State and Training Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Brain Networks Reflect Neuronal Mechanisms of Its Antidepressant Effect
Chuan-Chih Yang, Alfonso Barrós‐loscertales, Daniel Pinazo, Noelia Ventura‐campos, Viola Borchardt, Juan Carlos Bustamante, Aina Rodríguez‐pujadas, Paola Fuentes‐claramonte, Raúl Balaguer, César Ávila, Martin Walter
Neural Plasticity 2016 DOI: 10.1155/2016/9504642 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Novice meditators |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation training |
| Duration | 40 days of meditation training |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Resting State FMRI Precuneus Anterior cingulate cortex Prefrontal cortex Insula Functional connectivity Clinical psychology Cognition |
| Citations | 284 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation training reduced depression and anxiety scores and altered functional connectivity in brain regions including the precuneus, temporoparietal junction, anterior cingulate cortex, and insula. |
Abstract
The topic of investigating how mindfulness meditation training can have antidepressant effects via plastic changes in both resting state and meditation state brain activity is important in the rapidly emerging field of neuroplasticity. In the present study, we used a longitudinal design investigating resting state fMRI both before and after 40 days of meditation training in 13 novices. After training, we compared differences in network connectivity between rest and meditation using common resting state functional connectivity methods. Interregional methods were paired with local measures such as Regional Homogeneity. As expected, significant differences in functional connectivity both between states (rest versus meditation) and between time points (before versus after training) were observed. During meditation, the internal consistency in the precuneus and the temporoparietal junction increased, while the internal consistency of frontal brain regions decreased. A follow-up analysis of regional connectivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex further revealed reduced connectivity with anterior insula during meditation. After meditation training, reduced resting state functional connectivity between the pregenual anterior cingulate and dorsal medical prefrontal cortex was observed. Most importantly, significantly reduced depression/anxiety scores were observed after training. Hence, these findings suggest that mindfulness meditation might be of therapeutic use by inducing plasticity related network changes altering the neuronal basis of affective disorders such as depression.