State and Training Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Brain Networks Reflect Neuronal Mechanisms of Its Antidepressant Effect
Neural Plasticity January 1, 2016 Chuan-Chih Yang, Alfonso Barrós‐loscertales, Daniel Pinazo et al. 284 citations
Forty days of mindfulness meditation training in 13 novice meditators altered functional connectivity in brain networks linked to self-referential thought and emotion regulation. During meditation, internal consistency increased in the precuneus and temporoparietal junction but decreased in frontal regions, and connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula was reduced. After training, resting-state connectivity between the pregenual anterior cingulate and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex decreased. Participants also reported significantly reduced depression and anxiety scores. These results suggest that meditation may produce antidepressant effects through neuroplastic changes in brain networks underlying affective disorders.