Background Readings

Berkovich-Ohana, A., Dor-Ziderman, Y., Trautwein, F. M., Schweitzer, Y., Nave, O., Fulder, S., & Ataria, Y. (2020). The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Neurophenomenology – The Case of Studying Self Boundaries With Meditators. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1680. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01680 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32793056

Trautweina. (2023). Suspending the embodied self in meditation attenuates beta oscillations in posterior medial cortex. https://psyarxiv.com/8k76z

Sandved-Smith, L., Hesp, C., Mattout, J., Friston, K., Lutz, A., & Ramstead, M. J. D. (2021). Towards a computational phenomenology of mental action: modelling meta-awareness and attentional control with deep parametric active inference. Neuroscience of consciousness, 2021(2), niab018. https://doi.org/10.1093/nc/niab018
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34457352

Poletti, S., Abdoun, O., Zorn, J., & Lutz, A. (2021). Pain regulation during mindfulness meditation: Phenomenological fingerprints in novices and experts practitioners. European journal of pain, 25(7), 1583-1602. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.1774
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33797842

Schlosser, M., Barnhofer, T., Requier, F., Deza-Araujo, Y. I., Abdoun, O., Marchant, N. L., Chételat, G., Collette, F., Klimecki, O. M., Lutz, A., André, C., Ashton, N., Allais, F., Asselineau, J., Arenaza-Urquijo, E., Bachelet, R., Baez, S., Batchelor, M., Beaugonin, A., . . . Wingrove, J. (2022). Measuring Psychological Mechanisms in Meditation Practice: Using a Phenomenologically Grounded Classification System to Develop Theory-Based Composite Scores. Mindfulness, 13(3), 600-614. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01816-0

Chetelat, G., Lutz, A., Klimecki, O., Frison, E., Asselineau, J., Schlosser, M., Arenaza-Urquijo, E. M., Mezenge, F., Kuhn, E., Moulinet, I., Touron, E., Dautricourt, S., Andre, C., Palix, C., Ourry, V., Felisatti, F., Gonneaud, J., Landeau, B., Rauchs, G., . . . Marchant, N. L. (2022). Effect of an 18-Month Meditation Training on Regional Brain Volume and Perfusion in Older Adults: The Age-Well Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA neurology, 79(11), 1165-1174. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.3185  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36215061

Timmermann, C., Bauer, P. R., Gosseries, O., Vanhaudenhuyse, A., Vollenweider, F., Laureys, S., Singer, T., Antonova, E., & Lutz, A. (2023). A neurophenomenological approach to non-ordinary states of consciousness: hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics. Trends in cognitive sciences, 27(2), 139-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2022.11.006 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36566091

Fucci, E., Abdoun, O., Caclin, A., Francis, A., Dunne, J. D., Ricard, M., Davidson, R. J., & Lutz, A. (2018). Differential effects of non-dual and focused attention meditations on the formation of automatic perceptual habits in expert practitioners. Neuropsychologia, 119, 92-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.07.025 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30040956

Zorn, J., Abdoun, O., Sonie, S., & Lutz, A. (2021). Cognitive Defusion Is a Core Cognitive Mechanism for the Sensory-Affective Uncoupling of Pain During Mindfulness Meditation. Psychosomatic medicine, 83(6), 566-578. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000000938 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33790200

Lutz, A., Jha, A. P., Dunne, J. D., & Saron, C. D. (2015). Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. The American psychologist, 70(7), 632-658. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039585 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26436313

Lutz, A., Mattout, J., & Pagnoni, G. (2019). The epistemic and pragmatic value of non-action: a predictive coding perspective on meditation. Current opinion in psychology, 28, 166-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.019  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30711914

Christoff, K., Irving, Z. C., Fox, K. C., Spreng, R. N., & Andrews-Hanna, J. R. (2016). Mind-wandering as spontaneous thought: a dynamic framework. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 17(11), 718-731. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2016.113
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27654862

Ellamil, M., Fox, K. C., Dixon, M. L., Pritchard, S., Todd, R. M., Thompson, E., & Christoff, K. (2016). Dynamics of neural recruitment surrounding the spontaneous arising of thoughts in experienced mindfulness practitioners. NeuroImage, 136, 186-196. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.04.034  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27114056

Girn, M., Mills, C., Roseman, L., Carhart-Harris, R. L., & Christoff, K. (2020). Updating the dynamic framework of thought: Creativity and psychedelics. NeuroImage, 213, 116726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116726  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32160951

Laukkonen, R. E., & Slagter, H. A. (2021). From many to (n)one: Meditation and the plasticity of the predictive mind. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 128, 199-217.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.021
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34139248

Lutz, A., Mattout, J., & Pagnoni, G. (2019). The epistemic and pragmatic value of non-action: a predictive coding perspective on meditation. Current opinion in psychology, 28, 166-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.019  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30711914

Pagnoni, G. (2019). The contemplative exercise through the lenses of predictive processing: A promising approach. Progress in brain research, 244, 299-322. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.10.022  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30732842

Sandved-Smith, L., Hesp, C., Mattout, J., Friston, K., Lutz, A., & Ramstead, M. J. D. (2021). Towards a computational phenomenology of mental action: modelling meta-awareness and attentional control with deep parametric active inference. Neuroscience of Consciousness, 2021(2), niab018. https://doi.org/10.1093/nc/niab018  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34457352

Uddin, L. Q. (2015). Salience processing and insular cortical function and dysfunction. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(1), 55-61. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3857    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25406711

Uddin, L. Q. (2021). Cognitive and behavioural flexibility: neural mechanisms and clinical considerations. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 22(3), 167-179. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-021-00428-w  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33536614

Uddin, L. Q., Betzel, R. F., Cohen, J. R., Damoiseaux, J. S., De Brigard, F., Eickhoff, S. B., Fornito, A., Gratton, C., Gordon, E. M., Laird, A. R., Larson-Prior, L., McIntosh, A. R., Nickerson, L. D., Pessoa, L., Pinho, A. L., Poldrack, R. A., Razi, A., Sadaghiani, S., Shine, J. M., . . . Spreng, R. N. (2023). Controversies and progress on standardization of large-scale brain network nomenclature. Network Neuroscience, 7(3), 864-905. https://doi.org/10.1162/netn_a_00323

Bauer, C. TED Talk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN4-1MdIkKo

Sezer, I., Pizzagalli, D. A., & Sacchet, M. D. (2022). Resting-state fMRI functional connectivity and mindfulness in clinical and non-clinical contexts: A review and synthesis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 135, 104583. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104583 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763422000720

Rahrig, H., Vago, D. R., Passarelli, M. A., Auten, A., Lynn, N. A., & Brown, K. W. (2022). Meta-analytic evidence that mindfulness training alters resting state default mode network connectivity. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 12260. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15195-6  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15195-6

Zhang, J., Raya, J., Morfini, F., Urban, Z., Pagliaccio, D., Yendiki, A., Auerbach, R. P., Bauer, C. C. C., & Whitfield-Gabrieli, S. (2023). Reducing default mode network connectivity with mindfulness-based fMRI neurofeedback: a pilot study among adolescents with affective disorder history. Molecular Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-023-02032-z  

Chen, K., Azeez, A., Chen, D. Y., & Biswal, B. B. (2020). Resting-State Functional Connectivity: Signal Origins and Analytic Methods. Neuroimaging Clinics of North America, 30(1), 15-23. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nic.2019.09.012  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1052514919300917

Bauer, C. C. C., Whitfield-Gabrieli, S., Diaz, J. L., Pasaye, E. H., & Barrios, F. A. (2019). From State-to-Trait Meditation: Reconfiguration of Central Executive and Default Mode Networks. eNeuro, 6(6). https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0335-18.2019  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31694816

Weng, H. Y., Lewis-Peacock, J. A., Hecht, F. M., Uncapher, M. R., Ziegler, D. A., Farb, N. A. S., Goldman, V., Skinner, S., Duncan, L. G., Chao, M. T., & Gazzaley, A. (2020). Focus on the Breath: Brain Decoding Reveals Internal States of Attention During Meditation. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 14, 336. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2020.00336

Wang, T. H., Placek, K., & Lewis-Peacock, J. A. (2019). More Is Less: Increased Processing of Unwanted Memories Facilitates Forgetting. Journal of Neuroscience, 39(18), 3551–3560. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2033-18.2019

Lewis-Peacock, J. A., & Postle, B. R. (2012). Decoding the internal focus of attention. Neuropsychologia, 50(4), 470–478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.11.006

Lu, H.-Y., Lorenc, E. S., Zhu, H., Kilmarx, J., Sulzer, J., Xie, C., Tobler, P. N., Watrous, A. J., Orsborn, A. L., Lewis-Peacock, J., & Santacruz, S. R. (2021). Multi-scale neural decoding and analysis. Journal of Neural Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-2552/ac160f

Haxby, J. V., Connolly, A. C., & Guntupalli, J. S. (2014). Decoding neural representational spaces using multivariate pattern analysis. Annu Rev Neurosci, 37, 435–456. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-062012-170325

Lewis-Peacock, J. A., Drysdale, A. T., & Postle, B. R. (2015). Neural evidence for the flexible control of mental representations. Cerebral Cortex, 25(10), 3303–3313. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhu130

Zhou, F., Zhao, W., Qi, Z., Geng, Y., Yao, S., Kendrick, K. M., Wager, T. D., & Becker, B. (2021). A distributed fMRI-based signature for the subjective experience of fear. Nature Communications, 12(1), 6643. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26977-3

Koban, L., Gianaros, P. J., Kober, H., & Wager, T. D. (2021). The self in context: Brain systems linking mental and physical health. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 22(5), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-021-00446-8

Čeko, M., Kragel, P. A., Woo, C.-W., López-Solà, M., & Wager, T. D. (2022). Common and stimulus-type-specific brain representations of negative affect. Nature Neuroscience, 25(6), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-022-01082-w

Lee, J.-J., Kim, H. J., Čeko, M., Park, B., Lee, S. A., Park, H., Roy, M., Kim, S.-G., Wager, T. D., & Woo, C.-W. (2021). A neuroimaging biomarker for sustained experimental and clinical pain. Nature Medicine, 27(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-1142-7

Brewer, J. A., & Garrison, K. A. (2014). The posterior cingulate cortex as a plausible mechanistic target of meditation: findings from neuroimaging. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1307, 19-27. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12246 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24033438

Garrison, K. A., Santoyo, J. F., Davis, J. H., Thornhill, T. A. t., Kerr, C. E., & Brewer, J. A. (2013). Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators’ self-report. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 7, 440. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00440  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23964222

Garrison, K. A., Scheinost, D., Worhunsky, P. D., Elwafi, H. M., Thornhill, T. A. t., Thompson, E., Saron, C., Desbordes, G., Kober, H., Hampson, M., Gray, J. R., Constable, R. T., Papademetris, X., & Brewer, J. A. (2013). Real-time fMRI links subjective experience with brain activity during focused attention. NeuroImage, 81, 110-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2013.05.030 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23684866

Garrison, K. A., Zeffiro, T. A., Scheinost, D., Constable, R. T., & Brewer, J. A. (2015). Meditation leads to reduced default mode network activity beyond an active task. Cognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience, 15(3), 712-720. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-015-0358-3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25904238

Mishra, J., Lowenstein, M., Campusano, R., Hu, Y., Diaz-Delgado, J., Ayyoub, J., Jain, R., & Gazzaley, A. (2021). Closed-Loop Neurofeedback of alpha Synchrony during Goal-Directed Attention. The Journal of Neuroscience, 41(26), 5699-5710. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3235-20.2021 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34021043

Ziegler, D. A., Anguera, J. A., Gallen, C. L., Hsu, W. Y., Wais, P. E., & Gazzaley, A. (2022). Leveraging technology to personalize cognitive enhancement methods in aging. Nature Aging, 2(6), 475-483. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-022-00237-5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35873177

Ziegler, D. A., Simon, A. J., Gallen, C. L., Skinner, S., Janowich, J. R., Volponi, J. J., Rolle, C. E., Mishra, J., Kornfield, J., Anguera, J. A., & Gazzaley, A. (2019). Closed-loop digital meditation improves sustained attention in young adults. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(7), 746-757. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-019-0611-9  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31160812

Equanimity On Demand: Can Brain Stimulation Technology Mimic the Effects of Meditation?  Inside Jay Sanguinetti and Shinzen Young’s ultrasound research aimed at “democratizing enlightenment”. (2021). Tricycle. https://tricycle.org/article/brain-stimulation-meditation/ 

Sarica, C., Nankoo, J. F., Fomenko, A., Grippe, T. C., Yamamoto, K., Samuel, N., Milano, V., Vetkas, A., Darmani, G., Cizmeci, M. N., Lozano, A. M., & Chen, R. (2022). Human Studies of Transcranial Ultrasound neuromodulation: A systematic review of effectiveness and safety. Brain stimulation, 15(3), 737-746. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2022.05.002 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35533835

Dell’Italia, J., Sanguinetti, J. L., Monti, M. M., Bystritsky, A., & Reggente, N. (2022). Current State of Potential Mechanisms Supporting Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Neuromodulation. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 16, 872639. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2022.872639  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35547195

Sanguinetti, J. L., Hameroff, S., Smith, E. E., Sato, T., Daft, C. M. W., Tyler, W. J., & Allen, J. J. B. (2020). Transcranial Focused Ultrasound to the Right Prefrontal Cortex Improves Mood and Alters Functional Connectivity in Humans. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 14, 52. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2020.00052 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32184714

Young, S. (2016). What Is Mindfulness? A Contemplative Perspective. In Handbook of Mindfulness in Education (pp. 29-45). https://www.shinzen.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/WhatIsMindfulness_SY_Public_ver1.5.pdf

Video where Jay and Shinzen and Jud catch up with each other after not having connected for a few years. https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep128-pioneering-science-dr-jud-brewer-shinzen-young-chelsey-fasano-dr-sanguinetti

Deconstructing Yourself
https://deconstructingyourself.com/a-conversation-with-kati-devaney.html

Spiritual Awakening Research
https://sashachapin.substack.com/p/hey-why-arent-we-doing-more-research

Devaney, K. J., Levin, E. J., Tripathi, V., Higgins, J. P., Lazar, S. W., & Somers, D. C. (2021). Attention and Default Mode Network Assessments of Meditation Experience during Active Cognition and Rest. Brain Sciences, 11(5), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050566

Deconstructing Yourself
https://deconstructingyourself.com/a-conversation-with-kati-devaney.html

Spiritual Awakening Research
https://sashachapin.substack.com/p/hey-why-arent-we-doing-more-research

Devaney, K. J., Levin, E. J., Tripathi, V., Higgins, J. P., Lazar, S. W., & Somers, D. C. (2021). Attention and Default Mode Network Assessments of Meditation Experience during Active Cognition and Rest. Brain Sciences, 11(5), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11050566

Hadash, Y., & Bernstein, A. (2019). Behavioral assessment of mindfulness: defining features, organizing framework, and review of emerging methods. Current opinion in psychology, 28, 229-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2019.01.008  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30959378

Hadash, Y., Ruimi, L., & Bernstein, A. (2023). Looking inside the black box of mindfulness meditation: Investigating attention and awareness during meditation using the mindful awareness task (MAT). Psychological assessment, 35(3), 242-256. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001194 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36521122

Farb, N. A. S., Zuo, Z., & Price, C. J. (2023). Interoceptive Awareness of the Breath Preserves Attention and Language Networks amidst Widespread Cortical Deactivation: A Within-Participant Neuroimaging Study. eNeuro, 10(6). https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0088-23.2023 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37316296

Farb, N. A. S., Desormeau, P., Anderson, A. K., & Segal, Z. V. (2022). Static and treatment-responsive brain biomarkers of depression relapse vulnerability following prophylactic psychotherapy: Evidence from a randomized control trial. NeuroImage: Clinical, 34, 102969. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2022.102969  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158222000341