Meditation's impact on default mode network and hippocampus in mild cognitive impairment: a pilot study.
Rebecca Erwin Wells, Gloria Y Yeh, Catherine E. Kerr, Jennifer R Wolkin, Roger B Davis, Ying Tan, Rosa Spaeth, Robert B Wall, Jacquelyn N. Walsh, Ted J Kaptchuk, Daniel Z. Press, Russell S Phillips, Jian Kong
Neuroscience Letters November 27, 2013 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.10.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Adults with mild cognitive impairment |
| Intervention | Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Default mode network Meditation |
| Keywords | Adas-cog Alzheimer's disease Bidmc Cdr Clinical dementia rating Hippocampus Mci Mmse Mpfc Mild cognitive impairment Mini-mental status exam Pcc Roi FMRI Medial prefrontal cortex Posterior cingulate cortex Region of interest |
| Key findings | MBSR increased functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and bilateral medial prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus, and showed trends of less bilateral hippocampal volume atrophy compared to usual care. |
Abstract
Those with high baseline stress levels are more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). While meditation may reduce stress and alter the hippocampus and default mode network (DMN), little is known about its impact in these populations. Our objective was to conduct a "proof of concept" trial to determine whether Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) would improve DMN connectivity and reduce hippocampal atrophy among adults with MCI. 14 adults with MCI were randomized to MBSR vs. usual care and underwent resting state fMRI at baseline and follow-up. Seed based functional connectivity was applied using posterior cingulate cortex as seed. Brain morphometry analyses were performed using FreeSurfer. The results showed that after the intervention, MBSR participants had increased functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and bilateral medial prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus compared to controls. In addition, MBSR participants had trends of less bilateral hippocampal volume atrophy than control participants. These preliminary results indicate that in adults with MCI, MBSR may have a positive impact on the regions of the brain most related to MCI and AD. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer-follow-up are needed to further investigate the results from this pilot study.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Healthy volunteers | 2012 | Within-subjects, placebo-controlled, task-free fMRI study | n = 30 |
| The effects of psilocybin and MDMA on between-network resting state functional connectivity in healthy volunteers | 2014 | Placebo-controlled study | |
| Ketamine Decreases Resting State Functional Network Connectivity in Healthy Subjects: Implications for Antidepressant Drug Action Healthy subjects | 2012 | Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover rsfMRI challenge | |
| Antidepressants Normalize the Default Mode Network in Patients With Dysthymia Subjects with dysthymic disorder and healthy control participants aged 18 to 53 years | 2013 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Functional Connectivity Measures After Psilocybin Inform a Novel Hypothesis of Early Psychosis Healthy volunteers | 2012 | Within-subject, placebo-controlled experimental study | n = 15 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 65
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Neuropsychology Review August 4, 2021
- Coupling of respiration and attention via the locus coeruleus: Effects of meditation and pranayama Psychophysiology April 22, 2018
- Meta-analytic evidence that mindfulness training alters resting state default mode network connectivity Scientific Reports July 18, 2022
- Mindfulness in migraine: A narrative review Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics January 14, 2020
and 60 more in the library
Cites 16
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Investigation of mindfulness meditation practitioners with voxel-based morphometry Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience December 3, 2007
- Functional brain mapping of the relaxation response and meditation Neuroreport May 1, 2000
- Effects of Meditation Experience on Functional Connectivity of Distributed Brain Networks Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Impact of meditation training on the default mode network during a restful state Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience March 24, 2012
and 11 more in the library