An Exploratory Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy Study of Prefrontal Cortex Connectivity during Body Scan Meditation

Objective: Body scan meditation is a popular mindfulness practice in which a person directs their attention toward internal bodily sensations. Although its neural mechanisms have been investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging, few studies have used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to directly measure prefrontal networks during body scan meditation. Methods: In this study, symptoms of depression and anxiety were measured in 40 healthy young adults without prior meditation experience. Participants’ prefrontal networks were evaluated using fNIRS during body scan meditation and resting with nature sounds. Results: Analyses of fNIRS data revealed significant positive prefrontal network connectivity in both conditions, with greater connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and medial prefrontal cortex observed when participants were resting with nature sounds than during body scan meditation. Correlation analyses showed that the left dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus–right medial superior frontal gyrus connectivity during body scan meditation was negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms and positively associated with emotion regulation abilities. Conclusion: Enhanced prefrontal networks induced by meditation may have therapeutic implications for mental health. The fNIRS findings, which measured direct changes in prefrontal networks during body scan meditation, could serve as a cornerstone for understanding the neural correlates.