The structure of mindful brain.
Hiroki Murakami, Takashi Nakao, Masahiro Matsunaga, Yukinori Kasuya, Jun Shinoda, Jitsuhiro Yamada, Hideki Ohira
PLoS One 2012 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046377 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional neuroimaging study using voxel-based morphometry Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Measures | Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) |
| Key findings | The describing facet of mindfulness, as measured by the FFMQ, was positively associated with gray matter volume in the right anterior insula and right amygdala. The authors conclude that mindfulness was related to development in parts of the somatic marker circuit of the brain. |
Abstract
Mindfulness is currently attracting a great deal of attention as a psychotherapy technique. It is defined as bringing one's complete attention to the experiences occurring in the present moment in a nonjudgmental or accepting way. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) was developed to assess individual differences in mindfulness states. The FFMQ is composed of five facets representing elements of mindfulness: non-reactivity to inner experience, non-judging, acting with awareness, describing, and observing. In the present study, we applied voxel-based morphometry to investigate the relationship between the brain structure and each facet as measured by the FFMQ. The results showed a positive association between the describing facet of mindfulness on the FFMQ and gray matter volume in the right anterior insula and the right amygdala. In conclusion, mindfulness was related with development in parts of the somatic marker circuit of the brain.
Citations in the library
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- Meditation reduces pain-related neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, secondary somatosensory cortex, and thalamus Frontiers in Psychology December 16, 2014
- A distinction between two instruments measuring dispositional mindfulness and the correlations between those measurements and the neuroanatomical structure Scientific Reports July 18, 2017
- Mindfulness in the focus of the neurosciences - The contribution of neuroimaging to the understanding of mindfulness. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience October 17, 2022
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Cites 10
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