Changes in the neural correlates of self-blame following mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in remitted depressed participants.
K. Williams, Rebecca Elliott, S. Mckie, Roland Zahn, Thorsten Barnhofer, I. Anderson
Psychiatry research. Neuroimaging July 23, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2020.111152 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Uncontrolled before-and-after study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Adults in remission from major depressive disorder |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) |
| Duration | Before and after MBCT (exact duration not stated) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | MBCT was associated with reduced activation in cortical midline regions during self-blame, which may be mediated by increased self-kindness. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-Based-Cognitive-Therapy (MBCT) reduces vulnerability for relapse into depression by helping individuals to counter tendencies to engage in maladaptive repetitive patterns of thinking and respond more compassionately to negative self-judgment. However, little is known about the neural correlates underlying these effects. To elucidate these correlates, we investigated fMRI brain activation during a task eliciting feelings of blaming oneself or others. Sixteen participants in remission from major depressive disorder (MDD) completed fMRI assessments before and after MBCT, alongside self-reported levels of self-compassion, mindfulness, and depression symptoms. Analyses of self-blame versus other-blame contrasts showed a reduction in activation in the bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate/medial superior frontal gyrus after MBCT compared to baseline. Further, exploratory analyses showed that increases in self-kindness after MBCT correlated with reduced activation in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus in self-blame versus rest contrasts. These findings suggest that MBCT is associated with a reduction in activations in cortical midline regions to self-blame which may be mediated by increasing self-kindness. However, this is a small, uncontrolled study with 16 participants and therefore our results will need confirmation in a controlled study.