Mindfulness-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: a review of the treatment literature and neurobiological evidence.
Jenna E Boyd, Ruth A. Lanius, Margaret C Mckinnon
Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience October 2, 2017 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.170021 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Scoping review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based stress reduction mindfulness-based cognitive therapy metta mindfulness |
| Topics | Meditation PTSD |
| Keywords | Brain Humans Stress disorders, post-traumatic |
| Key findings | The review reports that mindfulness-based treatments for PTSD show low attrition and medium to large effect sizes, and the authors argue these interventions may target emotional under- and overmodulation and help restore connectivity among large-scale brain networks, including the default mode network and the central executive and salience networks. They call for further identification of neurobiological mechanisms and direct comparison with first-line PTSD treatments. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have emerged as promising adjunctive or alternative intervention approaches. A scoping review of the literature on PTSD treatment studies, including approaches such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and metta mindfulness, reveals low attrition with medium to large effect sizes. We review the convergence between neurobiological models of PTSD and neuroimaging findings in the mindfulness literature, where mindfulness interventions may target emotional under- and overmodulation, both of which are critical features of PTSD symptomatology. Recent emerging work indicates that mindfulness-based treatments may also be effective in restoring connectivity between large-scale brain networks among individuals with PTSD, including connectivity between the default mode network and the central executive and salience networks. Future directions, including further identification of the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness interventions in patients with PTSD and direct comparison of these interventions to first-line treatments for PTSD are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelic Psychiatry's Brave New World. | 2020 | Review | |
| Reviewing the Potential of Psychedelics for the Treatment of PTSD | 2020 | Review | |
| Novel psychopharmacological therapies for psychiatric disorders: psilocybin and MDMA. | 2016 | Review | |
| MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD: Are memory reconsolidation and fear extinction underlying mechanisms? | 2018 | Review | |
| Clinical applications of hallucinogens: A review. | 2016 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 89
- Resting-state fMRI functional connectivity and mindfulness in clinical and non-clinical contexts: A review and synthesis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews February 22, 2022
- Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A State-of-the-art Review. Current Neuropharmacology 2024
- The sense of self in the aftermath of trauma: lessons from the default mode network in posttraumatic stress disorder European Journal of Psychotraumatology October 23, 2020
- Mindfulness meditation increases default mode, salience, and central executive network connectivity Scientific Reports August 2, 2022
- The Psychedelic Future of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Current Neuropharmacology January 5, 2024
and 84 more in the library
Cites 49
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and 44 more in the library