How Mindfulness Training May Help to Reduce Vulnerability for Recurrent Depression
Thorsten Barnhofer, Julia M. Huntenburg, Michael Lifshitz, Jennifer Wild, Elena Antonova, Daniel S. Margulies
Clinical Psychological Science October 2, 2015 DOI: 10.1177/2167702615595036 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key findings | The authors argue that altered default-mode-network activity and connectivity represent a fundamental deficit underlying cognitive vulnerability to depression, and that mindfulness meditation may reverse such alterations. They further suggest that mindful emotion regulation has a characteristic neural signature particularly conducive to therapeutic learning, concluding that mindfulness training has unique strengths for addressing neural mechanisms associated with cognitive vulnerabilities for recurrent and chronic depression. |
Abstract
This review investigates how recent neuroimaging findings on vulnerability for depression and the mechanisms of mindfulness may serve to inform and enhance the understanding that is guiding the use of mindfulness training in the prevention and treatment of recurrent and chronic depression. In particular, we review evidence suggesting that alterations in default-mode-network activity and connectivity represent a fundamental deficit underlying cognitive vulnerability for depression and explore the ways in which mindfulness meditation may reverse such alterations. Furthermore, we discuss findings from studies that have investigated the effects of mindfulness on emotion-regulatory capacities. These findings suggest mindful emotion regulation has a characteristic neural signature that is particularly conducive to therapeutic learning. We conclude that training in mindfulness has unique strengths for addressing neural mechanisms associated with cognitive vulnerabilities for recurrent and chronic depression and propose future lines of research to more effectively harness this potential.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synaptic Dysfunction in Depression: Potential Therapeutic Targets | 2012 | Review | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse | 2003 | Review | |
| Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation Adults with treatment-resistant depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Exploring the Effects of Mindfulness on Adolescent Depression-Findings from a Longitudinal Study. Healthcare April 15, 2025
- Coping With COVID-19: Mindfulness-Based Approaches for Mitigating Mental Health Crisis. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2021
- Visual signals suppress Alpha Power Increases & Frequency Decreases before and after a Mindfulness Meditation Intervention for Problem Gambling bioRxiv June 29, 2018
Cites 37
- A default mode of brain function Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 16, 2001
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology March 29, 2012
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
and 32 more in the library