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Related Experiment Video

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Modulation of the Neurophysiological Response to Fearful and Stressful Stimuli Through Repetitive Religious Chanting

Modulation of the Neurophysiological Response to Fearful and Stressful Stimuli Through Repetitive Religious Chanting

Published on: November 4, 2021

Neural Correlates of Chanting: A Systematic Review.

Gemma Perry¹, Lee Wolff¹, Nicholas Powers¹

¹Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia.

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science

|December 17, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Chanting activates brain regions for attention and emotional regulation while reducing self-referential thought. This ancient practice engages neural networks similar to meditation, promoting relaxation and focus.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Psychology

Background:

Chanting is a widespread ritualistic practice with limited systematic neuroscientific investigation.
Previous reviews focused on meditation and spirituality, overlooking chanting's neural correlates.
Understanding chanting's neurophysiology can offer insights into contemplative practices.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and synthesize neural correlates of chanting.
To examine methodological variability in chanting neuroimaging studies.
To determine consistent neural patterns across diverse chanting styles.

Main Methods:

Systematic literature search of PsycINFO and PubMed for neuroimaging studies on chanting, mantra, and repetitive prayer.
Inclusion of 24 studies published up to October 8, 2024.
Quality assessment using adapted Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) criteria.

Main Results:

Chanting activates brain regions associated with attention and emotional regulation (prefrontal cortex, insula, cingulate gyrus).
Default Mode Network (DMN) deactivation (posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus) suggests reduced self-referential thought.
Electroencephalography (EEG) studies show increased theta activity, indicating enhanced relaxation.

Conclusions:

Chanting engages neural networks supporting attention and emotional regulation.
Consistent prefrontal activation and DMN deactivation suggest shared mechanisms with other contemplative practices.
Findings provide a foundation for future research into chanting's neural mechanisms.