Neural correlates of reduction in self-judgment after mindful self-compassion training: A pilot study with resting state fMRI.
Diane Joss, Michael Datko, Charisma I. Washington, Mary A Tresvalles, Mihriye Mete, Sara W. Lazar, Zev Schuman-Olivier, Elizabeth A Hoge
Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders March 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.xjmad.2024.100096 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Single arm pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Adult patients with anxiety or depressive disorders |
| Intervention | Mindful self-compassion (MSC) intervention program |
| Duration | Eight-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Childhood trauma Compassion Contemplative Neuroimaging |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key points | Mindful self-compassion training reduced self-judgment, an effect linked to changes in brain connectivity that suggest reduced fear circuitry influence and enhanced frontal regulation. |
Abstract
Self-judgment is a trans-diagnostic symptom among various psychological disorders, therefore can be a therapeutic target for many common psychiatric conditions. Self-judgment often arises among those who experienced childhood maltreatment, which increases the risk for developing comorbid psychiatric disorders that are resistant to traditional pharmacological and psychological interventions. Understanding the neural correlates of the therapeutic effect of behavioral interventions for reducing self-judgment is key for developing and refining evidence-based intervention programs. This single arm pilot study (N = 24) explored the neural correlates of reduction in self-judgment after an eight-week mindful self-compassion (MSC) intervention program for a sample of adult patients with either anxiety or depressive disorders, with 83 % having more than one diagnoses. The results demonstrated significant reduction of self-judgment after the intervention (p < 0.001, d = -1.04) along with increased self-compassion (p < 0.001, d =1.20); in particular, participants with above median score on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire had significantly more improvement than those with below median scores (p < 0.05). Resting state fMRI was used to study neural correlates and showed that reduced self-judgment was associated with increased posterior cingulate cortex functional connectivity with dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, accompanied by reduced posterior cingulate cortex functional connectivity with the amygdala-hippocampal complex. These findings suggest reduced self-judgment after MSC training was substantiated by reduced fear circuitry influences on self-referential processes along with enhanced frontal regulation from the executive network and language network.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on neuroplasticity, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emotions and brain function are altered up to one month after a single high dose of psilocybin. Healthy volunteers (7 female, 5 male) | 2020 | Open-label pilot study | n = 12 |
| Psilocybin therapy increases cognitive and neural flexibility in patients with major depressive disorder. Patients with major depressive disorder | 2021 | Open-label study | n = 24 |
| Biological embedding of early trauma: the role of higher prefrontal synaptic strength Healthy controls and patients with PTSD (male and female) | 2023 | Pilot study | n = 34 |
| Brain-targeted epigenetic effects of two emerging psychoplastogens: ketamine & MDMA Clinical trial participants | 2026 | Clinical trial | n = 36 |
| Ketamine-enhanced psychotherapy for smoking cessation: A pilot study of feasibility, safety, and clinical outcomes. Cigarette smokers aged 29-64 with tobacco use disorder and a history of unsuccessful... | 2026 | Open-label pilot study | n = 7 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- PCC-hippocampal functional connectivity associated with stress biomarker changes after meditation training for healthy adults. Neuroscience Letters May 23, 2025
- Modulating mechanisms of adverse childhood experiences in a mindfulness-based intervention: preliminary insights from an opioid use disorder study. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- Neural correlates of meditation-induced changes in self-related traits: a resting state fMRI study. Mindfulness June 4, 2026
- Mindfulness-based interventions for preventing childhood maltreatment and restoring health among survivors: a public health perspective. Mindfulness June 1, 2025
Cites 36
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- The default mode network: where the idiosyncratic self meets the shared social world Nature Reviews Neuroscience January 22, 2021
- Mapping the self in the brain's default mode network Neuroimage February 15, 2016
- Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 31 more in the library