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Li J, Kuang S, Liu Y, Wu Y, Li H. Structural and functional brain alterations in subthreshold depression: A multimodal coordinate-based meta-analysis. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26702. [PMID: 38726998 PMCID: PMC11083971 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Imaging studies of subthreshold depression (StD) have reported structural and functional abnormalities in a variety of spatially diverse brain regions. However, there is no consensus among different studies. In the present study, we applied a multimodal meta-analytic approach, the Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE), to test the hypothesis that StD exhibits spatially convergent structural and functional brain abnormalities compared to healthy controls. A total of 31 articles with 25 experiments were included, collectively representing 1001 subjects with StD. We found consistent differences between StD and healthy controls mainly in the left insula across studies with various neuroimaging methods. Further exploratory analyses found structural atrophy and decreased functional activities in the right pallidum and thalamus in StD, and abnormal spontaneous activity converged to the middle frontal gyrus. Coordinate-based meta-analysis found spatially convergent structural and functional impairments in StD. These findings provide novel insights for understanding the neural underpinnings of subthreshold depression and enlighten the potential targets for its early screening and therapeutic interventions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Li
- School of PsychologyShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of EducationShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Shunrong Kuang
- School of PsychologyShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of EducationShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Yang Liu
- School of PsychologyShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Yuedong Wu
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of EducationShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Haijiang Li
- School of PsychologyShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- Lab for Educational Big Data and Policymaking, Ministry of EducationShanghai Normal UniversityShanghaiChina
- The Research Base of Online Education for Shanghai Middle and Primary SchoolsShanghaiChina
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Siew S, Yu J. Mindfulness-based randomized controlled trials led to brain structural changes: an anatomical likelihood meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18469. [PMID: 37891243 PMCID: PMC10611804 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45765-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mindfulness has become increasingly popular and the practice presents in many different forms. Research has been growing extensively with benefits shown across various outcomes. However, there is a lack of consensus over the efficacy of randomized controlled mindfulness interventions, both traditional and mind-body formats. This study aimed to investigate the structural brain changes in mindfulness-based interventions through a meta-analysis. Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were searched up to April 2023. 11 studies (n = 581) assessing whole-brain voxel-based grey matter or cortical thickness changes after a mindfulness RCT were included. Anatomical likelihood estimation was used to carry out voxel-based meta-analysis with leave-one-out sensitivity analysis and behavioural analysis as follow-ups. One significant cluster (p < 0.001, Z = 4.76, cluster size = 632 mm3) emerged in the right insula and precentral gyrus region (MNI = 48, 10, 4) for structural volume increases in intervention group compared to controls. Behavioural analysis revealed that the cluster was associated with mental processes of attention and somesthesis (pain). Mindfulness interventions have the ability to affect neural plasticity in areas associated with better pain modulation and increased sustained attention. This further cements the long-term benefits and neuropsychological basis of mindfulness-based interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah Siew
- Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Junhong Yu
- Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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Ngan STJ, Cheng PWC. Classification of Mindfulness Meditation and Its Impact on Neural Measures in the Clinical Population. Front Psychol 2022; 13:891004. [PMID: 35756322 PMCID: PMC9226608 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.891004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Different forms of mindfulness meditation are increasingly integrated in the clinical practice in the last three decades. Previous studies have identified changes in the neurophysiology and neurochemistry of the brain resulting from different mindfulness meditation practices in the general population. However, research on neural correlates of different types of meditation, particularly on the clinical outcomes, is still very sparse. Therefore, the aim of this article is to review the neural impact of mindfulness meditation interventions on different mental disorders via the classification of main components of mindfulness meditation. The clearer classification of mindfulness meditation may inform future clinical practice and research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sze Ting Joanna Ngan
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Pak Wing Calvin Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Phan-Le NT, Brennan L, Parker L. The search for scientific meaning in mindfulness research: Insights from a scoping review. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264924. [PMID: 35507587 PMCID: PMC9067662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There are on-going debates about what is and is not 'mindfulness'. These debates are stifling rigorous academic research as scientific precision is a precursor to shared meaning. While mindfulness is a growing field of research, these divergent and conflated meanings are limiting deeper interdisciplinary research. Interventions designed in one practice context may not be useful in other contexts because meaning is not transferred between settings. This review clarifies the various research domains that study mindfulness and the conceptual and operational definitions in each domain. This two-stage study comprises a scoping review of mindfulness classifications and a comparative content mapping of mindfulness studies from 2015 to 2021. The initial comprehensive search strategy followed the preferred reporting items for scoping reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) method. The comparative analysis was conducted using Leximancer. Findings illustrate a complex growing research corpus on mindfulness that is somewhat confused. The results from the scoping review show three shared domains in mindfulness classifications: short-term effects of mindfulness, long-term effects of mindfulness, and mindfulness practices. The results from the content mapping show four domains of mindfulness research: mental health, behavioural change, cognitive neuroscience, and ethical mindfulness. Operational definitions of mindfulness are not articulated clearly in these domains. Conceptual and operational definitions in the 'ethical mindfulness' domain are not yet developed. To enhance scientific progress in mindfulness research, further investigations of mindfulness classifications need to be developed. Content mapping and semantic typology is a potential candidate for future classification. More attention should be paid to developing operational definitions according to specific research domains. Scholars in the ethical mindfulness domain will need solid conceptual and operational definitions to support their research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhat Tram Phan-Le
- School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Linda Brennan
- School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Lukas Parker
- School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
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Calvetti D, Johnson B, Pascarella A, Pitolli F, Somersalo E, Vantaggi B. Mining the Mind: Linear Discriminant Analysis of MEG Source Reconstruction Time Series Supports Dynamic Changes in Deep Brain Regions During Meditation Sessions. Brain Topogr 2021; 34:840-862. [PMID: 34652578 PMCID: PMC8556220 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-021-00874-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Meditation practices have been claimed to have a positive effect on the regulation of mood and emotions for quite some time by practitioners, and in recent times there has been a sustained effort to provide a more precise description of the influence of meditation on the human brain. Longitudinal studies have reported morphological changes in cortical thickness and volume in selected brain regions due to meditation practice, which is interpreted as an evidence its effectiveness beyond the subjective self reporting. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG) or electroencephalography to quantify the changes in brain activity during meditation practice represents a challenge, as no clear hypothesis about the spatial or temporal pattern of such changes is available to date. In this article we consider MEG data collected during meditation sessions of experienced Buddhist monks practicing focused attention (Samatha) and open monitoring (Vipassana) meditation, contrasted by resting state with eyes closed. The MEG data are first mapped to time series of brain activity averaged over brain regions corresponding to a standard Destrieux brain atlas. Next, by bootstrapping and spectral analysis, the data are mapped to matrices representing random samples of power spectral densities in [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] frequency bands. We use linear discriminant analysis to demonstrate that the samples corresponding to different meditative or resting states contain enough fingerprints of the brain state to allow a separation between different states, and we identify the brain regions that appear to contribute to the separation. Our findings suggest that the cingulate cortex, insular cortex and some of the internal structures, most notably the accumbens, the caudate and the putamen nuclei, the thalamus and the amygdalae stand out as separating regions, which seems to correlate well with earlier findings based on longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Calvetti
- Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Brian Johnson
- Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Annalisa Pascarella
- Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo "Mauro Picone" - CNR, Via dei Taurini 19, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Pitolli
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via Scarpa 16, 00161, Rome, Italy.
| | - Erkki Somersalo
- Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Barbara Vantaggi
- Department MEMOTEF, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Via del Castro Laurenziano 9, 00161, Rome, Italy
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Rich BW, Stager SL. Mindful BALANCE (breathe act learn about 'now' care everyday): A pilot project for depressed female adolescents. JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC NURSING 2021; 34:125-132. [PMID: 33616309 DOI: 10.1111/jcap.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PROBLEM Major depressive episodes in adolescent females have increased during the past decade, placing them at risk to engage in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, unsafe thoughts, suicidal ideation, and lethal actions. Mindfulness, a tool for stress management, is underutilized. METHODS Mindful BALANCE (Breathe Act Learn About 'Now' Care Everyday), a group therapy pilot program introduced a variety of mindfulness activities. The extended mindfulness followed the Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment (COPE), a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills Building (CBSB) Healthy Lifestyle program. The pilot program was offered in an outpatient mental health department for 7 weeks. FINDINGS Mindful BALANCE is a feasible program as an adjunct to individualized psychotherapy. Six subjects engaged without absence with a completion rate of 83%. Six subjects had pre- and post-scores for depression and anxiety decrease. Mindfulness practice was reported to decrease the perception of stress. CONCLUSION Mindful BALANCE decreased perceived depression and anxiety symptoms while positively impacting healthy activities in adolescent females. Further research is necessary to readdress feasibility and extended mindfulness components in improving global well-being and diminishing suicide risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly Waldman Rich
- Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Rhode Island College, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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Mrazek AJ, Mrazek MD, Maul A, Mrazek KL, Schooler JW. Taking charge: Characterizing the rapid development of self-regulation through intensive training. J Health Psychol 2020; 26:2304-2319. [PMID: 32175776 DOI: 10.1177/1359105320909856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-regulation is widely considered as a relatively stable trait, and the extent to which it can be improved through training is unknown. This randomized controlled investigation found dramatic and enduring increases in self-regulation among college students, as measured by experience sampling, nightly journaling, and questionnaires. Participants encountered stable levels of temptations throughout the intervention but became better at resisting them over time. Increases in self-regulation were accompanied by improvements across a diversity of additional outcomes like mood, stress, focus, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and life satisfaction. Collectively, this points to higher levels of plasticity in self-regulation and wellbeing than is widely assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrew Maul
- University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
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Zhao XR, Chen ZF, Kang CY, Liu RX, Bai JY, Cao YP, Cheng YQ, Xu XF, Zhang YL. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is associated with distinct resting-state neural patterns in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. Asia Pac Psychiatry 2019; 11:e12368. [PMID: 31353828 DOI: 10.1111/appy.12368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) may be effective for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); however, the neural mechanism is poorly understood. In this study, we examined the potential neural mechanisms through which MBCT may reduce anxiety in patients with mild-to-moderate GAD. METHODS Eight weekly group MBCT sessions (2 h each) were conducted with 32 GAD patients. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used, along with clinical and mindfulness profiles. A regional homogeneity (ReHo) approach was applied, and resting-state functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) using the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) seed was examined. RESULTS MBCT reduced the anxiety and increased the mindfulness abilities of patients. After MBCT, patients had reduced ReHo in broad regions of the limbic system, along with increased DMN functional connectivity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and bilateral insula. Overlapping regions of reduced ReHo and increased DMN functional connectivity were observed in the mid-cingulate cortex (MCC) and bilateral insula. The increased PCC-ACC and PCC-insula functional connectivity following MBCT were related to anxiety improvements, suggesting a potential therapeutic mechanism for mindfulness-based therapies. DISCUSSION Group MBCT treatment appears to have effectively reduced anxiety symptoms in patients with mild-to-moderate GAD. Activation and functional connectivity appeared significantly different across some limbic regions after MBCT treatment. The salience network showed reduced ReHo and increased connectivity to the PCC. The DMN functional connectivity of the MCC may indicate reduced anxiety and improved mindfulness in GAD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing-Rong Zhao
- Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.,Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhuang-Fei Chen
- Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chuan-Yuan Kang
- Department of Clinical Psychology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui-Xiang Liu
- Department of Clinical Psychology, The Second People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Jun-Yun Bai
- Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yu-Ping Cao
- Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yu-Qi Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiu-Feng Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ya-Lin Zhang
- Mental Health Institute, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Crescentini C, Fabbro F, Tomasino B. Editorial Special Topic: Enhancing Brain and Cognition Through Meditation. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s41465-017-0033-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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