Neural and autonomic regulation during brief mindfulness and relaxation interventions in clinical populations: a multimodal MEG study protocol.
Frontiers in Neuroscience January 1, 2026 Sabrina Diny, Fabian Schmidt, Andreas Wutz et al.
Mental disorders are a growing challenge for health care systems, and mind-body interventions like mindfulness and relaxation are widely used but their mechanisms are poorly understood. This study protocol describes a planned investigation of regulation during brief mindfulness and relaxation exercises in adults with depression and adults with ADHD. Magnetoencephalography will be combined with heart and breathing measures to capture brain-body interactions during three conditions: mindfulness (body scan), relaxation (safe place imagery), and an auditory control (podcast). Subjective stress and relaxation ratings will be collected. The study aims to advance understanding of how brief mind-body interventions work, supporting future personalized applications.