Retraining the addicted brain: a review of hypothesized neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness-based relapse prevention.

Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) may help people with addiction by retraining brain processes underlying craving, automaticity, and stress reactivity. This review synthesizes evidence that MBRP targets key neurobiological mechanisms, including reduced activation in reward-related regions, enhanced prefrontal control over impulses, and decreased stress-induced relapse vulnerability. The authors hypothesize that mindfulness practice strengthens cognitive control and weakens habitual, automatic responses to drug cues. While the review draws on preliminary neuroimaging and behavioral studies, it notes that direct evidence for these mechanisms in MBRP remains limited. The paper outlines a theoretical framework for how mindfulness could counteract addiction-related brain changes, suggesting a promising but not yet fully established pathway for relapse prevention.

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Abstract

Retraining the addicted brain: a review of hypothesized neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness-based relapse prevention.