Common and Dissociable Neural Activity After Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Relaxation Response Programs
Gunes Sevinc, Britta K. Hölzel, Javeria A. Hashmi, Jonathan Greenberg, Adrienne McCallister, Michael T. Treadway, Marissa Schneider, Jeffery A. Dusek, James Carmody, Sara W. Lazar
Psychosomatic Medicine April 11, 2018 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000590 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 34 |
| Population | Adults participating in stress reduction programs |
| Intervention | Relaxation Response program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness-based stress reduction Rumination Insula Ventromedial prefrontal cortex Relaxation psychology Supplementary motor area Audiology Clinical psychology Cognition |
| Citations | 65 |
| Key findings | Both RR and MBSR reduced stress, but MBSR uniquely improved self-compassion and rumination and showed distinct neural connectivity patterns involving the right anterior insula. |
Abstract
Objective: We investigated common and dissociable neural and psychological correlates of two widely used meditation-based stress reduction programs.
Methods: Participants were randomized to the Relaxation Response (RR; n = 18; 56% female) or the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR; n = 16; 56% female) programs. Both programs use a "bodyscan" meditation; however, the RR program explicitly emphasizes physical relaxation during this practice, whereas the MBSR program emphasizes mindful awareness with no explicit relaxation instructions. After the programs, neural activity during the respective meditation was investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Results: Both programs were associated with reduced stress (for RR, from 14.1 ± 6.6 to 11.3 ± 5.5 [Cohen's d = 0.50; for MBSR, from 17.7 ± 5.7 to 11.9 ± 5.0 [Cohen's d = 1.02]). Conjunction analyses revealed functional coupling between ventromedial prefrontal regions and supplementary motor areas (p < .001). The disjunction analysis indicated that the RR bodyscan was associated with stronger functional connectivity of the right inferior frontal gyrus-an important hub of intentional inhibition and control-with supplementary motor areas (p < .001, family-wise error [FWE] rate corrected). The MBSR program was uniquely associated with improvements in self-compassion and rumination, and the within-group analysis of MBSR bodyscan revealed significant functional connectivity of the right anterior insula-an important hub of sensory awareness and salience-with pregenual anterior cingulate during bodyscan meditation compared with rest (p = .03, FWE corrected).
Conclusions: The bodyscan exercises in each program were associated with both overlapping and differential functional coupling patterns, which were consistent with each program's theoretical foundation. These results may have implications for the differential effects of these programs for the treatment of diverse conditions.
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
Cited by 21
- What Has Neuroimaging Taught Us on the Neurobiology of Yoga? A Review Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience July 8, 2020
- Mindfulness-based therapy improves brain functional network reconfiguration efficiency Translational Psychiatry November 11, 2023
- Interoceptive awareness: MBSR training alters information processing of salience network Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience March 21, 2023
- Functional Connectivity of Prefrontal Cortex in Various Meditation Techniques – A Mini-Review International Journal of Yoga September 1, 2022
- Interpretability of Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the Brain Processes Followed by Mindfulness Intervention in a Brain-Inspired Spiking Neural Network Architecture Sensors December 21, 2020
and 16 more in the library
Cites 32
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Professionals: Results From a Randomized Trial. International Journal of Stress Management May 1, 2005
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 27 more in the library