Distinct Neurochemical Signature of Mindfulness and Progressive Muscle Relaxation in limbic regions: a randomized controlled MR spectroscopy study
Quentin Beaufort, Lucie Angel, Laurent Barantin, Frédéric Andersson, Valérie Gissot, Eva Sizaret, Floriane Le Vilain-Abraham, Wissam El-Hage, Jean-Philippe Cottier
Research Square November 13, 2025 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7722934/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized, pre-post study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Healthy right-handed female speech-language therapy students |
| Interventions | Mindfulness training Progressive muscle relaxation |
| Duration | Six weeks |
| Measures | Short-echo time single-voxel H1-MRS (3T PRESS, TE ≈ 35 ms), structural MRI |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Mindfulness training, but not progressive muscle relaxation, was associated with selective neurochemical changes: increased NAAG and total creatine and reduced glutamine and glycine in the posterior cingulate cortex, plus decreased NAAG in the amygdala. No metabolite changes appeared in the hippocampus or dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and no structural brain changes were detected. The authors propose NAAG modulation as a candidate biomarker of contemplative practice. |
Abstract
Abstract Mindfulness training (MT) and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) are widely used stress-reduction practices, yet their neurochemical specificity remains almost unexplored. In a randomized, pre–post study, 30 healthy right-handed female speech-language therapy students were assigned to six weeks of MT or PMR. Short-echo time single-voxel H 1 -MRS (3T PRESS, TE ≈ 35 ms) and structural MRI were acquired at baseline and post-intervention. Four voxels were placed in the right amygdala, left hippocampus, right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), and right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC); spectra were quantified with standard procedures (Osprey).Relative to baseline, MT produced increased N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG) and total creatine (tCr) in the PCC, accompanied by reductions in glutamine (Gln) and glycine (Gly). In the amygdala, NAAG decreased following MT. No significant metabolite changes were observed in the PMR group, and no effects emerged in the hippocampal or dACC voxels in either group. Whole-brain morphometry showed no detectable structural change over the six-week interval.Overall, these findings indicate that mindfulness—but not PMR—was associated with a selective neurochemical rebalancing at the limbic–default mode network interface, consistent with phenomenological and network-level accounts of mindfulness. NAAG modulation, in particular, may represent a candidate biomarker of contemplative practice.
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 21
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering Psychological Science March 28, 2013
- A mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress in university students (the Mindful Student Study): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial The Lancet Public Health December 18, 2017
- The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Neuropsychology Review August 4, 2021
- Efficacy of 8- and 4-Session Mindfulness-Based Interventions in a Non-clinical Population: A Controlled Study Frontiers in Psychology August 8, 2017
and 16 more in the library