Mindfulness on the brain: a review of structural and functional MRI findings in mindfulness-based stress reduction.
European journal of radiology February 1, 2026 Stacy Ruther, Eric S. Jackson, Eric vanSonnenberg
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) appears to influence brain function more than structure, with consistent enhancement of activity and connectivity in networks that support emotion regulation, self-referential processing, and attention. A narrative review of 27 studies (9 structural MRI, 10 neural activation, 11 functional connectivity) found that structural MRI findings were inconsistent, with most studies reporting no significant gray matter changes, though small studies noted modest increases in hippocampal and amygdala volume. In contrast, fMRI consistently demonstrated functional changes, including increased activity in the superior parietal lobule, posterior cingulate cortex, and prefrontal regions, and enhanced coupling between the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala. Findings suggest improved top-down regulation of emotion, though study heterogeneity limits conclusions.