A neurocognitive model of meditation based on activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Meta-analysis of non-randomized neuroimaging studies (graded by design analogy)
PubMed 22005087 · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2011.09.019
What was done
The authors conducted an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) quantitative meta-analysis of 10 neuroimaging studies comprising 91 participants. The goal was to identify shared core neural activation patterns across different meditative practices (including focused attention and open monitoring styles).
What was found
The meta-analysis identified consistent brain activation during meditation across three main regions: the basal ganglia (caudate body), the limbic system (entorhinal cortex), and the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC). The abstract reports no statistical effect sizes, coordinates, or p-values.
Why it matters
Despite procedural differences between meditation traditions, these findings suggest a shared neurocognitive core network involved in attention regulation, emotional control, and self-detachment.
Limits
The total sample size was small (10 studies, 91 subjects), limiting statistical power and generalizability. The analysis aggregated diverse meditation modalities with distinct cognitive mechanisms, and specific numerical activation metrics were not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Meditation increases blood flow and neural activity in the frontal lobes.