Enhanced Resting-State Functional Connectivity With Decreased Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations of the Salience Network in Mindfulness Novices
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience March 3, 2022 Quan Gan, Ning Ding, Guoli Bi et al. 18 citations
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training in healthy novices alters brain regions involved in attention and interoception. After eight weeks of MBSR, participants showed decreased spontaneous brain activity (ALFF) in the right anterior cingulate gyrus, left anterior and posterior insula, and left superior medial frontal gyrus, along with strengthened functional connectivity between the right anterior cingulate cortex and right anterior insula. These changes correlated with newly acquired mindfulness skills and reduced negative affect. The findings suggest that even short-term mindfulness practice can reorganize brain networks related to internal awareness and emotional regulation.