Meditation May Strengthen Brain Networks Linked To Attention And Cognitive Control: Study

Meditation may offer benefits that extend well beyond relaxation. A joint study by AIIMS Delhi and the Agra-based Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI) has found that regular meditation can influence how different regions of the brain communicate with one another, potentially strengthening networks involved in attention, focus and cognitive control.

The study published in the international Sage journal Brain Connectivity found that the practice of Surat-Shabd-Yoga (SSY), a form of yoga practice, is associated with increased efficiency in brain networks involved in attention and cognitive control systems.

The measured changes highlight how meditation leverages neural connectivity for optimised information processing by linking contemplative practice to intellectual benefits like insights.

The study was carried out by Prof. CM Markan, Dr. Sona Ahuja, and researcher Geeta Prem Chandoo Damisetti from DEI, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Manjari Tripathi, Head of the Department of Neurology at AIIMS, Delhi.

The study examined how meditation influences the organisation of large-scale brain networks using Magnetoencephalography (MEG), a sophisticated neuroimaging technique that records the magnetic signals generated by neural activity that are a billion times smaller than the earth's magnetic field. Researchers analysed communication patterns among brain regions involved in attention and cognitive control systems.

Dr. Tripathi explained that meditation appears to influence large-scale functional networks by improving their efficiency, allowing information to be exchanged in a more coordinated manner.

Participants were divided into three groups: advanced meditators (AM) practising the second stage of SSY, beginner meditators (BM) practising the first stage of SSY, and a comparison with a control meditator (CM) group with introductory exposure to meditation practices.

Prof. Markan noted that the work was inspired by the pioneering research and scientific presentations of Prof. Prem Saran Satsangi, Chairman, Advisory Committee on Education (ACE), DEI, whose investigations into consciousness and the effects of Surat-Shabd-Yoga (SSY) on the brain have provided an important conceptual foundation for exploring meditation scientifically.

The researchers focused on networks associated with attention and cognitive control. The findings showed that meditation practitioners exhibited a more organised and efficient network structure compared with the comparison group. Prof. Sona Ahuja said, specifically, AM demonstrated significantly higher efficiency within the attention network (AN) at 19 Hz (β frequency), mostly associated with alertness and focused attention. BM showed enhanced efficiency within the fronto-parietal network (FPN) at 8 Hz (θ frequency), a network involved in planning, decision-making, and cognitive control.

Researcher Geeta Prem Chandoo Damisetti explained that network organisation is measured using a graph-theoretical parameter known as 'small-world propensity' (SWP). SWP quantifies the extent to which a network exhibits small-world network properties. Small-world organisation reflects an optimal balance between local specialisation and long-range communication in the brain. When this balance is achieved, information can be processed more efficiently across different brain systems.

The measured changes suggest that meditation may leverage neural connectivity to support more efficient information processing. Previous neuroscience research has linked efficient brain network organisation with higher cognitive functions such as insight, flexible thinking, and adaptive problem-solving, although these functions were not directly measured in the present study.

The findings indicate that even early stages of meditation practice may be associated with measurable changes in brain network organisation, while more advanced stages may be linked to stronger effects within systems supporting attention.

The researchers believe the study adds to growing scientific evidence that contemplative practices can influence the functional architecture of the brain. At a time when attention-related difficulties, stress, and cognitive overload are increasingly common, understanding how meditation affects brain networks may have important implications for mental well-being and cognitive health.

While further research is needed to understand the long-term clinical implications of these findings, the study offers compelling evidence that meditation may help optimise the brain's communication networks.