A nonrandomized, single-arm study tested whether typically developing adolescents could learn to self-regulate the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) using real-time functional MRI neurofeedback during mindfulness training. Thirty-four adolescents (mean age 15; 14 females) completed the task across neurofeedback and non-neurofeedback runs. Neurofeedback runs showed significantly decreased PCC activity during the Focus-on-Breath condition compared with Describe (z = -2.38 to -6.27). State awareness of physical sensations increased after neurofeedback and was maintained at 1-week follow-up (Cohen's d = 0.69). The findings demonstrate feasibility and tolerability of this approach in healthy adolescents and replicate the role of the PCC in mindfulness.
Adolescents who experienced early life adversity (ELA) show greater difficulty down-regulating the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a key node of the default mode network, compared to healthy controls. A neurofeedback-augmented mindfulness training combining breath focus with real-time fMRI neurofeedback targeting the PCC was tested in 43 ELA-exposed and 40 healthy adolescents. Those with ELA were randomly assigned to active or sham neurofeedback. Both active and sham groups showed similar PCC down-regulation, and all adolescents reported increased state mindfulness after training. ELA-exposed adolescents reported greater improvements in positive affect, negative affect, and stress at one-week follow-up relative to controls, but there was no difference between active and sham neurofeedback on self-reported measures. The approach was feasible and acceptable for ELA-exposed adolescents but may not enhance mindfulness training beyond sham.
A pilot study tested whether a single session of neurofeedback-augmented mindfulness training (NAMT) altered resting-state functional connectivity of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in typically developing adolescents. Thirty-one adolescents (average age 14.8 years; 45% female) underwent resting-state fMRI before and after the NAMT task. The hypothesized decrease in connectivity between the PCC and other default mode network regions was not supported. However, functional connectivity between the PCC and a cluster including the left hippocampus and amygdala increased significantly after the task (Fisher's Z from 0.16 to 0.26). This preliminary finding suggests NAMT may strengthen connectivity between default mode and salience regions, potentially supporting self-referential and emotional processing.