Mindfulness-based therapy improves brain functional network reconfiguration efficiency
Wan Lin Yue, Kwun Kei Ng, Amelia Jialing Koh, Francesca Perini, Kinjal Doshi, Juan Zhou, Julian Lim
Translational Psychiatry November 11, 2023 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02642-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Elderly participants with self-reported sleep difficulties |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based therapy Sleep hygiene |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Psychological intervention Context archaeology Salience neuroscience Intervention counseling Resting State FMRI Neuroimaging Cognition Clinical psychology Cognitive psychology |
| Citations | 32 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness intervention improved brain functional reconfiguration efficiency in the executive control, default mode, and salience networks compared to an active control, though brain and behavioral changes were not associated. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions are showing increasing promise as a treatment for psychological disorders, with improvements in cognition and emotion regulation after intervention. Understanding the changes in functional brain activity and neural plasticity that underlie these benefits from mindfulness interventions is thus of interest in current neuroimaging research. Previous studies have found functional brain changes during resting and task states to be associated with mindfulness both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, particularly in the executive control, default mode and salience networks. However, limited research has combined information from rest and task to study mindfulness-related functional changes in the brain, particularly in the context of intervention studies with active controls. Recent work has found that the reconfiguration efficiency of brain activity patterns between rest and task states is behaviorally relevant in healthy young adults. Thus, we applied this measure to investigate how mindfulness intervention changed functional reconfiguration between rest and a breath-counting task in elderly participants with self-reported sleep difficulties. Improving on previous longitudinal designs, we compared the intervention effects of a mindfulness-based therapy to an active control (sleep hygiene) intervention. We found that mindfulness intervention improved self-reported mindfulness measures and brain functional reconfiguration efficiency in the executive control, default mode and salience networks, though the brain and behavioral changes were not associated with each other. Our findings suggest that neuroplasticity may be induced through regular mindfulness practice, thus bringing the intrinsic functional configuration in participants' brains closer to a state required for mindful awareness.
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
Cited by 14
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Clinical Practice: A Systematic Review of Neurocognitive Outcomes and Applications for Mental Health and Well-Being. Journal of Clinical Medicine March 3, 2025
- Using mindfulness-based intervention to promote executive function in young children: a multivariable and multiscale sample entropy study. Cerebral Cortex September 3, 2024
- Limited Validity of Breath-Counting as a Measure of Mindfulness in Ruminative Adolescents. Psychophysiology May 1, 2025
- Effectiveness of an Internet-Based, Self-Guided, Short-Term Mindfulness Training (ISSMT) Program for Relieving Depressive Symptoms in the Adult Population in China: Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research February 13, 2025
- Detached self-observation as a developmental catalyst: theoretical insights from dynamical systems thinking, cultural mediation, and contemplative practice. Frontiers in Psychology October 2, 2025
and 9 more in the library
Cites 59
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
and 54 more in the library