Mindfulness meditation training for 40 days significantly altered brain network functional connectivity and reduced depression and anxiety scores in novices.
Observational (n=13)
Does mindfulness meditation training alter brain network connectivity and improve depression/anxiety scores in novices?
Mindfulness meditation training induces plasticity-related brain network changes that may underlie its therapeutic effects on affective disorders like depression.
The topic of investigating how mindfulness meditation training can have antidepressant effects via plastic changes in both resting state and meditation state brain activity is important in the rapidly emerging field of neuroplasticity. In the present study, we used a longitudinal design investigating resting state fMRI both before and after 40 days of meditation training in 13 novices. After training, we compared differences in network connectivity between rest and meditation using common resting state functional connectivity methods. Interregional methods were paired with local measures such as Regional Homogeneity. As expected, significant differences in functional connectivity both between states (rest versus meditation) and between time points (before versus after training) were observed. During meditation, the internal consistency in the precuneus and the temporoparietal junction increased, while the internal consistency of frontal brain regions decreased. A follow-up analysis of regional connectivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex further revealed reduced connectivity with anterior insula during meditation. After meditation training, reduced resting state functional connectivity between the pregenual anterior cingulate and dorsal medical prefrontal cortex was observed. Most importantly, significantly reduced depression/anxiety scores were observed after training. Hence, these findings suggest that mindfulness meditation might be of therapeutic use by inducing plasticity related network changes altering the neuronal basis of affective disorders such as depression.
Yang et al. (2016) reported an observational. Mindfulness meditation training vs. Before training (baseline) and resting state was evaluated on Network connectivity differences and depression/anxiety scores. Mindfulness meditation training for 40 days significantly altered brain network functional connectivity and reduced depression and anxiety scores in novices.
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