Do mindfulness-based interventions change brain function in people with substance dependence? A systematic review of the fMRI evidence.
Valentina Lorenzetti, Alexandra Gaillard, Emillie Beyer, Magdalena Kowalczyk, Sunjeev K. Kamboj, Victoria Manning, John F Gleeson
BMC Psychiatry June 7, 2023 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-04789-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | People with substance use disorders, primarily tobacco use (6 of 7 studies) and opioid use (1 study) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Addiction Meditation |
| Keywords | Brain Humans Substance-related disorders Magnetic resonance imaging Behavior, addictive Mindfulness-based intervention mbi |
| Key findings | Across seven fMRI studies, mindfulness-based interventions for substance use disorders were associated with functional changes in brain pathways implicated in mindfulness and addiction, including the anterior cingulate cortex and striatum. These changes correlated with greater mindfulness and lower craving and drug quantity. The authors state the evidence is currently limited and more fMRI studies are needed. |
Abstract
Abstract:
Background: Substance use disorders (SUDs) affect ~ 35 million people globally and are associated with strong cravings, stress, and brain alterations. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can mitigate the adverse psychosocial outcomes of SUDs, but the underlying neurobiology is unclear. Emerging findings were systematically synthesised from fMRI studies about MBI-associated changes in brain function in SUDs and their associations with mindfulness, drug quantity, and craving.
Methods: PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched. Seven studies met inclusion criteria.
Results: Group by time effects indicated that MBIs in SUDs (6 tobacco and 1 opioid) were associated with changes in the function of brain pathways implicated in mindfulness and addiction (e.g., anterior cingulate cortex and striatum), which correlated with greater mindfulness, lower craving and drug quantity.
Conclusions: The evidence for fMRI-related changes with MBI in SUD is currently limited. More fMRI studies are required to identify how MBIs mitigate and facilitate recovery from aberrant brain functioning in SUDs.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketamine use: a review Ketamine users | 2011 | Systematic review | |
| Mindfulness Meditation for Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review Individuals with substance use disorders | 2009 | Systematic review | |
| Mindfulness-Based Interventions for the Treatment of Substance and Behavioral Addictions: A Systematic Review | 2018 | Systematic review | |
| Ketamine for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders: comprehensive systematic review | 2021 | Systematic review | |
| Therapeutic Use of LSD in Psychiatry: A Systematic Review of Randomized-Controlled Clinical Trials Patients with psychiatric disorders, primarily alcoholism | 2020 | Systematic review | n = 567 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Be more mindful: Targeting addictive responses by integrating mindfulness with cognitive bias modification or cue exposure interventions Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews September 25, 2023
- The Neurocircuitry of Substance Use Disorder, Treatment, and Change: A Resource for Clinical Psychiatrists American Journal of Psychiatry October 9, 2024
- Using mindfulness-based intervention to promote executive function in young children: a multivariable and multiscale sample entropy study. Cerebral Cortex September 3, 2024
- ENIGMA-Meditation: Worldwide Consortium for Neuroscientific Investigations of Meditation Practices. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging April 1, 2025
- Efficacy of Mindfulness Meditation on Patients With Stroke With Concurrent Coronary Heart Disease: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 2024
and 4 more in the library
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