Neurobiological Changes Induced by Mindfulness and Meditation: A Systematic Review.
Andrea Calderone, Desirèe Latella, Federica Impellizzeri, Paolo De Pasquale, Fausto Famà, Angelo Quartarone, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
Biomedicines November 15, 2024 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12112613 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Mental health |
| Citations | 83 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness, particularly through MBSR, improves emotional regulation and brain structure, reduces anxiety, and enhances stress resilience. |
Abstract
Background and
Objectives: Meditation and mindfulness, rooted in ancient traditions, enhance mental well-being by cultivating awareness and emotional control. It has been shown to induce neuroplasticity, increase cortical thickness, reduce amygdala reactivity, and improve brain connectivity and neurotransmitter levels, leading to improved emotional regulation, cognitive function, and stress resilience. This systematic review will synthesize research on neurobiological changes associated with mindfulness and meditation practices.
Materials and Methods: Studies were identified from an online search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases without any search time range. This review has been registered on Open OSF (n) GV2JY.
Results: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) enhances brain regions related to emotional processing and sensory perception, improves psychological outcomes like anxiety and depression, and exhibits unique mechanisms of pain reduction compared to placebo.
Conclusions: This review highlights that mindfulness, particularly through MBSR, improves emotional regulation and brain structure, reduces anxiety, and enhances stress resilience. Future research should focus on diverse populations and naturalistic settings to better understand and optimize these benefits.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 45
- The Impact of Morning Meditation and Sleep Quality on Affective and Health Outcomes in Healthcare Workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health April 9, 2025
- Mindfulness in Psychosocial Research: An Integrative Literature Review of What is Studied and How International Review of Social Psychology 2025
- The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on emotion regulation/dysregulation in people with mental health conditions: A systematic review and meta‐analysis JCPP Advances February 12, 2026
- Mindfulness, music, visual occlusion in ketamine therapy for depression: do they change outcomes? A qualitative and quantitative analysis of a randomized controlled trial Frontiers in Psychiatry September 2, 2025
- French Translation and Validation of the Ontological Addiction Scale (OAS). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health March 27, 2025
and 40 more in the library
Cites 59
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin May 14, 2012
- Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Stress and Health March 15, 2010
- 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
- On some definitions of mindfulness Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
and 54 more in the library