Loving-Kindness Meditation: Systematic Review of Neuroimaging Correlates in Long-Term Practitioners and Clinical Implications.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Loving-kindness meditation (LKM), a meditation type focused on nurturing love and compassion for oneself and others, has been shown to provide mental health benefits, and LKM interventions are being investigated for mental disorders. The benefits of long-term practice, such as increased self-compassion, greater cognitive and affective empathy, and prosocial behavior, are proposed to be due to neuroplastic changes that support well-being. This systematic review aims to summarize the differences in brain structure and function in long-term practitioners (LTPs) of LKM versus controls to identify possible underlying mechanisms that support mental health and drive treatment effect.

Methods

The literature search included Google Scholar, PubMed, and APA PsycINFO from i

SUBMITTER: Bashir K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11870839 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature