Adolescents who completed a 12-week meditation training program showed decreases in gray matter volume in the left posterior insula, left thalamus, and left putamen, brain regions involved in physical and emotional awareness. No significant changes occurred during a control period before training. These findings differ from studies in adults, where meditation is typically associated with increased gray matter, suggesting the adolescent brain may respond differently to meditation.
A 12-week mindfulness-based intervention (TARA) in healthy adolescents aged 14–18 increased white matter connectivity in interoceptive brain networks, including the right insula and right putamen. These brain changes were linked to improved sleep quality and emotional well-being. The intervention was delivered remotely and showed high feasibility and safety. The TARA group, but not controls, had significantly better sleep quality and increased insula node strength associated with emotional well-being. A white matter interoception network strengthened after TARA. The findings suggest TARA may improve psychological health in adolescents by enhancing structural connectivity in interoceptive regions.