Authors:
Osaka N, Minamoto T, Yaoi K, Azuma M and Osaka M (2026)
（苧阪直行、源健宏、矢追健、東美由紀、苧阪満里子）

Title:
Neural bases of consciousness in Zen meditation: central executive and default mode networks during cognitive conflict.

Journal(書誌情報）:
Frontiers in Psychology. 17:1774227.

doi:
10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1774227

論文URL:
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1774227

Abstract:
Consciousness in Zen meditation has garnered considerable interest in psychol­ogy and neuroscience, particularly in relation to its association with enhanced self-awareness. Zen meditation fosters social harmony by addressing mental and social conflicts, linking individuals to various societal aspects through the prac­tice. This meditation, rooted in Buddhism, aims to perceive thoughts without judgment by attentively focusing on the present. However, the neural mecha­nisms behind its benefits have remained elusive. To investigate, we used func­tional magnetic resonance imaging on two groups: Zen monks with extensive meditation experience (average 7.53 years) and a control group without medi­tation background. Both groups completed the Stroop cognitive conflict task followed by meditation. Zen meditation, when performed by skilled monks, improved responses and cognitive control, and reduced cognitive conflict in the lateral and medial prefrontal cortices compared to the control group. Conflict tasks are generally associated with increased activity in the central executive network (CEN), whereas activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, a core compo­nent of the default mode network (DMN), has been linked to internally oriented processes such as self-referential thought and mind-wandering. The involve­ment of the DMN during meditation, however, appears to depend on the specific meditation style and cognitive state, with prior studies reporting mixed findings. These networks are often considered to exhibit an antagonistic relationship, with task engagement typically accompanied by CEN activation and concurrent DMN suppression. However, Stroop conflict trials in the present study did not show a strong inverse relationship between DMN and CEN activity. Instead, connectivity analyses indicated suppression within DMN-related regions.

著者Contact先の email:nosaka[at]bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp（[at]を@に変更してください。）nosaka[at]bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp (苧阪直行・京都大学)

日本語によるコメント（オプション，200-300字で）
禅による瞑想は自己認識を高め、精神的葛藤を和らげるため心理学や神経科学で注目されている。本研究では、瞑想に熟練した禅僧とその経験のない被験者にfMRI下でストループ課題を行わせた結果、禅僧では認知制御が向上し、前頭前野での認知葛藤活動が低下した。通常、課題遂行では中央実行ネットワーク（CEN）が活性化し、デフォルトモードネットワーク（DMN）は抑制されるという報告が多いが、本研究では両者の強い拮抗関係は見られず、DMN内部の抑制的結合が示された。

投稿タグ