Mindfulness & Brain Scans (Hölzel et al. 2011) PDF

Hölzel et al. (2011) Mindfulness & Brain Scans  How Do We Know What We Case studies Know? Brain surgery patients Brain scanning Animals Cats, rats & mice, sea slugs… Rosensweig & CAS E STU DY: Phi Hölzel et al. (2011) Localization of Function: particular...

Hölzel et al. (2011) Mindfulness & Brain Scans  How Do We Know What We Case studies Know? Brain surgery patients Brain scanning Animals Cats, rats & mice, sea slugs… Rosensweig & CAS E STU DY: Phi Hölzel et al. (2011) Localization of Function: particular brain areas are responsible for certain specific activities Mindfulness: increased awareness of self and surroundings; allows a person to be “present in the moment” MR I  Background MRIs detect small structural changes in the concentration of gray matter (cell bodies) over time with different trainings Physical skills (juggling) and cognitive skills (reviewing for exams) Previous studies have compared people who engage in meditation and those who do not & found differences in gray matter  Aim Overcome potential problems of cross-sectional design by using longitudinal design Identify changes in specific brain regions, and the whole brain, by comparing gray matter before and after a mindfulness course  Method Experiment using a longitudinal design Participants will be tested before and after an “intervention” Compared to a control group  Method IV: 8-week mindfulness-based intervention (2.5 hour-long session each week, with full-day session on the 6th week) Body-scan: attention is guided through the whole body Mindful yoga: stretching, slow movements, and breathing (awareness of moment to moment experience) Sitting meditation: focus on breathing that progresses to sounds, sights, tastes, & other  Method 45-minute recording of guided mindfulness exercises as homework to practice daily Compare MRI results between experimental group and control group (did not participate interventions) Independent measures design  Method DV: change in gray matter (MRI scans) Participants also complete Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) before AND after intervention  Procedure Items on FFMQ are all statements with Likert-type scale responses  Sample Recruited from people already taking Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) classes at University of Massachusetts All described themselves as physically and psychologically healthy, not taking any medication Limited experience with meditation classes 25-55 years old Could safely have MRI scan Committed to all sessions and  Sample Experimental Control 8 males, 10 females (but 7 males, 10 females 2 males left after first Average age: 39 years MRI) 12 Caucasian, 2 Asian, 2 Average age: 38 years African American, 1 old Hispanic 13 Caucasian, 1 Asian, 2 No differences in African American, 1 education than multi-ethnic participant experimental group Same eligibility criteria for admission to course as experimental group  Procedure Both groups complete the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) – 39 items that measure… Observing: attending to/noticing internal and external stimuli Describing: mentally labeling observations with words Acting with Awareness: being attentive to current actions rather than responding absentmindedly or automatically Non-Judging: not evaluating sensations, cognitions, or emotions Non-Reactivity: allowing thoughts and feelings to drift in and out  Procedure Participants in both groups (experimental & control) had MRI scans on 2 separate occasions Experimental: 2 week before and 2 weeks after 8-week course (average gap of 56 days) Control group: average gap of 66 days MRIs focused on Regions of  Results: Experimental Average of 22.6 hours on mindfulness homework;Group approximately 27 min/day Significantly increased mindfulness scores on 3 subscales of FFMQ when compared to control “Regions of Interest” Changes to gray matter of the left hippocampus were detected in the experimental  Results: “Whole brain analysis” Experimental Group 4 clusters in the brain were found to have significantly increased gray matter Posterior cingulate cortex, left temporo- parietal junction, and two parts of the cerebellum No parts of the brain showed significant decrease in gray matter But small reductions were  Results: Experimental Temporal & Parietal Lobes Group play a part in processing and understanding internal and external stimuli Cerebellum plays a role in emotion regulation and recognition (discrimination between stimuli) TPJ and posterior cingulate cortex (along with prefrontal cortex) are related to thinking about and planning for  Conclusion Participation in an 8-week period of mindfulness practice result in changes in the left hippocampus Suggest learning experiences can change the hippocampal grey matter Participation in mindfulness courses increases gray matter in the temporo-parietal junction, posterior cingulate cortex, and cerebellum  Strengths & Longitudinal allows time for intervention to have an effect Weaknesses Control group comparison – changes not just due to passage of time MRI: quantitative data, objective data, no demand characteristics But… doesn’t necessarily show changes in thoughts and emotions Absence of correlations between increases in gray matter and amount of homework completed or changes in FFMQ scores Suggests number of minutes of mindfulness is not  Ethical Eliminated risk of harm (no one with metal plates or Considerations claustrophobia) But… ALL participants were experiencing stress, but control group was forced to wait (failure to protect from harm) Right to withdraw (two dudes dropped) Approved by University of Massachusetts IRB, all participants gave written consent, and received a discount on MBSR course fee Things to Think About… For Life: MBSR does seem to have an effect on mindfulness Consider mindfulness practices to help regulate emotions and cognition TPJ impairments often result in out-of-body experiences, so mindfulness may help with/reduce For Psychological Debates: this is a nice blend of nature (biological structures of the brain and ability to grow/change) and nurture (experience of