The Meditative Mind: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of MRI Studies

Table 1

Functional changes in meditators.

Paper		Contrast	Experience	Meditation
Allen et al., 2012 [37]	61	AFT, task > passive view	6 weeks	MT
Allen et al., 2012 [37]	61	AFT, negative > neutral	6 weeks	MT
Allen et al., 2012 [37]	61	AFT, task by emotion	6 weeks	MT
Brefczynski-Lewis et al., 2007 [44]	41	EM > NM during meditation	—	Buddhist practitioners
Brefczynski-Lewis et al., 2007 [44]	41	EM > INM during meditation	—	Buddhist practitioners
Brefczynski-Lewis et al., 2007 [44]	41	EM > INM meditation > rest, group by task	—	Buddhist practitioners
Creswell et al., 2007 [86]	27	Neural areas associated with MAAS	—	—
Davanger et al., 2010 [34]	4	ACEM meditation > control task	23 years	ACEM
Ding et al., 2014 [87]	32	IBMT > RT	10 days	IBMT
Engström et al., 2010 [36]	8	Meditate	14 months	ACEM and Kundalini
Engström et al., 2010 [36]	8	Word	14 months	ACEM and Kundalini
Engström et al., 2010 [36]	8	Silent mantra	14 months	ACEM and Kundalini
Farb et al., 2007 [42]	27	Experiential focus, MT > controls	8 weeks	MBSR
Farb et al., 2010 [88]	36	Sadness provocation, MT > controls	8 weeks	MBSR
Farb et al., 2013 [89]	36	Interoception > exteroception, MT > controls	8 weeks	MBSR
Grant et al., 2011 [38]	22	Pain, EM > controls	—	Zen
Grant et al., 2011 [38]	22	Hot > warm, EM	—	Zen
Grant et al., 2011 [38]	22	Pain, EM > controls	—	Zen
Guleria et al., 2013 [47]	14	Meditation > control	5.8 ± 0.9 years	SOHAM
Hasenkamp et al., 2012 [43]	14	AWARE-MW	>1 year	FAM
Hasenkamp et al., 2012 [43]	14	SHIFT > MW	>1 year	FAM
Hasenkamp et al., 2012 [43]	14	FOCUS > MW	>1 year	FAM
Hasenkamp et al., 2012 [43]	14	MW > SHIFT	>1 year	FAM
Hasenkamp et al., 2012 [43]	14	Correlations with practice time, AWARE	>1 year	FAM
Hasenkamp et al., 2012 [43]	14	Correlations with practice time, SHIFT	>1 year	FAM
Hasenkamp et al., 2012 [43]	14	Correlations with practice time, FOCUS	>1 year	FAM
Hölzel et al., 2007 [12]	30	Mindfulness > arithmetic, EM	>2 years	Vipassana
Hölzel et al., 2007 [12]	30	EM > controls	>2 years	Vipassana
Ives-Deliperi et al., 2011; [90]	10	Mindfulness > control in EM	8 weeks	MBSR
Jang et al., 2011 [91]	68	EM > controls	39.88 ± 25.58 months	BWVM
Kilpatrick et al., 2011 [92]	32	Auditory/salience	8 weeks	MBSR
Kilpatrick et al., 2011 [92]	32	Medial visual	8 weeks	MBSR
Kilpatrick et al., 2011 [92]	32	Lateral visual	8 weeks	MBSR
Kilpatrick et al., 2011 [92]	32	Sensorimotor	8 weeks	MBSR
Kilpatrick et al., 2011 [92]	32	Executive control	8 weeks	MBSR
Lee et al., 2012 [93]	44	CPT in FAM	>5 years	FAM/LKM
Lee et al., 2012 [93]	44	EPT-happy in FAM	>5 years	FAM/LKM
Lee et al., 2012 [93]	44	EPT-happy in LKM	>5 years	FAM/LKM
Lee et al., 2012 [93]	44	EPT-sad in FAM	>5 years	FAM/LKM
Lee et al., 2012 [93]	44	EPT-sad in LKM	>5 years	FAM/LKM
Lutz et al., 2008 [14]	28	Meditation > resting states, EM > controls	10000 to 50000 hours	Buddhist practitioners
Lutz et al., 2009 [94]	22	Meditation > resting states, EM > controls	10000 to 50000 hours	Buddhist practitioners
Lutz et al., 2013 [39]	28	Hot > warm, EM > controls	>10000 hours	Buddhist practitioners
Lutz et al., 2013 [39]	28	EM > controls	>10000 hours	Buddhist practitioners
Manna et al., 2010 [56]	8	FAM > rest, in EM	Mean 15750 hours	Buddhist monks
Manna et al., 2010 [56]	8	OM > FAM, in EM	Mean 15750 hours	Buddhist monks
Manna et al., 2010 [56]	8	OM > rest, in EM	Mean 15750 hours	Buddhist monks
Mascaro et al., 2013a [40]	29	Self pain task, pain > no pain	8 weeks	CBCT
Mascaro et al., 2013a [40]	29	Other pain tasks, pain > no pain	8 weeks	CBCT
Mascaro et al., 2013b [41]	29	RME, emotion > gender	8 weeks	CBCT
Monti et al., 2012 [95]	8	Post- > pretreatment	8 weeks	MBAT
Monti et al., 2012 [95]	8	Post- > pretreatment, MBAT > controls	8 weeks	MBAT
Orme-Johnson et al., 2006 [96]	24	Post- > pretreatment	31.3 ± 2.3 years	TMT
Taylor et al., 2011 [45]	22	Positive > neutral pictures	1000 hours	Zen
Tang et al., 2013 [46]	60	IBMT > RT	10 sessions	IBMT
Tang et al., 2013 [46]	60	IBMT, post > pre	10 sessions	IBMT
Wang et al., 2011 [97]	10	Meditation 1 > control	30 years	Kundalini
Wang et al., 2011 [97]	10	Meditation 2 > control	30 years	Kundalini
Wang et al., 2011 [97]	10	Meditation 2 > Meditation 1	30 years	Kundalini
Wang et al., 2011 [97]	10	Baseline 2 > Baseline 1	30 years	Kundalini
Xu et al., 2014 [33]	14	NDM > rest	27 ± 9 years	ACEM
Xu et al., 2014 [33]	14	Concentrative practicing > rest	27 ± 9 years	ACEM
Xu et al., 2014 [33]	14	NDM > concentrative practicing > rest	27 ± 9 years	ACEM

Notes. AST: affective Stroop task; MT: mindfulness training; EM: expert meditators; NM: novice meditators; INM: incentive novice meditators; MAAS: Mindful Attention Awareness Scale; IBMT: integrative body-mind training; RT: relaxation training; MBSR: mindfulness-based stress reduction; BWVM: brain-wave vibration meditation; FAM: focused attention meditation; LKM: loving-kindness meditation; CPT: continuous performance test; EPT: emotion-processing task; OM: open monitoring meditation; CBCT: cognitively based compassion training; RME: reading the mind eyes test; MBAT: mindfulness-based art therapy; TMT: transcendental meditation technique; NDM: nondirective meditation; MW: mind wondering.