (49%) and the midcingulate cortex (20%). However, the nature of findings was extremely heterogeneous across studies, possibly due to a substantial variability in terms of study designs, sample sizes, demographics, meditation styles, cingulate subdivisions, and nomenclatures, just to name a few.
Conclusions
Altogether, the outcomes of this review suggest a multifaceted role of the cingulate for processes related to long-term meditation practices, short-term meditation trainings, as well as trait mindfulness.
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SEZ performed the literature search. EL and FK had the idea for the article. All authors (SEZ, FK, EL) contributed equally to the study design, interpretation, and presentation of the results, as well as the writing and editing of the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
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Zsadanyi, S.E., Kurth, F. & Luders, E. The Effects of Mindfulness and Meditation on the Cingulate Cortex in the Healthy Human Brain: A Review. Mindfulness 12, 2371–2387 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01712-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01712-7