Mindfulness-oriented recovery enhancement in opioid use disorder: Extended emotional regulation and neural effects and immediate effects of guided meditation in a pilot sample.
Explore (New York, N.Y.) January 1, 2024 Suchismita Ray, Jamil Bhanji, Nicole Kennelly et al.
An 8-week Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) intervention improved emotional regulation difficulty and altered brain connectivity in women undergoing residential treatment for opioid use disorder. In a pilot sample of nine participants, emotional regulation difficulty significantly decreased after the intervention. Functional MRI during a 10-minute guided meditation showed increased connectivity between the left ventromedial prefrontal cortex and left amygdala, and between the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and left nucleus accumbens. A single 10-minute guided meditation session immediately improved positive mood, but did not significantly affect opioid craving. These preliminary findings suggest potential benefits of MORE for emotional regulation and brain function, warranting larger studies.