Svend Davanger

Marcus Raichle interviewed by Svend Davanger

Mind-wandering, brain and meditation

There are three main meditation-related areas in the brain, according to a new meta-analysis study: Insula, the prefrontal cortex, and the anterior cingulate cortex. All of these are located in the front half of the brain, and they seem to be involved irrespective of the type of meditation used.

The prefrontal cortex has expanded rapidly in the later stages of human development.

A small but growing field of research at the junctions between biology, psychology and medicine focuses on what happens in the brain during meditation.

Whether you practice nondirective meditation like Acem, mindfulness meditation, or some other type of meditation, you will experience intermittent mind wandering during your practice.