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Lindsay EK, Young S, Creswell JD. Mindfulness training fosters a positive outlook during acute stress: A randomized controlled trial. Emotion 2025; 25:815-826. [PMID: 39570681 PMCID: PMC12092739 DOI: 10.1037/emo0001452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2025]
Abstract
The tendency to maintain a positive outlook during adversity associates with better health. Interventions that help people cope with stress by maintaining a positive perspective have potential to improve health. Mindfulness interventions show promise for enhancing positive affect in daily life, and developing acceptance toward momentary experiences may help people notice more positive experiences under stress. In a sample of 153 healthy stressed adults (Mage = 32 years; 67% female; 53% White, 22% Black, 22% Asian, 4% other race; 5% Hispanic; collected in 2015-2016), we tested whether mindfulness training, and acceptance training in particular, boosts awareness of positive experiences during acute stress. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three matched 15-lesson remote interventions: (1) Monitor + Accept, standard mindfulness instruction in both monitoring and acceptance; (2) Monitor Only, dismantled mindfulness instruction in monitoring only; or (3) Coping control. After the intervention, positive (and negative) experiences during acute stress challenge (using a modified Trier Social Stress Test) were assessed using a new checklist measure. As predicted, Monitor + Accept participants reported noticing significantly more positive experiences during acute stress than Monitor Only (d = .61) and control (d = .58) participants, whereas the number of negative experiences noticed did not differ by condition. Across conditions, positive experiences during acute stress correlated with daily life positive emotions at postintervention (r = .21). Results suggest that mindfulness training, and acceptance training in particular, can broaden awareness to include more positive affective experiences. This work has important implications for understanding coping and affect dynamics following mindfulness interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
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Bauer CCC, Atad DA, Farb N, Brewer JA. From Confound to Clinical Tool: Mindfulness and the Observer Effect in Research and Therapy. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2025; 10:402-410. [PMID: 39894252 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2025.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2024] [Revised: 01/19/2025] [Accepted: 01/24/2025] [Indexed: 02/04/2025]
Abstract
The observer effect (OE), the idea that observing a phenomenon changes it, has important implications across scientific disciplines involving measurement and observation. While often viewed as a confounding variable to control for, this paper argues that the OE should be seriously accounted for, explored, and systematically leveraged in research and clinical settings. Specifically, mindfulness practices that cultivate present-moment, nonjudgmental awareness are proposed as a platform to account for, explore, and intentionally harness the OE. In research contexts, mindfulness training may allow participants to provide more precise self-reports by minimizing reactive biases that perturb the observed phenomena. Empirical evidence suggests that mindfulness enhances interoceptive awareness and reduces automatic judgment, potentially increasing measurement sensitivity, specificity, and validity. Clinically, psychotherapies often aim to make unconscious patterns explicitly observable to the client, capitalizing on the transformative potential of observation. Mindfulness directly cultivates this capacity for meta-awareness, allowing individuals to decenter from rigid cognitive-emotional patterns fueling psychopathology. Rather than avoiding unpleasant experiences such as cravings or anxiety, mindfulness guides individuals to simply observe these phenomena, reducing identification and reactivity. Mindfulness practices may leverage components of the OE, facilitating lasting psychological change. To further study the OE, developing an OE index to code observer influence is proposed. Overall, this paper highlights the ubiquity of the OE and advocates developing methods to intentionally account for and apply observer influences across research and therapeutic contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens C C Bauer
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Center for Precision Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
| | - Daniel A Atad
- Department of Counseling and Human Development, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Edmond Safra Brain Research Center, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Norman Farb
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Judson A Brewer
- School of Public Health and School of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Canby NK, Cosby EA, Palitsky R, Kaplan DM, Lee J, Mahdavi G, Lopez AA, Goldman RE, Eichel K, Lindahl JR, Britton WB. Childhood trauma and subclinical PTSD symptoms predict adverse effects and worse outcomes across two mindfulness-based programs for active depression. PLoS One 2025; 20:e0318499. [PMID: 39883728 PMCID: PMC11781677 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2025] [Indexed: 02/01/2025] Open
Abstract
Within mindfulness-based programs (MBPs), mixed results have been found for the role of childhood trauma as a moderator of depression outcomes. Furthermore, childhood trauma and PTSD symptoms have been identified as possible risk factors for the occurrence of meditation-related adverse effects (MRAE). The present research examined multiple forms of childhood trauma and PTSD symptoms as predictors of depression treatment outcomes and MRAEs. Various forms of childhood trauma (e.g., abuse and neglect) were examined as predictors of depression treatment outcomes and participant attrition using secondary analyses of two MBP clinical trials (N = 52 and 104, respectively). Study 2 also examined meditation-related side effects (MRSE) and MRAE as outcomes and current subclinical and past PTSD symptoms as predictors. Childhood trauma led to worse depression outcomes across both study 1 and study 2, such that total childhood trauma and childhood sexual abuse were significant predictors across both studies. Childhood sexual abuse predicted attrition in study 2. Finally, multiple forms of childhood trauma and PTSD symptoms predicted MRSE, while total childhood trauma, childhood emotional abuse, and subclinical PTSD symptoms predicted lasting MRAE. Childhood trauma and PTSD symptoms may lead to worse outcomes and a greater occurrence of adverse effects within MBPs for active depression. These results call for further trauma-sensitive modifications, safety monitoring, participant screening, and provider education when implementing these programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas K. Canby
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth A. Cosby
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Roman Palitsky
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Deanna M. Kaplan
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Josie Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Golnoosh Mahdavi
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Adrian A. Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Roberta E. Goldman
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Kristina Eichel
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Jared R. Lindahl
- Department of Religious Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Willoughby B. Britton
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
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Cao H, Qian J, Tang F, Dong Y, Ren H, Xue X, Mao N, Liu X. How trait mindfulness protects late adolescents from stress-induced sleep problems: the unique role of mindfulness facets and gender differences. BMC Psychiatry 2025; 25:60. [PMID: 39838359 PMCID: PMC11748269 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-06341-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 11/25/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding sleep problems in late adolescents caused by daily stress is essential due to their increased vulnerability to stress-related sleep issues. While previous research has demonstrated the potential protective effect of trait mindfulness, facets of mindfulness were found to have unique functions against the negative impact of stress, and the unique impact of each facet of mindfulness on the sleep problems caused by the negative impact of stress remains unclear. Thus, this longitudinal study aimed to assess the impact of stressful life events on sleep problems a year later among late adolescents and to explore the moderating effects of the five trait mindfulness facets. Gender differences have been observed in mindfulness's protective effects, yet how gender influences each mindfulness facet remains unclear. This study also examines how gender moderates the effects of individual mindfulness facets. METHODS The study tracked 1,926 Chinese vocational high school students (Mage = 18.49) over a year, assessing them for their sleep problems, perceived impact of stressful life events, and mindfulness facets through self-reported questionnaires. Multivariate analysis was used to investigate the moderating effects of each mindfulness facet on the relationship between stressful life events and sleep problems one year later. Then, gender differences were examined through multi-group comparison. RESULTS A higher impact from stressful life events predicted more sleep problems a year later. Notably, among all five facets of mindfulness, only Observing significantly buffered the negative impact of stressful life events on sleep problems, in females but not in males, thus gender moderated the impact of Observing. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that Observing uniquely protected young females from the negative impact of stressful life events on their sleep problems a year later. Since the measurement tool for the Observing facet only had 1 question tested on observing inner feelings, and other questions are all about observing bodily sensations and outer environments, this study implies that insomnia therapies focus on enhancing the ability to anchor attention in the present moment, especially towards bodily sensations and the outer environment, may be particularly effective in buffering the long-term impact of daily stressors on sleep for young females. TRIAL REGISTRATION Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiting Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekou Outer Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jing Qian
- School of Business, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Fenghua Tang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekou Outer Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yunyan Dong
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekou Outer Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Haining Ren
- T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
| | - Xiaoran Xue
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekou Outer Street, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ningning Mao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekou Outer Street, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Institute Of Basic Research In Clinical Medicine, China Academy Of Chinese Medical Sciences, 16 Dongzhimennei South Street, Beijing, 100010, China.
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Danon M, Poupon D, Courtet P, Gorwood P. Clustering and drivers of symptoms observed at week six after antidepressant treatment in depressed outpatients. Eur Psychiatry 2025; 67:e85. [PMID: 39819366 PMCID: PMC11795446 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2024.1801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2024] [Revised: 11/05/2024] [Accepted: 11/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2025] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms remaining after antidepressant treatment increase the risk of relapse and recurrence. We aimed to analyze the distribution and main drivers of remaining symptoms in patients with a major depressive episode. METHODS Two independent samples of 8,229 and 5,926 patients from two large naturalistic studies were retrospectively analyzed. DSM-IV criteria for major depressive episodes were assessed during two face-to-face visits with clinicians: before the prescription of a new antidepressant, and after 6 weeks of treatment. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess baseline severity of anxiety and depression. RESULTS In both samples, two clusters of remaining symptoms were observed. The first cluster encompassed symptoms related to a negative emotional and cognitive bias and was specifically driven by the baseline severity of depression. The second cluster encompassed neurovegetative symptoms and was specifically driven by the baseline severity of anxiety. CONCLUSIONS The baseline anxiety-depressive balance of patients could be considered to adapt the treatment, focusing on emotional and cognitive symptoms with patients with high baseline severity of depression, and neurovegetative symptoms with patients with high baseline anxiety severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Danon
- Clinique des Maladies Mentales et de l’Encéphale, GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Paris, France
| | - Daphnée Poupon
- Clinique des Maladies Mentales et de l’Encéphale, GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Courtet
- Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Post-Acute Care, CHUMontpellier, France
- IGF, Hôpital La Colombière, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Philip Gorwood
- Clinique des Maladies Mentales et de l’Encéphale, GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris (IPNP), INSERM U1266, Paris, France
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Yang WFZ, Chowdhury A, Sparby T, Sacchet MD. Deconstructing the self and reshaping perceptions: An intensive whole-brain 7T MRI case study of the stages of insight during advanced investigative insight meditation. Neuroimage 2025; 305:120968. [PMID: 39653180 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 12/05/2024] [Accepted: 12/06/2024] [Indexed: 12/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The stages of insight (SoI) are a series of psychological realizations experienced through advanced investigative insight meditation (AIIM). SoI provide a powerful structured framework of AIIM for understanding and evaluating insight-based meditative development through changes in perception, experiences of self, cognition, and emotional processing. Yet, the neurophenomenology of SoI remains unstudied due to methodological difficulties, rarity of suitable advanced meditation practitioners, and dominant research emphasis on attention-based meditative practices. We investigated the neurophenomenology of SoI in an intensively sampled adept meditator case study (4 hr 7T fMRI collected in 26 runs with concurrent phenomenology) who performed SoI and rated specific aspects of experience immediately thereafter. Linear mixed models and correlations were used to examine relations among the cortex, subcortex, brainstem, and cerebellum, and SoI phenomenology. We identified distinctive whole-brain activity patterns associated with specific SoI, and that were different from two non-meditative control states. SoI consistently deactivated regions implicated in self-related processing, including the medial prefrontal cortex and temporal poles, while activating regions associated with awareness and perception, including the parietal and visual cortices, caudate, several brainstem nuclei, and cerebellum. Patterns of brain activity related to affective processing and SoI phenomenology were also identified. Our study presents the first neurophenomenological evidence that SoI shifts and deconstructs self-related perception and conceptualization, and increases general awareness and perceptual sensitivity and acuity. Our study provides SoI as a foundation for investigative, and advanced meditation in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winson F Z Yang
- Meditation Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Avijit Chowdhury
- Meditation Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Depression and Anxiety Center for Discovery and Treatment, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY 10029, USA
| | - Terje Sparby
- Steiner University College, 0260 Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Witten/Herdecke University, 58455 Witten, Germany; Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Psychology, Witten/Herdecke University, 58455 Witten, Germany
| | - Matthew D Sacchet
- Meditation Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
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Macé M, Magisson F, Trousselard M. An exploratory study of blind spot bias in psychiatrists: The value of mindfulness and ethical skills'. L'ENCEPHALE 2024:S0013-7006(24)00200-8. [PMID: 39510870 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2024.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 11/15/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Psychiatry is an area of medicine that is particularly exposed to the risks of cognitive bias, notably because diagnosis is subjective. However, psychiatrists may develop psycho-cognitive skills that protect against bias, as the reflective approach to their patients favors the activation of system 2 (logical) as opposed to system 1 (intuitive) processes. Furthermore, the collegial practices found in psychiatry, a consequence of the ethical questions psychiatrists must address, can also mitigate the impact of bias. On the other hand, clinical ethics committees have adopted structured deliberation practices that aim to improve collective decision-making and limit the cognitive biases associated with groupthink. OBJECTIVE The primary aim was to compare blind spot bias in a group of psychiatrists and a group of 'ethicists', experts in group deliberation. The secondary objective was to study the distribution of skills influencing the balance between systems 1 and 2 (notably, ethical deliberation, feeling of efficacy, mindfulness, and values) in both groups. The general hypothesis is that psychiatrists are less prone to blind spot bias and are more competent in the skills studied. METHODS This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to May 2023. Thirty-two psychiatrists were recruited from several French hospitals, along with 20 'ethicists'. All participants completed the following self-administered questionnaires: the Bias Blind Spot Scale (French version), the Euro Moral Case Deliberation (Euro-MCD, ethical skills), Bandura's self-efficacy scale (self and collective efficacy), the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (mindfulness), and the Schwartz Value Survey (values). RESULTS The ratio of self/other blind spot bias was lower in the 'ethicists' group than the psychiatrists' group (P<0.001). Euro-MCD scores were higher (P<0.001) and psychiatrists tended to have a better sense of collective efficacy (P=0.08). No significant difference was found between the two groups for total mindfulness or presence and acceptance sub-scores. Scores for hedonic value were higher among psychiatrists (P<0.02). CONCLUSION The results do not confirm our hypotheses. There is less evidence of blind spot bias among our sample of 'ethicists', who are experts in group deliberation, than psychiatrists, who have experience of the patient/physician dyad. The ethical skills that are developed within the formal deliberation process seem particularly interesting in terms of reducing cognitive bias.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fanny Magisson
- Institut de recherche biomédicale des Armées, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France.
| | - Marion Trousselard
- Institut de recherche biomédicale des Armées, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France; Inserm, INSPIIRE, université de Lorraine, 54000 Nancy, France; UMR7268, université d'Aix-Marseille, Marseille, France.
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Gibson JE. Meditation and interoception: a conceptual framework for the narrative and experiential self. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1393969. [PMID: 39478794 PMCID: PMC11521916 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1393969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 11/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The concept of the self is complex and there is no consensus on what the self is. However, there are emerging patterns in the literature that point to two different selves, the narrative and experiential self. The narrative self refers to a conceptual or representational knowledge of the self that extends across time and manifests in self-reflection and personality assessments. The experiential self refers to first-person perception, moment-to-moment awareness, embodiment, and a sense of agency. These two selves are reliably linked to two distinct neural circuits, the default mode network (DMN) and the insula and salience network (SN). One of the consistent themes in the meditative and mindfulness literature is a change in the perspective of the self. In this paper, I will review how meditation alters those neural circuits providing a plausible mechanism that can explain the changes in the self. I also propose a rudimentary conceptual framework to account for some of the mixed results found throughout meditation literature.
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Shi L, Jing L, Wang H, Liu Y. Exploring the association of mindfulness, confidence, competitive state anxiety, and attention control in soccer penalty shootouts. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1439654. [PMID: 39328817 PMCID: PMC11424400 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1439654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Penalty shootouts are a pivotal factor influencing outcomes in soccer matches. Soccer players face the challenge of overcoming physical fatigue and psychological pressure when taking penalty kicks. Instances of low confidence and competitive state anxiety during matches exacerbate the detrimental impact on attention control, particularly in non-target defined features, leading to suboptimal performance during penalty kicks. Methods This cross-sectional survey investigates the relationship between mindfulness and attention control. Convenient sampling was employed to gather a sample of 266 soccer players from sports teams and training bases in Central and South China who had participated in city-level or higher-level competitions. A structural equation model, created using AMOS 26, was employed for hypotheses validation. Results Findings reveal a positive correlation between mindfulness and confidence, and a negative correlation between mindfulness and competitive state anxiety. Additionally, confidence positively associates with attention control, while competitive state anxiety shows a negative relationship with attention control. Confidence and competitive state anxiety also function as mediators in the correlation between mindfulness and attention control. To elaborate, soccer penalty kickers with heightened mindfulness demonstrate increased confidence levels, reduced competitive state anxiety, and improved attention control. Discussion Mindfulness training positively influences attention control during penalty kicks for soccer players. To boost players' confidence, alleviate competitive state anxiety, and enhance their performance during penalty shootouts, it is recommended that governments increase investment in mindfulness training and talent development. Coaches should enhance their understanding of mindfulness training mechanisms, and athletes themselves should prioritize mindfulness training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisi Shi
- School of Physical Education, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Longjun Jing
- School of Physical Education, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Huilin Wang
- School of Business, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Social and Political Science, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Hsieh CC, Li S. A bibliometrics review of the journal mindfulness: science mapping the literature from 2012 to 2022. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1378143. [PMID: 38827894 PMCID: PMC11140014 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1378143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This study conducts a bibliometric analysis using the Web of Science database on 1,950 articles published in the journal Mindfulness from 2012 to 2022. By constructing a knowledge graph, the research delineates the evolution, stages of development, and emerging trends in the field of mindfulness. Significant growth in the annual publication volume has been observed since 2012, with the research progression segmented into three distinct phases. The United States has emerged as a pivotal contributor to the field, dominating in terms of publication volume, researcher involvement, and institutional contributions. Through the application of keyword co-occurrence and reference co-citation analysis, five principal clusters were identified, focusing on mindfulness, meditation, depression, stress, and self-compassion, underscoring these as focal research areas. Furthermore, the exploration of mindfulness within the educational sphere in Taiwan is still nascent, signaling a critical need for bolstered research support in diverse thematic domains.
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Chmiel J, Malinowska A, Rybakowski F, Leszek J. The Effectiveness of Mindfulness in the Treatment of Methamphetamine Addiction Symptoms: Does Neuroplasticity Play a Role? Brain Sci 2024; 14:320. [PMID: 38671972 PMCID: PMC11047954 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Methamphetamine is a highly stimulating psychoactive drug that causes life-threatening addictions and affects millions of people around the world. Its effects on the brain are complex and include disturbances in the neurotransmitter systems and neurotoxicity. There are several known treatment methods, but their effectiveness is moderate. It must be emphasised that no drugs have been approved for treatment. For this reason, there is an urgent need to develop new, effective, and safe treatments for methamphetamine. One of the potential treatments is mindfulness meditation. In recent years, this technique has been researched extensively in the context of many neurological and psychiatric disorders. METHODS This review explores the use of mindfulness in the treatment of methamphetamine addiction. Searches were conducted in the PubMed/Medline, Research Gate, and Cochrane databases. RESULTS Ten studies were identified that used mindfulness-based interventions in the treatment of methamphetamine addiction. The results show that mindfulness is an effective form of reducing hunger, risk of relapses, stress indicators, depression, and aggression, alone or in combination with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Mindfulness also improved the cognitive function in addicts. The included studies used only behavioural measures. The potential mechanisms of mindfulness in addiction were explained, and it was proposed that it can induce neuroplasticity, alleviating the symptoms of addiction. CONCLUSIONS Evidence from the studies suggest that mindfulness may be an effective treatment option for methamphetamine addiction, used alone or in combination with tDCS. However, further high-quality research is required to establish the role of this treatment option in this field. The use of neuroimaging and neurophysiological measures is fundamental to understand the mechanisms of mindfulness.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Chmiel
- Institute of Neurofeedback and tDCS Poland, 70-393 Szczecin, Poland
| | | | - Filip Rybakowski
- Department and Clinic of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznań, Poland
| | - Jerzy Leszek
- Department and Clinic of Psychiatry, Wrocław Medical University, 54-235 Wrocław, Poland
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Gibson J. Trauma, early life stress, and mindfulness in adulthood. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:71. [PMID: 38355582 PMCID: PMC10865675 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01563-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
This article is a review that was inspired by recent studies investigating the effects of childhood trauma or early life stress (ELS) and mindfulness in adulthood. One recent study found that some forms of abuse and neglect led to higher scores in several subscales of a self-report measure of mindfulness. The authors concluded that some forms of ELS can help cultivate certain aspects of mindfulness in adulthood. However, and in contrast to this recent finding, much of the extant literature investigating ELS and trauma are linked to emotional dysregulation, alexithymia, and a host of psychopathologies in adulthood which makes the results of this study surprising. Central to the mindfulness literature is cultivating an open, non-reactive, or non-judgment awareness of inner experiences which are important for emotional regulation. In this paper, I review some of the effects of trauma or ELS on critical neural circuits linked to mindfulness, interoception, attachment, and alexithymia which I hope may clarify some of the conflicting findings from this study and throughout the literature and provide additional context and a framework that may inform research investigating these two constructs going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Gibson
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, 501 E St. Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD, 57701, United States of America.
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Giulietti MV, Fabbietti P, Spatuzzi R, Vespa A. Effects of Mindfulness Based Interventions in Adults and Older Adults Caregivers of Patients with Early Stage Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized Pilot Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:1923-1930. [PMID: 38306028 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Background Many studies have highlighted the effect of training with mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on the psycho-physical rebalancing of patients suffering from various pathologies, and their families. Objective In this study, the effect of a training with mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on quality of life and emotion regulation (depression) was verified in caregivers (CGs) of patients affected by Alzheimer's disease at early stage (AD-P). Methods In this randomized controlled study, 22 CGs (age≥60 years) were treated with MBIs, in particular MBSR, and 22 CGs had no treatment. Tests (T0-T1 six months) included: SF 36-Quality of Life (QoL); Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI); FACIT-Spiritual-Well-Being; Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); Everyday Cognition scales; and Mini-Mental State Examination (for AD-P). Results Significant differences emerged between T0 and T1 for CGs with MBSR in the following dimensions: Depression-BDI (p > 0.001), Burden CBI-Total (0.001), CBI-Time dependent burden (p < 0.001), CBI-Developmental burden (p < 0.001), CBI-Physical burden (p < 0.001); and pain (p = 0.002) all decreased; while CBI-Social burden (p = 0.004), QoL-Health Role Limitation (p < 0.000), QoL-Role-Limitation-Emotional-Problem (p < 0.000), QoL-Energy-fatigue (p < 0.000), QoL-Emotional Well-Being (p < 0.001), QoL-Social Well Being (p = 0.010), and QoL-General Health (p = 0.004) increased. The control group of untreated CG showed a significant worsening in the dimensions of Physical functioning (p = 0.036) and pain (p = 0.047). Conclusions AD-CGs treated with MBI reduced their burden and depression and experienced an improvement in all the dimensions of quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Velia Giulietti
- Department of Neurology, Scientific and Technological Area, INRCA-IRCCS National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, Ancona, Italy
| | - Paolo Fabbietti
- Biostatistical Center, INRCA-IRCCS National Institute of Science and Health on Aging, Ancona, Italy
| | | | - Anna Vespa
- Scientific and Technological Area, Department of Neurology, INRCA-IRCCS National Institute of Health and Science on Aging, Ancona, Italy
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Tóth R, Turner MJ, Mannion J, Tóth L. The effectiveness of rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) and mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on psychological, physiological and executive functions as a proxy for sports performance. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:442. [PMID: 38104142 PMCID: PMC10724889 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01486-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the current study, we conducted a comparative analysis involving three distinct groups: one receiving group-based rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), another undergoing a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI), and a third group serving as the control. The aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of the two interventions on specific psychological (competitive anxiety, perfectionism, irrational beliefs), physiological (salivary cortisol levels), and neurocognitive (executive functions: working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility) functions in Hungarian junior ice hockey players. METHODS The participants consisted of 10 females and 36 males (NREBT=12, NMINDFULNESS=14, NCONTROL=20). We used questionnaires to assess competitive anxiety, perfectionism, and irrational beliefs. The components of executive functions were measured using a computerized testing system, while cortisol levels were examined through salivary samples. Prior to and after the interventions, each participant underwent all measurements, after which we conducted repeated measures ANOVA on our data. RESULTS We found REBT to be an effective intervention for the regulation of competitive anxiety, perfectionism, and irrational beliefs as well as for improving some components of executive functions (inhibition and cognitive flexibility). Mindfulness was found to improve athletes' processing speed and set-shifting abilities, which are related to cognitive flexibility and metacognitive processes. CONCLUSION In conclusion, we explore implications of these findings regarding how each approach is posited to enhance sports performance, using neurocognitive functions as a proxy. These findings are useful for further research and practical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renátó Tóth
- School of Doctoral Studies, Hungarian University of Sports Science, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Martin James Turner
- Faculty of Health and Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, England
| | - Joe Mannion
- Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - László Tóth
- Teacher Training Institute, Hungarian University of Sports Science, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Psychology and Sport Psychology, Hungarian University of Sport Science, Budapest, Hungary
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15
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Chaudhary IS, Shyi GCW, Huang STT. A systematic review and activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of fMRI studies on arousing or wake-promoting effects in Buddhist meditation. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1136983. [PMID: 38022985 PMCID: PMC10646186 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1136983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Conventional Buddhist texts illustrate meditation as a condition of relaxed alertness that must fend against extreme hypoarousal (sleep, drowsiness) and extreme hyperarousal (restlessness). Theoretical, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging investigations of meditation have highlighted the relaxing effects and hypoarousing without emphasizing the alertness-promoting effects. Here we performed a systematic review supported by an activation-likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis in an effort to counterbalance the surfeit of scholarship emphasizing the hypoarousing and relaxing effects of different forms of Buddhist meditation. Specifically, the current systematic review-cum-meta-analytical review seeks to highlight more support for meditation's wake-promoting effects by drawing from neuroimaging research during wakefulness and meditation. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 fMRI studies, we aim to highlight support for Buddhist meditation's wake-promoting or arousing effects by identifying brain regions associated with alertness during meditation. The most significant peaks were localized medial frontal gyrus (MFG) and precuneus. We failed to determine areas ostensibly common to alertness-related meditation such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), superior parietal lobule, basal ganglia, thalamus, most likely due to the relatively fewer fMRI investigations that used wakefulness-promoting meditation techniques. Also, we argue that forthcoming research on meditation, related to alertness or wakefulness, continues to adopt a multi-modal method to investigate the correlation between actual behaviors and neural networks connected to Buddhist meditation. Moreover, we recommend the implementation of fMRI paradigms on Buddhist meditation with clinically diagnosed participants to complement recent trends in psychotherapy such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).
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Affiliation(s)
- Inder S. Chaudhary
- PhD Program in Cognitive Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
- Center for Research in Cognitive Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
| | - Gary Chon-Wen Shyi
- PhD Program in Cognitive Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
- Center for Research in Cognitive Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Tseng Tina Huang
- PhD Program in Cognitive Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
- Center for Research in Cognitive Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
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16
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Qi L, Wang GL, Tian ZH, Guan S, Yang SY, Yang YL, Liu LQ, Lin YZ. Prefrontal cortical hemodynamics and functional network organization during Tai Chi standing meditation: an fNIRS study. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1294312. [PMID: 37954940 PMCID: PMC10634523 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1294312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tai Chi standing meditation (Zhan Zhuang, also called pile standing) is characterized by meditation, deep breathing, and mental focus based on theories of traditional Chinese medicine. The purpose of the present study was to explore prefrontal cortical hemodynamics and the functional network organization associated with Tai Chi standing meditation by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods Twenty-four channel fNIRS signals were recorded from 24 male Tai Chi Quan practitioners (54.71 ± 8.04 years) while standing at rest and standing during Tai Chi meditation. The general linear model and the SPM method were used to analyze the fNIRS signals. Pearson correlation was calculated to determine the functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortical sub-regions. The small world properties of the FC networks were then further analyzed based on graph theory. Results During Tai Chi standing meditation, significantly higher concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin were observed in bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), frontal eye field (FEF), and pre-motor cortex (PMC) compared with the values measured during standing rest (p < 0.05). Simultaneously, significant decreases in deoxygenated hemoglobin concentration were observed in left VLPFC, right PMC and DLPFC during Tai Chi standing meditation than during standing rest (p < 0.05). Functional connectivity between the left and right PFC was also significantly stronger during the Tai Chi standing meditation (p < 0.05). The functional brain networks exhibited small-world architecture, and more network hubs located in DLPFC and VLPFC were identified during Tai Chi standing meditation than during standing rest. Discussion These findings suggest that Tai Chi standing meditation introduces significant changes in the cortical blood flow and the brain functional network organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Qi
- Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Guo-Liang Wang
- Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Zhi-Hao Tian
- Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Shuo Guan
- Faculty of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Shu-Ye Yang
- School of Physical Education and Health, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Yu-Long Yang
- School of Physical Education and Health, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Li-Qing Liu
- School of Physical Education and Health, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Yong-Zhong Lin
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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17
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Price CJ, Sevinc G, Farb NAS. Within-Person Modulation of Neural Networks following Interoceptive Awareness Training through Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT): A Pilot Study. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1396. [PMID: 37891765 PMCID: PMC10605589 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13101396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Interoception, the representation of the body's internal state, is increasingly recognized for informing subjective wellbeing and promoting regulatory behavior. However, few empirical reports characterize interoceptive neural networks, and fewer demonstrate changes to these networks in response to an efficacious intervention. Using a two-group randomized controlled trial, this pilot study explored within-participant neural plasticity in interoceptive networks following Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT). Participants (N = 22) were assigned to either 8 weeks of MABT or to a no-treatment control and completed baseline and post-intervention assessments that included subjective interoceptive awareness (MAIA) and neuroimaging of an interoceptive awareness task. MABT was uniquely associated with insula deactivation, increased functional connectivity between the dorsal attention network and the somatomotor cortex, and connectivity changes correlated positively with changes in subjective interoception. Within the MABT group, changes in subjective interoception interacted with changes in a predefined anterior cingulate seed region to predict changes in right middle insula activity, a putative primary interoceptive representation region. While the small sample size requires the replication of findings, results suggest that interoceptive training enhances sensory-prefrontal connectivity, and that such changes are commensurate with enhanced interoceptive awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gunes Sevinc
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA;
- Ardea Outcomes, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Norman A. S. Farb
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada;
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18
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Kang MY, Nan JKM, Yuan Y. Effects and mechanisms of an online short-term audio-based mindfulness program on positive affect: A randomized controlled trial including exploratory moderator analyses. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2023; 15:1150-1165. [PMID: 36564093 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the effects and mechanisms of an online short-term audio-based mindfulness (SAM) intervention program on positive affect and explored how well-being and negative affect influenced these effects and mechanisms. Participants (N = 100) were randomized into an intervention group (n = 50) and a control group (n = 50). Those in the mindfulness group underwent 3 weeks of an online SAM program and completed the online measures four times, while those in the control group completed the measures twice. Participants completed measures including the World Health Organization Well-Being Index, the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The effects of measures in both groups were compared. Parallel process latent growth curve modeling analysis was used to explore the longitudinal moderated mediation effects. The results showed that SAM was effective at improving positive affect, mindfulness, well-being, and reducing negative affect. Mindfulness growth speed during the intervention period mediated the relationship between SAM and positive affect improvement speed. The moderation effects of baseline well-being and negative effect on mediation effects were found to be significant. The SAM program was effective for the general public and was more beneficial for those with medium/high well-being and low/medium negative affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Ying Kang
- Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Joshua K M Nan
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
| | - Yue Yuan
- School of Psychology, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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19
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Zuo ZX, Price CJ, Farb NAS. A machine learning approach towards the differentiation between interoceptive and exteroceptive attention. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:2523-2546. [PMID: 37170067 PMCID: PMC10727490 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Interoception, the representation of the body's internal state, plays a central role in emotion, motivation and wellbeing. Interoceptive sensibility, the ability to engage in sustained interoceptive awareness, is particularly relevant for mental health but is exclusively measured via self-report, without methods for objective measurement. We used machine learning to classify interoceptive sensibility by contrasting using data from a randomized control trial of interoceptive training, with functional magnetic resonance imaging assessment before and after an 8-week intervention (N = 44 scans). The neuroimaging paradigm manipulated attention targets (breath vs. visual stimuli) and reporting demands (active reporting vs. passive monitoring). Machine learning achieved high accuracy in distinguishing between interoceptive and exteroceptive attention, both for within-session classification (~80% accuracy) and out-of-sample classification (~70% accuracy), revealing the reliability of the predictions. We then explored the classifier potential for 'reading out' mental states in a 3-min sustained interoceptive attention task. Participants were classified as actively engaged about half of the time, during which interoceptive training enhanced their ability to sustain interoceptive attention. These findings demonstrate that interoceptive and exteroceptive attention is distinguishable at the neural level; these classifiers may help to demarcate periods of interoceptive focus, with implications for developing an objective marker for interoceptive sensibility in mental health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoey X. Zuo
- Department of Psychological Clinical Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cynthia J. Price
- Department of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Norman A. S. Farb
- Department of Psychological Clinical Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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20
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Pommy J, Smart CM, Bryant AM, Wang Y. Three potential neurovascular pathways driving the benefits of mindfulness meditation for older adults. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1207012. [PMID: 37455940 PMCID: PMC10340530 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1207012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be beneficial for a range of different health conditions, impacts brain function and structure relatively quickly, and has shown promise with aging samples. Functional magnetic resonance imaging metrics provide insight into neurovascular health which plays a key role in both normal and pathological aging processes. Experimental mindfulness meditation studies that included functional magnetic resonance metrics as an outcome measure may point to potential neurovascular mechanisms of action relevant for aging adults that have not yet been previously examined. We first review the resting-state magnetic resonance studies conducted in exclusively older adult age samples. Findings from older adult-only samples are then used to frame the findings of task magnetic resonance imaging studies conducted in both clinical and healthy adult samples. Based on the resting-state studies in older adults and the task magnetic resonance studies in adult samples, we propose three potential mechanisms by which mindfulness meditation may offer a neurovascular therapeutic benefit for older adults: (1) a direct neurovascular mechanism via increased resting-state cerebral blood flow; (2) an indirect anti-neuroinflammatory mechanism via increased functional connectivity within the default mode network, and (3) a top-down control mechanism that likely reflects both a direct and an indirect neurovascular pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Pommy
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuropsychology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Colette M. Smart
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Andrew M. Bryant
- Department of Neurology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuropsychology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
- Department of Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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21
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Farb NAS, Zuo Z, Price CJ. Interoceptive Awareness of the Breath Preserves Attention and Language Networks amidst Widespread Cortical Deactivation: A Within-Participant Neuroimaging Study. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0088-23.2023. [PMID: 37316296 PMCID: PMC10295813 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0088-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Interoception, the representation of the body's internal state, serves as a foundation for emotion, motivation, and wellbeing. Yet despite its centrality in human experience, the neural mechanisms of interoceptive attention are poorly understood. The Interoceptive/Exteroceptive Attention Task (IEAT) is a novel neuroimaging paradigm that compares behavioral tracking of the respiratory cycle (Active Interoception) to tracking of a visual stimulus (Active Exteroception). Twenty-two healthy participants completed the IEAT during two separate scanning sessions (N = 44) as part of a randomized control trial of mindful awareness in body-oriented therapy (MABT). Compared with Active Exteroception, Active Interoception deactivated somatomotor and prefrontal regions. Greater self-reported interoceptive sensibility (MAIA scale) predicted sparing from deactivation within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left-lateralized language regions. The right insula, typically described as a primary interoceptive cortex, was only specifically implicated by its deactivation during an exogenously paced respiration condition (Active Matching) relative to self-paced Active Interoception. Psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis characterized Active Interoception as promoting greater ACC connectivity with lateral prefrontal and parietal regions commonly referred to as the dorsal attention network (DAN). In contrast to evidence relating accurate detection of liminal interoceptive signals such as the heartbeat to anterior insula activity, interoceptive attention toward salient signals such as the respiratory cycle may involve reduced cortical activity but greater ACC-DAN connectivity, with greater sensibility linked to reduced deactivation within the ACC and language-processing regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman A S Farb
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada
- Department of Psychological Clinical Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Zoey Zuo
- Department of Psychological Clinical Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Scarborough, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Cynthia J Price
- Department of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
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22
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Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) in Patients with Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13030484. [PMID: 36979294 PMCID: PMC10046197 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13030484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Bachground In this study, we hypothesize that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may improve well-being and the related outcomes in Alzheimer’s dementia patients (AD-P) at an early stage. MBIs consist of the practice of consciously observing the psychic contents in the present moment (thoughts, sensations, feelings, and other events). This attention allows one to become aware of the psychic contents and integrate them, thus favoring the quality of life and an increase in the mood of practitioners. Methods The randomized controlled study enrolled 22 AD-P at an early stage (age ≥ 60 years) treated with MBIs and 22 patients without treatment (six months of MBI training). Tests (T0–T1 six months): Mini-Mental State Examination (MMPI); Spiritual Well-Being (SWB); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); SF36. Test-Caregiver: Everyday Cognition scales (ECOG). Results AD-P with mindfulness: Improvement of ECOG (p = 0.026), quality of life (p < 0.001), spiritual well-being (p < 0.001); decrease in depression BDI (p < 0.001). The MMSE remains unchanged. The control group of untreated patients showed a significant worsening in all these dimensions. Conclusions MBI training is effective in increasing quality of life and preventing worsening in patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s dementia.
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23
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Tan KP, Ang JK, Koh EBY, Pang NTP, Mat Saher Z. Relationship of Psychological Flexibility and Mindfulness to Caregiver Burden, and Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Caregivers of People with Dementia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4232. [PMID: 36901243 PMCID: PMC10002240 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Caregivers of People with dementia (PwD) commonly experience burdens and other mental health issues, e.g., depression and anxiety. At present, there are limited studies that examine the relationships between caregiver psychological factors and caregiver burden, and depressive and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, this study's objectives were to examine the relationships between psychological flexibility and mindfulness in caregivers of PwD, and to determine the predictors of these three outcomes. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the geriatric psychiatry clinic of Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia, and the sample (n = 82) was recruited via a universal sampling method over three months. The participants completed a questionnaire that consisted of the sociodemographics of the PwD and caregivers, illness characteristics of the PwD, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Zarit Burden Interview Scale (ZBI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). The results show that despite significant relationships between psychological flexibility and mindfulness and lower levels of caregiver burden, and depressive and anxiety symptoms (p < 0.01), only psychological inflexibility (p < 0.01) remained as a significant predictor of the three outcomes. Therefore, in conclusion, intervention programs that target the awareness of the caregiver's psychological inflexibility should be implemented to alleviate these adverse outcomes in dementia caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khai Pin Tan
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan 25100, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Jin Kiat Ang
- Department of Psychiatry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Eugene Boon Yau Koh
- Department of Psychiatry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nicholas Tze Ping Pang
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu 88400, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Zanariah Mat Saher
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur 50586, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Zaidi FZ, Lai MM, Jumaat A, Lee Y. Modelling Well-Being with Mindfulness Intervention on Bottom- and Middle-40% Income Earners in Malaysia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3480. [PMID: 36834173 PMCID: PMC9959708 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This paper examines mindfulness as a costless cognitive asset in reducing stress and improving subjective well-being and psychological well-being among Malaysian bottom-forty-percent and middle-forty-percent income earners, known as B40 and M40, respectively. The participants recruited for this experimental study were divided into intervention and control groups and completed pre- and post-assessment questionnaires. The leveraging on digital technologies during pandemic times from May to June 2021 enabled participants in the intervention group (n = 95) to undergo four weekly online mindfulness intervention sessions through Google Meet and completed daily home mindfulness practices using the mobile application for mindfulness: the MindFi version 3.8.0 mobile app. Based on the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the intervention group's mindfulness and well-being levels increased significantly after four weeks. This outcome contrasted to those in the control group (n = 31), who exhibited lower mindfulness and well-being levels. The PLS-SEM structural model consists of mindfulness as an independent variable, subjective and psychological well-being as dependent variables, and perceived stress and financial desire discrepancies as the mediators. This model has a goodness-of-fit of 0.076, proving that it is a fit and strong model. There is a positive relationship between mindfulness and subjective well-being (β = 0.162, p-value < 0.01). This model supports the mediation effect of perceived stress between mindfulness and subjective well-being variables (β = 0.152, p-value < 0.05). The overall structural model implies that the effectiveness of mindfulness intervention training not only enhanced bottom- and middle-income earners' well-being but also lowered the perceived stress level that, henceforth, brought the mind and body together in the present moment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yvonne Lee
- Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Cyberjaya 63100, Malaysia
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van der Velden AM, Scholl J, Elmholdt EM, Fjorback LO, Harmer CJ, Lazar SW, O'Toole MS, Smallwood J, Roepstorff A, Kuyken W. Mindfulness Training Changes Brain Dynamics During Depressive Rumination: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:233-242. [PMID: 36328822 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and its prevalence is on the rise. One of the most debilitating aspects of depression is the dominance and persistence of depressive rumination, a state of mind that is linked to onset and recurrence of depression. Mindfulness meditation trains adaptive attention regulation and present-moment embodied awareness, skills that may be particularly useful during depressive mind states characterized by negative ruminative thoughts. METHODS In a randomized controlled functional magnetic resonance imaging study (N = 80), we looked at the neurocognitive mechanisms behind mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (n = 50) for recurrent depression compared with treatment as usual (n = 30) across experimentally induced states of rest, mindfulness practice and rumination, and the relationship with dispositional psychological processes. RESULTS Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy compared with treatment as usual led to decreased salience network connectivity to the lingual gyrus during a ruminative state, and this change in salience network connectivity mediated improvements in the ability to sustain and control attention to body sensations. CONCLUSIONS These findings showed that a clinically effective mindfulness intervention modulates neurocognitive functioning during depressive rumination and the ability to sustain attention to the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Maj van der Velden
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Jacqueline Scholl
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom; Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, PSYR2 Team, University of Lyon, Lyon, France; Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, Bron, France
| | - Else-Marie Elmholdt
- School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; NIDO, Regional Hospital West Jutland, Herning, Denmark
| | - Lone O Fjorback
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Catherine J Harmer
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sara W Lazar
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mia S O'Toole
- School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Andreas Roepstorff
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Willem Kuyken
- Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Harper N, Delgadillo M, Erickson A, Boese A, Schulte T, Fairchild JK. Mindfulness attenuates the impact of worry on late-life cognitive function. Aging Ment Health 2023; 27:399-407. [PMID: 35006021 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2021.2017851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Objectives: Worry has been shown to have a negative impact on many aspects of neurocognitive performance. Interestingly, research indicates mindfulness both improves aspects of cognitive ability and reduces worry symptoms. Yet, the impact of mindfulness on the relationship between worry and cognition has yet to be explored. Based on research discussed herein, we hypothesize that those with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness will have better cognitive performance than those with lower levels of dispositional mindfulness, regardless of worry level. The present study investigated the potential moderating influence of mindfulness on the relationship between worry and cognitive performance.Methods: The sample included 113 older veterans who were screened at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in Palo Alto, CA. Cognitive domains of interest included learning and memory, processing speed, attention, working memory, and executive function. Mindfulness was assessed with the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and worry symptoms were assessed using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). Hypotheses were tested with multiple regression analyses using the Hayes (2003) PROCESS macro.Results: Contrary to what was hypothesized, only mindful awareness significantly moderated the relationship between worry and processing speed.Conclusion: This finding has important implications for introducing mindfulness techniques into older adults' routines to decrease worry and mitigate its negative effects on processing speed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nesha Harper
- Psychology Department, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Mia Delgadillo
- Psychology Department, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | | | - Aidan Boese
- Psychology Department, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Tilman Schulte
- Psychology Department, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - J Kaci Fairchild
- Department of Veteran Affairs, Sierra Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Palo Alto, CA, USA.,Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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Dumontheil I, Lyons KE, Russell TA, Zelazo PD. A preliminary neuroimaging investigation of the effects of mindfulness training on attention reorienting and amygdala reactivity to emotional faces in adolescent and adult females. J Adolesc 2023; 95:181-189. [PMID: 36281743 DOI: 10.1002/jad.12107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adolescence is a time of increased emotional reactivity and improving cognitive control. Mindfulness meditation training may foster adolescents' cognitive control and emotional regulation skills; however little is known about the impact of mindfulness training in adolescents compared to adults. We examined the effect of mindfulness meditation versus a closely matched active control condition (relaxation training) on behavioral and neural measures of cognitive control and emotional reactivity in a small group of adolescents and adults. METHODS Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected before and after 8 weeks of training in 26 adolescent (12-14 years) and 17 adult (23-33 years) female participants in the United Kingdom while they completed an n-back task with emotional face distractors and an attentional control task. Participants of each group chose a class date/time and the classes were then randomly allocated to mindfulness or relaxation conditions. RESULTS Compared to relaxation training, mindfulness training led to an increase in the speed of reorienting attention across age groups. In addition, there was preliminary evidence for reduced amygdala response to emotional face distractors in adolescents after mindfulness training. CONCLUSIONS An 8-week mindfulness program showed similar facilitative effects in adolescent and adult females on the reorienting of attention, a skill that is repeatedly practiced during mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness also reduced left amygdala reactivity to emotional face distractors in adolescents only. Mindfulness meditation practice can therefore have a facilitative effect on female adolescents' attentional control, and possibly attenuate their emotional reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iroise Dumontheil
- Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK.,Centre for Educational Neuroscience, University of London, London, UK
| | - Kristen E Lyons
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Tamara A Russell
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Philip David Zelazo
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Dan R, Weinstock M, Goelman G. Emotional states as distinct configurations of functional brain networks. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:5727-5739. [PMID: 36453449 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The conceptualization of emotional states as patterns of interactions between large-scale brain networks has recently gained support. Yet, few studies have directly examined the brain’s network structure during emotional experiences. Here, we investigated the brain’s functional network organization during experiences of sadness, amusement, and neutral states elicited by movies, in addition to a resting-state. We tested the effects of the experienced emotion on individual variability in the brain’s functional connectome. Next, for each state, we defined a community structure of the brain and quantified its segregation and integration. We found that sadness, relative to amusement, was associated with higher modular integration and increased connectivity of cognitive control networks: the salience and fronto-parietal networks. Moreover, in both the functional connectome and the emotional report, the similarity between individuals was dependent on the sex. Our results suggest that the experience of emotion is linked to a reconfiguration of whole-brain distributed, not emotion-specific, functional networks and that the brain’s topological structure carries information about the subjective emotional experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rotem Dan
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC), The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem, 9190401 , Israel
- Department of Neurology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center , Jerusalem, 9112001 , Israel
| | - Marta Weinstock
- Institute of Drug Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Jerusalem, 9112001 , Israel
| | - Gadi Goelman
- Department of Neurology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center , Jerusalem, 9112001 , Israel
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Wang Y, Chen J, Zhang X, Lin X, Sun Y, Wang N, Wang J, Luo F. The Relationship between Perfectionism and Social Anxiety: A Moderated Mediation Model. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12934. [PMID: 36232234 PMCID: PMC9566146 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Social anxiety is one of the mental health problems associated with perfectionism. The present study investigated the possible mediation of perceived stress in the relationship between perfectionism and social anxiety, and whether this mediation depends on the level of trait mindfulness. A total of 425 college students (female: 82.9%; mean age: M = 19.90 ± 1.06 years old) completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS), the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), the Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS), and the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). After controlling for age and gender, the moderated mediation analysis suggested that perfectionism significantly and positively predicted social anxiety and that perceived stress mediated the link between perfectionism and social anxiety. In addition, the indirect effect of perfectionism on social anxiety was moderated by trait mindfulness. Specifically, the indirect effect was weaker among the individuals with a high level of mindfulness compared to those with a low level of mindfulness. The findings of this study suggest that trait mindfulness significantly moderates the indirect effect of perfectionism on social anxiety via perceived stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzheng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
| | - Jing Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoshuo Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yabin Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ning Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinyan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fei Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Mulvihill T, Bradbury J, Grace S, Doran F. Trauma-informed yoga (online) for positive mental health: A pilot study. ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aimed.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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Prakash RS, Fountain-Zaragoza S, Fisher M, Gbadeyan O, Andridge R, Kiecolt-Glaser J, Manglani HR, Duraney EJ, Shankar A, McKenna MR, Teng J, Phansikar M, Canter R. Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction to improve attentional control in older adults (HealthyAgers trial). BMC Geriatr 2022; 22:666. [PMID: 35964000 PMCID: PMC9375078 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03334-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mindfulness meditation is a form of mind-body intervention that has increasing scientific support for its ability to reduce age-related declines in cognitive functioning, improve affective health, and strengthen the neural circuitry supporting improved cognitive and affective health. However, the majority of existent studies have been pilot investigations with small sample sizes, limited follow-up data, and a lack of attention to expectancy effects. Here, we present the study design of a Phase I/II, efficacy trial-HealthyAgers trial-that examines the benefits of a manualized mindfulness-based stress reduction program in improving attentional control and reducing mind-wandering in older adults. METHODS One hundred fifty older adults (ages 65-85 years) will be randomized into one of two groups: an eight-week mindfulness program or an eight-week, placebo-controlled, lifestyle education program. Behavioral and neuroimaging assessments are conducted before and after the training. Participants are then invited to booster sessions once every three months for a period of 12 months with post-intervention follow-up assessments conducted at 6-months and 12-months. The primary outcomes for the study are behavioral measures of attentional control and mind-wandering. Additional, secondary outcomes include network strength in an a priori defined neuromarker of attentional control, fluid and everyday cognition, emotion regulation strategy use, and markers of inflammation. DISCUSSION This study will establish the efficacy of a group-based, low-cost mind-body intervention for the inter-related facets of attentional control and mind-wandering in older adults. Strengths of this study include a well-designed, placebo-controlled comparison group, use of web/mobile application to track study adherence, and longitudinal follow-up. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov (# NCT03626532 ). Registered August 4, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchika Shaurya Prakash
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Stephanie Fountain-Zaragoza
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Megan Fisher
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Oyetunde Gbadeyan
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- National Centre for Healthy Ageing, Peninsula Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rebecca Andridge
- Department of Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Heena R Manglani
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Duraney
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Anita Shankar
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Michael R McKenna
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - James Teng
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Madhura Phansikar
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Rosie Canter
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 62 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Yang M, Zhou X, Ye C, Li J, Sun S, Yu X. Emphasizing mindfulness training in acceptance relieves anxiety and depression during pregnancy. Psychiatry Res 2022; 312:114540. [PMID: 35413533 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mindfulness intervention, which trains participants to monitor momentary experiences with an accepting attitude, is effective for reducing maternal anxiety and depression. Monitoring and acceptance are two central components of mindfulness training. The aim of the study is to clarify whether adding acceptance component to monitoring training can help improve the mental health of pregnant people by comparing the effects between mindfulness training on monitoring with an emphasis on acceptance training and training on monitoring alone. Pregnant people with depressive or anxious symptoms (N = 149) were randomized to either a 4-week online intervention of (1) monitoring training (MT), (2) monitoring with an emphasis on acceptance training (MAT), or (3) emotional regulation course conditions as an active control group. All mindfulness training was based on the WeChat platform. We used the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (RESE) to evaluate symptoms of anxiety and depression, mindfulness monitoring and acceptance skills, and the self-efficacy of emotional regulation pre-and postintervention. Of the 149 people enrolled in this study, 10 in the MT training group, 9 in the MAT group, and 15 in the control group did not complete the intervention. Monitoring with an emphasis on acceptance training significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and improved perceived self-efficacy in managing depression/distress compared with the monitoring training alone and the control group. In addition, participants in the monitoring group showed a downward trend in GAD-7 scores and an upward trend in scores of perceived self-efficacy in managing anger/irritation. This study not only shows that the 4-week online mindfulness training could be a promising technique to help people improve mental health; moreover, it provides evidence that emphasizing acceptance skills on mindfulness training may play a critical role because of its positive effects. We suggest that the online mindfulness intervention should be added as part of psychological care and recommend emphasizing acceptance training during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengye Yang
- A Nurse Of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhou
- Student of Medical college of Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Cuiwei Ye
- Associate Chief Physician of Department of Psychiatry, Women's Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Junqin Li
- Midwifery of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shiwen Sun
- A Nurse of Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yu
- State Consultant Psychologist Grade 2, is Clinical Psychologist and office Administrator of Women's Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Address: 1st Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, China.
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Farb NAS, Desormeau P, Anderson AK, Segal ZV. Static and treatment-responsive brain biomarkers of depression relapse vulnerability following prophylactic psychotherapy: Evidence from a randomized control trial. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 34:102969. [PMID: 35367955 PMCID: PMC8978278 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.102969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A prospective study of neural biomarkers of relapse in remitted depressed patients. Assessed neural response to dysphoric mood-induction before and after psychotherapy. Relapse over a 2-year follow-up linked to dysphoria-evoked sensory inhibition. Relapse risk was lower when dorsolateral prefrontal reactivity decreased over time. Depression prophylaxis may involve reducing dysphoria-evoked sensory inhibition. Background Neural reactivity to dysphoric mood induction indexes the tendency for distress to promote cognitive reactivity and sensory avoidance. Linking these responses to illness prognosis following recovery from Major Depressive Disorder informs our understanding of depression vulnerability and provides engagement targets for prophylactic interventions. Methods A prospective fMRI neuroimaging design investigated the relationship between dysphoric reactivity and relapse following prophylactic intervention. Remitted depressed outpatients (N = 85) were randomized to 8 weeks of Cognitive Therapy with a Well-Being focus or Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy. Participants were assessed before and after therapy and followed for 2 years to assess relapse status. Neural reactivity common to both assessment points identified static biomarkers of relapse, whereas reactivity change identified dynamic biomarkers. Results Dysphoric mood induction evoked prefrontal activation and sensory deactivation. Controlling for past episodes, concurrent symptoms and medication status, somatosensory deactivation was associated with depression recurrence in a static pattern that was unaffected by prophylactic treatment, HR 0.04, 95% CI [0.01, 0.14], p < .001. Treatment-related prophylaxis was linked to reduced activation of the left lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), HR 3.73, 95% CI [1.33, 10.46], p = .013. Contralaterally, the right LPFC showed dysphoria-evoked inhibitory connectivity with the right somatosensory biomarker Conclusions These findings support a two-factor model of depression relapse vulnerability, in which: enduring patterns of dysphoria-evoked sensory deactivation contribute to episode return, but vulnerability may be mitigated by targeting prefrontal regions responsive to clinical intervention. Emotion regulation during illness remission may be enhanced by reducing prefrontal cognitive processes in favor of sensory representation and integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norman A S Farb
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada; Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada.
| | - Philip Desormeau
- Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Adam K Anderson
- College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Zindel V Segal
- Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
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Wen X, Zhang Q, Zhou Y, Du J, Xu W. Mindfulness and intimate relationship satisfaction in daily life: The role of empathy. Psych J 2022; 11:500-509. [PMID: 35343083 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the role of empathy in the relationship between mindfulness and intimate relationship satisfaction (IRS). Using ecological momentary assessment, 100 pairs of university students who were in relationships participated in the study. The participants were invited to complete a questionnaire measuring their current states of mindfulness, IRS, and empathy three times a day for 14 days. The results showed that empathy at the within-person level played a mediating role in the relationship between acceptance and IRS. Empathy at the within-person level also moderated the relationship between monitoring and IRS. Findings illustrated the vital role of empathy in an intimate relationship. Limitations of the study were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Wen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Yuyang Zhou
- Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiaxuan Du
- School of Psychology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Guendelman S, Bayer M, Prehn K, Dziobek I. Towards a mechanistic understanding of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) using an RCT neuroimaging approach: Effects on regulating own stress in social and non-social situations. Neuroimage 2022; 254:119059. [PMID: 35259523 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although much research has shown that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can reduce psychological stress, it is less clear if effects generalize to everyday social situations, which range among the largest stress triggers. Furthermore, mechanisms of MBIs have not been fully established. Emotion regulation (ER) has been suggested as one key mechanism, yet the role of cognitive reappraisal and acceptance strategies is still under debate. To address these questions, a neuroimaging-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) was performed (n=68), comparing mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) with a reading/listening intervention (READ), using a novel dyadic paradigm for self and other emotion regulation under stress as primary outcome on behavior and brain levels and established empathy measures (clinicatrials.gov NCT03035669). Compared to READ, MBSR led to self-reported stress reduction through both cognitive reappraisal and acceptance only when regulating self and not when regulating others' distress. In addition, MBSR led to increased brain activation over time for regulating own (parietal cortex) and others' (precuneus, TPJ) emotions through cognitive reappraisal and acceptance, albeit this effect was also seen for the reading intervention for regulating own stress via reappraisal. Brain changes did not scale with subjective stress reduction and amount of meditation practice. More distant generalization effects of MBSR on socio-emotional functioning (cognitive empathy and compassion) could also not be shown. This study identified both cognitive reappraisal and acceptance as two ER mechanisms of MBSR, but indicates that effects do not extend to social settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simón Guendelman
- Clinical Psychology of Social Interaction, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Institute of Psychology. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Mareike Bayer
- Clinical Psychology of Social Interaction, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Institute of Psychology. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kristin Prehn
- Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg - University of Applied Sciences and Medical University, Am Kaiserkai 1, 20457 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Isabel Dziobek
- Clinical Psychology of Social Interaction, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Institute of Psychology. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany
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Study of the effects of mindfulness training on quality of life of patients with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers (Dyad Mindfulness Project). Aging Clin Exp Res 2022; 34:65-71. [PMID: 34213748 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-021-01907-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The training of mindfulness enhances the emotive and cognitive equilibrium and well-being in older adults. So some authors hypothesize it is an appropriate approach to cultivating these benefits and a good quality of life in Alzheimer's patients (AD-P) at early stage and in their caregivers (Cg) (Dyad). AIM Our main hypothesis is that AD-P and Cg who completed the program of Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) training would experience improvements in well-being and mood and cognitive performance (AD-P: attention and memory). METHODS The perspective randomized controlled will enroll the Dyad of 80 Alzheimer's patients (age ≥ 60) and 80 caregivers (age > 18) who will be randomly assigned to 6 months MBI training in groups and to control group study. All outcome will be analyzed before intervention (baseline), after follow-up 1 (at the end of treatment), after 6 months (follow-up 2) and after 1 year (follow-up 3) from the end of treatment. DISCUSSION AD-P-expected outcomes: (a) improvement of the quality of life (QoL-AD); (b) decrease of depression (BDI); (c) improvement of spiritual well-being (Facit SWB Index); (d) improvement of attention and good cognitive performance Rey Memory Test (MFIT); (e) decrease of neuropsychiatric symptoms. (NPI)-Cg-expected outcomes: (a) improvement of the quality of life (SF36); (b) decrease of the care burden (CBI); (c) decrease of depression (BDI); (d) improvement of self-awareness (FFMQ); (e) increase in spiritual-well-being (Facit SWB). CONCLUSIONS This study could provide a clues on multidisciplinary interventions as secondary prevention of Alzheimer's dementia and on stress reduction in family caregivers.
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Angioletti L, Balconi M. Interoceptive attentiveness and autonomic reactivity in pain observation. Somatosens Mot Res 2021; 39:81-89. [PMID: 34847833 DOI: 10.1080/08990220.2021.2005016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Aim: This study explores interoceptive attentiveness (IA) influence on autonomic reactivity related to pain and self-regulation during situations evoking physiological mirroring for pain.Methods: 20 participants observed face/hand, painful/non-painful stimuli in an individual versus social condition while the autonomic response was measured [Electrodermal activity, Pulse Volume Amplitude (PVA), and Heart Rate (HR)] was measured. The sample was divided into experimental (EXP) subjects, required to focus on their interoceptive correlates while observing the stimuli, and the control (CNT) group. HR inter-beat interval (IBI), and HR Variability (HRV) were calculated.Results: Results showed high accuracy to painful and non-painful stimuli recognition. Regarding autonomic indices, higher PVA values were detected for hand painful versus non-painful stimuli, whereas for the EXP group a significant activation of IBI was found for face painful vs non-painful stimuli.Conclusion: In the context of observation of pain in others, PVA and IBI could be respectively markers of mirroring mechanisms and autonomic self-regulation mediated by IA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Angioletti
- International Research Center for Cognitive Applied Neuroscience (IrcCAN), Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.,Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Balconi
- International Research Center for Cognitive Applied Neuroscience (IrcCAN), Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.,Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy
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Ardi Z, Golland Y, Shafir R, Sheppes G, Levit-Binnun N. The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Association Between Autonomic Interoceptive Signals and Emotion Regulation Selection. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:852-862. [PMID: 34387225 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The ability to select the most adaptive regulatory strategy as a function of the emotional context plays a pivotal role in psychological health. Recently, we showed that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can improve the sensitivity of regulatory strategy selection to emotional intensity. However, the mechanisms underlying this improvement are unclear. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that MBIs support adaptive regulatory selection by increasing sensitivity to interoceptive signals associated with the emotional stimuli. METHODS Participants (n = 84, mean [standard deviation {SD}] age = 30.9 [8.3] years; 54% women) were randomized to either a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program or a wait-list control condition. Before and after the MBSR program, physiological measures for autonomic nervous system activity were obtained, and participants performed a task examining emotion regulation selections (reappraisal versus distraction) when confronted with low or high negative intensity images. They also completed a battery of mindfulness, interoception, and well-being self-report measures. A cross-classified model was used for the main analyses. RESULTS The participants assigned to the MBSR were overall more likely to choose reappraisal than distraction (b = 0.26, posterior SD = 0.13, 95confidence interval = 0.02-0.52) after the program. Interoceptive signals in response to negative images were associated with subsequent regulatory selections (b = 0.02, posterior SD = 0.01, 95% confidence interval = 0.01-0.03) in the MBSR group. Specifically, lower cardiac reactivity was associated with the choice to reappraise, whereas higher cardiac reactivity was related to the choice to distract. Greater differences in cardiac reactivity between states that prompt reappraisal and states that prompt distraction were associated with higher well-being (Satisfaction With Life Scale, Pearson r (29) = 0.527, p = .003). CONCLUSIONS Mindfulness seems to increase the sensitivity of regulatory selections to interoceptive signals, and this is associated with subjective well-being. This may be a central pathway through which MBIs exert their positive effects on mental health and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziv Ardi
- From the Sagol Center for Brain and Mind, Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (Ardi, Golland, Levit-Binnun), Herzliya; Department of Behavioral Sciences (Ardi), Kinneret Academic College, Sea of Galilee; and The School of Psychological Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience (Shafir, Sheppes), Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Khoramirad A, Abedini Z, Khalajinia Z. Relationship between mindfulness and maternal stress and mother - Infant bonding in neonatal intensive care unit. JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND HEALTH PROMOTION 2021; 10:337. [PMID: 34761023 PMCID: PMC8552262 DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1620_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Having a baby admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is so stressful, has a negative impact on mother well-being, and also disrupts mother-infant bonding process because the infant spend the first several weeks or months in the NICU. Previous studies have shown the positive association of the mindfulness and various health conditions. This study investigated the relationship between mothers' dispositional mindfulness and level of stress and bonding in mothers with infants in the NICU. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed during 2019 on 140 mothers with newborns admitted to the NICUs in two hospitals in Qom city in Iran. The self-report measures of dispositional mindfulness, Parental Stressor Scale: NICU, and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire were administered to mothers on the 2nd-5th day after birth. The data analysis was carried out by using a stepwise multiple regression model. RESULTS The mean scores of mindfulness, stress, and bonding were 3.32 ± 0.52, 2.32 ± 0.77, and 0.47 ± 0.37, respectively. There was a statistically significant inverse relationship between total mindfulness score and stress (P < 0.001). Furthermore, high scores of mindfulness were associated with better bonding (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Improvement in mindfulness helps mothers to reduce stress and make better bonding with infants. It is recommended that mindfulness interventions use during pregnancy also after birth, especially for mothers that their infants admitted to in the NICUs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf Khoramirad
- Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Zahra Abedini
- Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Zohre Khalajinia
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
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Konjedi S, Maleeh R. The dynamic framework of mind wandering revisited: How mindful meta-awareness affects mental states' constraints. Conscious Cogn 2021; 95:103194. [PMID: 34419729 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2021.103194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The dynamic framework of mind wandering (Christoff, Irving, Fox, Spreng, & Andrews-Hanna, 2016) is reviewed and modified through integrating the construct of mindful meta-awareness. The dynamic framework maintains that mind wandering belongs to a family of spontaneous thought phenomena. The key defining feature of mind wandering is 'spontaneity' which characterizes the dynamic nature of thoughts in the framework. The argument is made that incorporating the mindful meta-awareness construct modifies the dynamic framework as follows: (1) the framework's criteria for mind wandering do not hold anymore as meta-awareness changes the relationship between thoughts and constraints, and (2) lucid dreaming can be categorized as unguided thought while at the same time being dependent on deliberate constraints. Finally, the application of this modified framework will be discussed in terms of the treatment of mental disorders related to spontaneous thought alterations, in particular depression and nightmares.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reza Maleeh
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, 49069 Osnabrück, Germany; School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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Abstract
Mindfulness has grown from an obscure subject to an immensely popular topic that is associated with numerous performance, health, and well-being benefits in organizations. However, this growth in popularity has generated a number of criticisms of mindfulness and a rather piecemeal approach to organizational research and practice on the subject. To advance both investigation and application, the present paper applies The Balance Framework to serve as an integrative scaffolding for considering mindfulness in organizations, helping to address some of the criticisms leveled against it. The Balance Framework specifies five forms of balance: 1) balance as tempered view, 2) balance as mid-range, 3) balance as complementarity, 4) balance as contextual sensitivity, and 5) balance among different levels of consciousness. Each form is applied to mindfulness at work with a discussion of relevant conceptual issues in addition to implications for research and practice. Plain Language Summary In order to appreciate the value of mindfulness at work researchers and practitioners might want to consider both the benefits and potential drawbacks of mindfulness. This paper presents a discussion of both the advantages and possible disadvantages of mindfulness at work organized in terms of the five dimensions of an organizing structure called The Balance Framework.
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Antonini Philippe R, Schwab L, Biasutti M. Effects of Physical Activity and Mindfulness on Resilience and Depression During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2021; 12:700742. [PMID: 34393936 PMCID: PMC8360111 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.700742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic generated a significant number of stressors that the Swiss population had to deal with. In order to cope with and adapt to such adversity, it is essential to have protective factors that allow for resilience. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness and physical activity on depression and resilience during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative method was adopted asking participants who were engaged in physical activity or mindfulness to fill a battery of measures of depression and resilience and some demographic questions. The results showed that mindfulness practice strengthened the initial level of resilience of practitioners, suggesting that mindfulness meditation is a tool for coping with adversity during a potentially traumatic event. Conversely, physical activity practitioners maintained a stable resilience score over time, suggesting that exposure to adversity did not disrupt their state of biopsychospiritual homeostasis. Moreover, being physically active decreased the depression score over time. Regarding demographic variables, gender differences were observed in the average scores in the resilience scale and in the Depression Inventory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurie Schwab
- Institute of Psychology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michele Biasutti
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education, and Applied Psychology, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
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Rahrig H, Bjork JM, Tirado C, Chester DS, Creswell JD, Lindsay EK, Penberthy JK, Brown KW. Punishment on Pause: Preliminary Evidence That Mindfulness Training Modifies Neural Responses in a Reactive Aggression Task. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:689373. [PMID: 34366804 PMCID: PMC8342928 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.689373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive aggression, a hostile retaliatory response to perceived threat, has been attributed to failures in emotion regulation. Interventions for reactive aggression have largely focused on cognitive control training, which target top-down emotion regulation mechanisms to inhibit aggressive impulses. Recent theory suggests that mindfulness training (MT) improves emotion regulation via both top-down and bottom-up neural mechanisms and has thus been proposed as an alternative treatment for aggression. Using this framework, the current pilot study examined how MT impacts functional brain physiology in the regulation of reactive aggression. Participants were randomly assigned to 2 weeks of MT (n = 11) or structurally equivalent active coping training (CT) that emphasizes cognitive control (n = 12). Following training, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a retaliatory aggression task, a 16-trial game in which participants could respond to provocation by choosing whether or not to retaliate in the next round. Training groups did not differ in levels of aggression displayed. However, participants assigned to MT exhibited enhanced ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) recruitment during punishment events (i.e., the aversive consequence of losing) relative to those receiving active CT. Conversely, the active coping group demonstrated greater dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) activation when deciding how much to retaliate, in line with a bolstered top-down behavior monitoring function. The findings suggest that mindfulness and cognitive control training may regulate aggression via different neural circuits and at different temporal stages of the provocation-aggression cycle. Trial Registration: identification no. NCT03485807.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadley Rahrig
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - James M. Bjork
- Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Camila Tirado
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - David S. Chester
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - J. David Creswell
- Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Emily K. Lindsay
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jennifer Kim Penberthy
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Kirk Warren Brown
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
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Brown L, Rando AA, Eichel K, Van Dam NT, Celano CM, Huffman JC, Morris ME. The Effects of Mindfulness and Meditation on Vagally Mediated Heart Rate Variability: A Meta-Analysis. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:631-640. [PMID: 33395216 PMCID: PMC8243562 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Heart rate variability (HRV) is a marker of autonomic nervous system function associated with both physical and mental health. Many studies have suggested that mindfulness and meditation-based interventions (MBIs) are associated with improvements in HRV, but findings are mixed, and to date, no comprehensive meta-analysis has synthesized results. METHODS Systematic literature searches were conducted using PsycINFO, Embase, Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, and Scopus to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of predominantly seated MBIs on resting-state vagally mediated HRV. Risk of bias was judged using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. RESULTS Nineteen RCTs met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Random-effects meta-analysis found that MBIs were not efficacious in increasing vagally mediated resting-state HRV relative to control conditions (Hedges g = 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.014 to 0.77). When removing an outlier (g = 3.22), the effect size was reduced, CI narrowed, and findings remained nonsignificant (g = 0.19, 95% CI = -0.02 to 0.39). High heterogeneity in results (I2 = 89.12%) could not be explained by a priori-determined moderators including intervention duration, study setting, and control type. CONCLUSIONS There is currently insufficient evidence to indicate that MBIs lead to improvements in vagally mediated HRV over control conditions. Future large, well-designed RCTs with low risk of methodological bias could help add to the current evidence to elucidate any role MBIs might play in impacting HRV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Brown
- La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Melbourne School of Psychological sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- North Eastern Rehabilitation Centre, Healthscope Hospitals, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Kristina Eichel
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Nicholas T. Van Dam
- Melbourne School of Psychological sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christopher M. Celano
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeff C. Huffman
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Meg E. Morris
- La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- North Eastern Rehabilitation Centre, Healthscope Hospitals, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Nair B, Otaki F. Promoting University Students' Mental Health: A Systematic Literature Review Introducing the 4M-Model of Individual-Level Interventions. Front Public Health 2021; 9:699030. [PMID: 34249852 PMCID: PMC8267876 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.699030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study is to systematically review recently published individual student-level interventions aimed at alleviating the burden of mental health challenges faced by the students and/ or at equipping them with coping mechanism that will foster their resilience. Methods: This study relied on a systematic literature review. PubMed dataset was used; the search was confined to the following period: July 2016-December 2020. Results: A total of 1,399 records were identified by the electronic search, out of which 40 studies were included in this study. The authors inductively identified four overlapping categories of interventions across all included articles, and coded them as follows: Mindfulness, Movement, Meaning, and Moderator. Accordingly, each study was linked to at least one of four overlapping categories based on the nature of the intervention(s) under investigation, leading to differing assortments of categories. Conclusions: The 4M-Model generated by this study encourages focusing on devising holistic, university-based interventions that embrace the individuality of students to improve their mental health through elements of mindfulness, movement, meaning, and moderator. Through this focused approach, university counselors are enabled to design interventions that address students' physical, psychological, emotional, and social needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavana Nair
- Guidance & Counseling Office, Student Services & Registration, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Farah Otaki
- Strategy & Institutional Excellence, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Dickenson JA, Diamond L, King JB, Jenson K, Anderson JS. Understanding heterosexual women's erotic flexibility: the role of attention in sexual evaluations and neural responses to sexual stimuli. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 15:447-465. [PMID: 32415978 PMCID: PMC7308660 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsaa058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many women experience desires, arousal and behavior that run counter to their sexual orientation (orientation inconsistent, 'OI'). Are such OI sexual experiences cognitively and neurobiologically distinct from those that are consistent with one's sexual orientation (orientation consistent, 'OC')? To address this question, we employed a mindful attention intervention-aimed at reducing judgment and enhancing somatosensory attention-to examine the underlying attentional and neurobiological processes of OC and OI sexual stimuli among predominantly heterosexual women. Women exhibited greater neural activity in response to OC, compared to OI, sexual stimuli in regions associated with implicit visual processing, volitional appraisal and attention. In contrast, women exhibited greater neural activity to OI, relative to OC, sexual stimuli in regions associated with complex visual processing and attentional shifting. Mindfully attending to OC sexual stimuli reduced distraction, amplified women's evaluations of OC stimuli as sexually arousing and deactivated the superior cerebellum. In contrast, mindfully attending to OI sexual stimuli amplified distraction, decreased women's evaluations of OI stimuli as sexually arousing and augmented parietal and temporo-occipital activity. Results of the current study constrain hypotheses of female erotic flexibility, suggesting that sexual orientation may be maintained by differences in attentional processing that cannot be voluntarily altered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janna A Dickenson
- Human Sexuality, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Lisa Diamond
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jace B King
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.,Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Kay Jenson
- Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Anderson
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.,Program in Neuroscience, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
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Favre P, Kanske P, Engen H, Singer T. Decreased emotional reactivity after 3-month socio-affective but not attention- or meta-cognitive-based mental training: A randomized, controlled, longitudinal fMRI study. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118132. [PMID: 33951510 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Meditation-based mental training interventions show physical and mental health benefits. However, it remains unclear how different types of mental practice affect emotion processing at both the neuronal and the behavioural level. In the context of the ReSource project, 332 participants underwent an fMRI scan while performing an emotion anticipation task before and after three 3-month training modules cultivating 1) attention and interoceptive awareness (Presence); 2) socio-affective skills, such as compassion (Affect); 3) socio-cognitive skills, such as theory of mind (Perspective). Only the Affect module led to a significant reduction of experienced negative affect when processing images depicting human suffering. In addition, after the Affect module, participants showed significant increased activation in the right supramarginal gyrus when confronted with negative stimuli. We conclude that socio-affective, but not attention- or meta-cognitive based mental training is specifically effective to improve emotion regulation capabilities when facing adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Favre
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Haakon Engen
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tania Singer
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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Vivian E, Oduor H, Girisha P, Mantry P. Mindfulness at Methodist-A Prospective Pilot Study of Mindfulness and Stress Resiliency Interventions in Patients at a Tertiary Care Medical Center. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:4034. [PMID: 33921296 PMCID: PMC8070304 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with chronic medical conditions like cancer often experience heightened stress levels that can impact medical decision-making. The aim of this study was assess the impact of mindful stress-reduction interventions in cancer patients and support group participants (which included current and former cancer patients and their caregivers). A pilot study was conducted in which participants were provided a mindful stress-reduction intervention to determine whether they reduced stress, anxiety, and communication issues. Participants were provided a one-hour mindful stress-reduction intervention by a licensed physical therapist. Surveys were given to participants immediately before and after, and again 7-days after the intervention. Perceived stress was ascertained by asking participants: "Which emotional/mental state do you most frequently find yourself in?" Anxiety and communication abilities were measured using Neuro-QoL™ Anxiety and Communication v.1 instruments. Fifty-nine participants with a mean age of 60.6 years completed the study. Of these, 30.5%, 6.8%, 23.7%, and 39% were diagnosed (or were a caregiver to someone diagnosed) with pancreas, liver, breast, or unknown cancers, respectively. The surveys showed that participants' perceived stress scores (p < 0.001), anxiety levels (p = 0.0067), and pain scores (p < 0.0001) were reduced after the mindful stress-reduction intervention. Larger studies with control groups are needed to confirm the interventions' benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaina Vivian
- Methodist Digestive Institute, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75203, USA;
| | - Hellen Oduor
- The Transplant Institute, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75203, USA;
| | | | - Parvez Mantry
- Methodist Digestive Institute, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75203, USA;
- The Liver Institute, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75203, USA
- Clinical Research Institute, Methodist Health System, Dallas, TX 75203, USA
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49
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Causo F, Quinlan E. Defeating dragons and demons: consumers’ perspectives on mental health recovery in role-playing games. AUSTRALIAN PSYCHOLOGIST 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00050067.2021.1890983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Causo
- Discipline of Psychological Science, Australian College of Applied Psychology, Sydney, Australia
| | - Elly Quinlan
- Discipline of Psychological Science, Australian College of Applied Psychology, Sydney, Australia
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50
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Santarnecchi E, Egiziano E, D'Arista S, Gardi C, Romanella SM, Mencarelli L, Rossi S, Reda M, Rossi A. Mindfulness-based stress reduction training modulates striatal and cerebellar connectivity. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1236-1252. [PMID: 33634892 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Mindfulness is a meditation practice frequently associated with changes in subjective evaluation of cognitive and sensorial experience, as well as with modifications of brain activity and morphometry. Aside from the anatomical localization of functional changes induced by mindfulness practice, little is known about changes in functional and effective functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) connectivity. Here we performed a connectivity fMRI analysis in a group of healthy individuals participating in an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training program. Data from both a "mind-wandering" and a "meditation" state were acquired before and after the MBSR course. Results highlighted decreased local connectivity after training in the right anterior putamen and insula during spontaneous mind-wandering and the right cerebellum during the meditative state. A further effective connectivity analysis revealed (a) decreased modulation by the anterior cingulate cortex over the anterior portion of the putamen, and (b) a change in left and right posterior putamen excitatory input and inhibitory output with the cerebellum, respectively. Results suggest a rearrangement of dorsal striatum functional and effective connectivity in response to mindfulness practice, with changes in cortico-subcortical-cerebellar modulatory dynamics. Findings might be relevant for the understanding of widely documented mindfulness behavioral effects, especially those related to pain perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Santarnecchi
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Division of Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eutizio Egiziano
- Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Sicilia D'Arista
- Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Concetta Gardi
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Sara M Romanella
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Laboratory (SiBIN-Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Siena Medical School, Siena, Italy
| | - Lucia Mencarelli
- Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Division of Cognitive Neurology, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Laboratory (SiBIN-Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Siena Medical School, Siena, Italy
| | - Simone Rossi
- Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.,Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.,Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Laboratory (SiBIN-Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Siena Medical School, Siena, Italy.,Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Human Physiology Section, Siena Medical School, Siena, Italy
| | - Mario Reda
- Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rossi
- Siena Brain Investigation and Neuromodulation Laboratory (SiBIN-Lab), Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Siena Medical School, Siena, Italy
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