Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
November 1, 2024
Isaac N Treves, Kannammai Pichappan, Jude Hammoud et al.
35 citations
Greater trait mindfulness, measured by self-report scales, is consistently linked with reduced amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli, increased cortical thickness in frontal and insular regions, and decreased connectivity within the default-mode network, converging with findings from intervention studies and mindfulness experts. However, associations with EEG metrics and between-network resting-state fMRI remain inconclusive. The authors recommend larger samples, multivariate approaches, and careful reliability testing, urging a move away from simplistic explanations of mindfulness and brain function.
Mindfulness
November 1, 2023
Isaac N Treves, Halie A Olson, Ola Ozernov-Palchik et al.
15 citations
An 8-week randomized controlled trial with 279 U.S. children ages 8-10 tested a remote, app-based mindfulness intervention (Inner Explorer) against two audiobook control groups. Over 80% of children completed the intervention. Children who used the mindfulness app reported reduced self-perceived stress, and parents reported reduced negative affect in their children. However, no significant reductions in anxiety or depression symptoms were found. Between-group effect sizes were small. Regular use—at least 30 days of practice within the study period—was linked to lower child negative affect (by parental report), lower parental stress, and lower child self-perceived stress. The findings suggest that home use of a mindfulness app can benefit children's emotional well-being if used regularly.
Imaging neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)
January 1, 2025
Sebastian Ehmann, Idil Sezer, Isaac N Treves et al.
9 citations
Long-term meditators show a distinct pattern of cognitive and neural changes from prolonged mindfulness practice, including enhanced sensory integration, reduced negative emotional responses to pain, more rational decision-making, and altered self-awareness. Neuroimaging reveals increased activation in brain networks linked to interoception and pain (salience network), reduced connectivity between executive and salience networks, diminished fear and amygdala activation, and altered default-mode network activity associated with emotional neutrality and non-ordinary states of consciousness. Methodological limitations prevent firm conclusions about lasting trait effects, and a unified neurophenomenological framework is needed to systematically study advanced meditation's states and stages.
Human Brain Mapping
January 1, 2025
Isaac N Treves, Aaron Kucyi, Madelynn Park et al.
8 citations
Trait mindfulness—the tendency to attend to present experience non-judgmentally—is linked to better mental health, but its neural basis remains unclear. In the largest resting-state fMRI study of trait mindfulness to date, involving 367 meditation-naïve adults across three sites, no connections predicted overall trait mindfulness. However, neural models for two subscales, Acting with Awareness and Non-judging, were identified. Positive networks for these subscales involved distinct fronto-parietal and default-mode networks, while negative networks overlapped across subscales and included somatomotor, visual, and default-mode regions. Only negative networks generalized to predict subscale scores in some out-of-sample tests. Predictions negatively correlated with a mind-wandering model. The findings provide preliminary evidence for generalizable connectivity models of mindfulness facets, but incomplete generalization across sites and model overlap highlight the challenge of identifying robust brain markers.
Mindfulness
April 8, 2025
Cindy E Li, Kimberly L. Wang, Isaac N Treves et al.
7 citations
A six-week app-based mindfulness intervention reduced anxiety and perceived stress in autistic adults. In a randomized controlled trial with 89 participants, those who used a customized version of the Healthy Minds Program app showed significant decreases in anxiety and stress compared to a wait-list control group, with medium to large effect sizes. Benefits extended to reduced negative affect and increased trait mindfulness, and were maintained six weeks after the intervention ended. The findings demonstrate that a remote, self-guided mindfulness program is both feasible and effective for this population, offering an accessible alternative to in-person treatment.
Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science
November 1, 2024
Isaac N Treves, Hilary A Marusak, Alexandra Decker et al.
7 citations
A significant finding reveals that adolescents with higher trait mindfulness experience lower anxiety and depression symptoms. An analysis of 106 adolescents, ages 12 to 15, identified a reliable brain state characterized by hyperconnectivity, showing an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.65. This state, marked by elevated positive connectivity between networks, was positively correlated with self-reported trait mindfulness. While most dynamic brain states were unreliable across scans, this hyperconnected state may reflect enhanced awareness and arousal in those exhibiting higher mindfulness traits.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
July 4, 2024
Isaac N Treves, Hilary A Marusak, Alexandra Decker et al.
3 citations
preprint
A highly reliable brain state linked to trait mindfulness was identified in adolescents, highlighting its potential role in mental health. In a study of 106 participants aged 12 to 15, one hyperconnected state showed good reliability (ICC=0.65) and correlated positively with self-reported trait mindfulness. Adolescents exhibiting higher trait mindfulness experienced lower anxiety and depression symptoms. While most dynamic brain states were unreliable across scans, this particular state suggests that increased mindfulness may enhance awareness and arousal, offering insights into adolescent mental well-being.
October 28, 2024
Sebastian Ehmann, Idil Sezer, Isaac N Treves et al.
2 citations
preprint
Long-term meditators show a distinct pattern of cognitive and brain changes, including enhanced integration of sensory and cognitive processes, reduced emotional reactivity, more rational decision-making, and altered self-awareness. Neuroimaging reveals increased activity in brain networks related to interoception and pain, along with reduced connectivity between executive and salience networks, decreased amygdala response to fear, and changes in default-mode network activity linked to emotional neutrality and non-ordinary states of consciousness. Methodological limitations, such as varied meditation practices among participants, prevent clear conclusions about specific cognitive changes over time. A unified research framework is needed to systematically study advanced meditation's unfolding stages and endpoints.
Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
February 5, 2025
Isaac N Treves, Aaron Kucyi, Anna O Tierney et al.
1 citation
During a breath-counting task, 72 adolescents showed increased static connectivity within attention-direction and orienting networks and anticorrelations between attention networks and the default mode network compared to rest. Dynamic connectivity analysis revealed four distinct brain states, including one anticorrelated with the default mode network that was proportionally more present during the task. Brain state markers distinguished breathing tasks from rest and momentary on-task from off-task attention, but no brain states reflected between-individual behavioral variability.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
July 14, 2024
Isaac N Treves, Aaron Kucyi, Madelynn Park et al.
1 citation
preprint
Trait mindfulness—the tendency to attend to present-moment experience non-judgmentally—is linked to better mental health, but its neural basis remains unclear. In the largest resting-state fMRI study of trait mindfulness to date, involving 367 adults across three samples, researchers used connectome predictive modeling to test whether brain connectivity patterns could predict mindfulness scores. No connections predicted overall trait mindfulness, but models for two subscales—Acting with Awareness and Non-judging—were identified. Positive networks for these subscales involved fronto-parietal and default-mode networks, respectively. Negative networks, which overlapped across subscales, included somatomotor, visual, and default-mode connections. Only negative networks generalized to predict subscale scores in some out-of-sample datasets, and predictions correlated negatively with a mind-wandering model. The incomplete generalization and model overlap highlight the challenge of identifying robust brain markers for mindfulness facets.
Behavioral Neuroscience
December 1, 2019
Clemens C C Bauer, Camila Caballero, Ethan Scherer et al.
Mindfulness training in middle-school children reduces stress and alters brain function. Forty children were randomly assigned to eight weeks of mindfulness or coding training. Before training, higher stress was linked to greater right amygdala activity when viewing fearful faces. After training, children who learned mindfulness reported lower stress and showed reduced right amygdala response to fearful faces, along with stronger connectivity between the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These brain changes occurred outside of meditation, suggesting the benefits generalize. The findings indicate that mindfulness can be integrated into school curricula and that its stress-reducing effects involve dampening amygdala reactions to negative stimuli.