Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) increases resting-state functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in healthy, meditation-naïve adults. This effect did not persist at a 5.5-month follow-up, but more practice time was linked to greater connectivity increases. The connectivity change was associated with increased microstructural connectivity of a white matter tract connecting these regions and with improved self-reported attention.
An 8-week mindfulness meditation training program tailored for police officers reduced perceived stress, anxiety, burnout, sleep disturbances, and PTSD hyperarousal symptoms, with some gains lasting at 5 months. All 30 officers from a Midwestern U.S. police department completed the program with high attendance and positive evaluations. No changes were observed in self-reported physical health symptoms or C-reactive protein levels. The findings replicate earlier work and provide new evidence that mindfulness training may reduce PTSD symptoms in law enforcement personnel.
Mindfulness meditation training is linked to reduced amygdala reactivity to positive emotional pictures, but not to negative ones, in healthy adults. Long-term meditators (average 9,081 lifetime hours) showed less amygdala response to positive images. In a randomized trial, an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course also reduced amygdala reactivity to positive pictures compared to an active control, and increased connectivity between the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), a region involved in emotion regulation. Lower amygdala reactivity to negative pictures was associated with more retreat practice hours in long-term meditators, but not with MBSR practice time. These findings suggest meditation improves emotional responding through reduced amygdala reactivity and enhanced amygdala-VMPFC coupling.