If youve ever experienced that frustrating moment when your mind goes completely blank in the middle of a thought or conversation, take heartyou are not alone. Recent research presented this week sheds light on this common experience, arguing that mind blanking is a genuine and distinct brain phenomenon.

A team of researchers from Belgium, France, and Australia carried out a comprehensive review of existing studies on mind blanking. Their findings suggest that this phenomenon ought to be recognized and examined as its own unique state of consciousness, separate from related experiences such as mind wandering. The researchers, all experts in the field of consciousness studies, initiated their collaboration after a related annual conference around three years ago.

Athena Demertzi, director of the Physiology of Cognition lab at the University of Lige, shared insights into the growing interest in the topic. While some scientists, particularly those focused on meditation, have long considered mind blanking, awareness has been increasing among researchers studying cognition and sleep in recent times. Cognitive scientists are beginning to understand that individuals may experience moments of blankness during their waking hours, she stated in an email to Gizmodo. Additionally, in sleep and dreaming research, special categories of dreams, such as white dreamswhere individuals can recall having dreamt but are unable to retrieve any specific contenthave garnered significant attention.

In their review, Demertzi and her team meticulously examined data drawn from approximately 80 relevant research papers, including studies that explored brain activity during reported instances of mind blanking. The overarching conclusion they reached was straightforward: mind blanking is a legitimate experience that cannot be merely attributed to forgetfulness or failures in verbal reporting. There are times throughout the day when our stream of thoughts simply halts, resulting in the experience of thinking about nothing at all, she explained. Our review demonstrates that mind blanking is not simply a subjective feeling or an illusion; it correlates to a specific brain state, which is distinct from those associated with the presence of specific mental content.

The research indicates that mind blanking has its own unique patterns of brain activity. For instance, in studies where participants were instructed to consciously clear their minds, brain scans showed a marked reduction in activity in specific regions, such as the supplementary motor cortex and the hippocampus. Additionally, data obtained from electroencephalograms (EEG) suggest that certain areas of the brain may enter a sleep-like state during these moments of blankness.

Published in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences on Thursday, the findings also reveal that people typically experience mind blanking between 5% and 20% of the time on average. Curiously, some individuals appear to be more susceptible to these episodes than others; for instance, those diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may experience mind blanking more frequently. However, the researchers emphasize that further investigation is essential to validate these observations and explore numerous unresolved questions about the nature of mind blanking.

For example, we still do not have clarity on the duration of mind blanking episodes or whether different types exist. Could certain instances be voluntary? Is it possible that mind blanking can occur during high-performance states, such as when one is in a flow state? Demertzi pondered. A more profound understanding of its neural mechanisms is also required. Is mind blanking a result of an inability to generate mental content, or is it a failure to access existing content where it remains beyond conscious awareness?

Ultimately, the authors of the study hope their work will motivate other researchers in the field to pay closer attention to the phenomenon of mind blanking. In the meantime, many, including myself, look forward to the day when scientists can precisely pinpoint where in the brain those distracting thoughts about my cat originate.