Reducing default mode network connectivity with mindfulness-based fMRI neurofeedback: a pilot study among adolescents with affective disorder history

Figures

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  Fig. 1. Mindfulness-based neurofeedback (mbNF). During mbNF, participants were instructed to practice mindfulness to move the white dot on the screen up into the red circle. The movement of the white dot was dependent on a real-time analysis of the fMRI data that computed the difference in personalized DMN and CEN activations. When DMN activation is lower than CEN activation, the white dot moves up; when DMN activation is higher than CEN activation, the white dot moves down.

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  Fig. 2. Higher DMN functional connectivity was associated with more severe depression symptoms at baseline. A We used a 8 mm spherical seed in the sgACC [57]. B Functional connectivity between the sgACC seed and the MPFC positively correlated with symptom severity. Higher MFQ score indicates higher severity. Arrow indicates the peak of the MPFC cluster that survived p < 0.001 (uncorrected). Figure is displayed at p < 0.05 (uncorrected) and the color bar range reflects minimum and maximum t values in the connectivity map. C Scatterplot illustrates the correlation between baseline MFQ and baseline sgACC-MPFC functional connectivity (computed using an averaged timecourse across all voxels in the significant MPFC cluster). All participants had a lifetime history of MDD and/or anxiety. Patients with current diagnoses are labeled with a diamond for having comorbid anxiety and depression (“MDD + anx”) and a triangle for having anxiety only (“anx”). Participants with previous diagnoses only are shown as circles.

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  Fig. 3. One session of mbNF reduced DMN functional connectivity. A A t-test revealed that after mbNF, there was reduced connectivity between sgACC seed and midline DMN regions. Arrows indicate peaks in MPFC and PCC that survived qFDR < 0.05. Pre and post connectivity maps are displayed at p < 0.001 (uncorrected). Post vs. pre contrast map is displayed at p < 0.05 (uncorrected). Color bar ranges reflect minimum and maximum t values in the maps. B Reduced sgACC-MPFC connectivity was found in all participants. Each bar represents the change in functional connectivity strength in a participant. All participants had a lifetime history of MDD and/or anxiety. Patients with current diagnoses are labeled with a diamond for having comorbid anxiety and depression (“MDD + anx”) and a triangle for having anxiety only (“anx”). C Reduced sgACC-MPFC connectivity (computed using an averaged timecourse across all voxels in the significant MPFC cluster) was associated with better neurofeedback performance. Participants with previous diagnoses only are shown as circles in the scatterplot.

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  Fig. 4. One session of mbNF induced state mindfulness change. A Higher increase in state mindfulness after mbNF was associated with more decrease in sgACC-MPFC functional connectivity (computed using an averaged timecourse across all voxels in the significant MPFC cluster from Fig. 3A). All participants had a lifetime history of MDD and/or anxiety. Patients with current diagnoses are labeled with a diamond for having comorbid anxiety and depression (“MDD + anx”) and a triangle for having anxiety only (“anx”). Participants with previous diagnoses only are shown as circles. B Reduction in sgACC-MPFC connectivity fully mediated the association between better neurofeedback performance and increase in state mindfulness. Arrows indicate paths and path values indicate standardized beta weights. The upper panel shows the total effect (unmediated path c, total effect) from neurofeedback performance to state mindfulness change. In the lower panel, the effect of neurofeedback performance on state mindfulness change is fully mediated by the change in sgACC-MPFC functional connectivity. The direct effect of neurofeedback performance to state mindfulness change is indicated by path c’ and the indirect…