App-based mindfulness meditation training enhances cognitive flexibility and modulates ACC and medial frontal gyrus activation during task switching in adolescent OCD.
Sarah Rempel, Maria McDonald, Veit Roessner, Christian Beste, Nicole Beyer
Neuroimage: Reports June 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2026.100347 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 53 |
| Population | Adolescents aged 10-19 with diagnosed or suspected obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognitive flexibility EEG Mvpa OCD Task switching |
| Key findings | App-based mindfulness meditation training reduced switch costs and modulated stimulus-response selection processes in frontal cortices, indicating improved cognitive flexibility in adolescents with OCD. |
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is a core executive function often impaired in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Mindfulness-based interventions have been hypothesized to improve cognitive flexibility and may be a promising adjunctive intervention for adolescents with OCD. The current study examines which cognitive neurophysiological processes underlie mindfulness-based interventions in cognitive flexibility. In a randomized, interviewer-blind design, 76 adolescents (aged 10-19) with diagnosed or suspected OCD were enrolled. After exclusion, the final sample included 53 participants (45.3 % male). Participants were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness training group or an active control group (audiobook listening). Cognitive flexibility was assessed using a task-switching paradigm while EEG data were collected. Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) and source localization were applied to decomposed EEG data, enabling control of inter-individual variability. The mindfulness group showed significantly reduced switch costs compared to the control group, indicating improved cognitive flexibility. The MVPA revealed group-specific decoding performance effects in fractions of EEG data reflecting response selection processes in a time window of 300-400 ms. In this time frame, the mindfulness group showed differential activation in the medial frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex. This study provides evidence that an app-based mindfulness meditation training can enhance cognitive flexibility in adolescents with OCD through modulating stimulus-response selection processes in frontal cortices.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Mindfulness- and acceptance-based programmes for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders March 1, 2025
- App-Based Mindfulness Meditation Training and an Audiobook Intervention Reduce Symptom Severity but Do Not Modify Backward Inhibition in Adolescent Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Evidence from an EEG Study Journal of Clinical Medicine March 24, 2023
- Mechanisms Underlying Cognitive Effects of Inducing a Mindful State. Journal of Cognition January 21, 2022
- Short-term Smartphone App–Based Focused Attention Meditation Diminishes Cognitive Flexibility Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience August 1, 2020
- EEG microstates as a tool for studying the temporal dynamics of whole-brain neuronal networks: A review. Neuroimage October 15, 2018
and 2 more in the library