BMC psychiatry
October 17, 2023
Paul A Bloom, David Pagliaccio, Jiahe Zhang et al.
17 citations
Adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) may benefit from a non-invasive technique that combines mindfulness with real-time fMRI neurofeedback (mbNF) to reduce activity in the default mode network (DMN), a brain network linked to rumination. In a planned trial, 90 adolescents aged 13–18 with MDD will be randomly assigned to receive either 15 or 30 minutes of mbNF. During the procedure, participants practice mindfulness while a ball on a screen moves based on their brain activity, targeting the frontoparietal network relative to the DMN. The study will test whether mbNF reduces functional connectivity within the DMN and whether longer dosing produces greater effects, with secondary outcomes including changes in depressive symptoms and rumination.
Journal of medical Internet research
April 17, 2025
Isaac Treves, Zia Bajwa, Keara D Greene et al.
8 citations
Consumer-grade neurofeedback devices used during meditation produce a modest reduction in psychological distress compared to control conditions, but no improvements in cognition, mindfulness, or physiological health. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 randomized studies (763 participants in training trials, 167 in within-participant designs) found a small effect for distress reduction (g=-0.16) but no evidence that the devices help users modulate brain targets or deepen meditation. Most studies used the Muse device and mindfulness apps as controls. The authors suggest observed benefits may stem from placebo effects (neurosuggestion) rather than genuine neurofeedback. Adverse effects were rarely assessed.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
September 15, 2024
Isaac N Treves, Keara D Greene, Zia Bajwa et al.
7 citations
preprint
A systematic review of EEG and fMRI studies combining mindfulness meditation with neurofeedback found that fMRI studies primarily aimed to downregulate the default-mode network (DMN). Although decreases in DMN activations were observed during neurofeedback, there is a lack of evidence for transfer effects, and most studies lacked adequate controls such as sham neurofeedback, so DMN decreases may be confounded by general task-related deactivation. EEG studies most robustly supported modulation of theta band activity. Both EEG and fMRI mindfulness-based neurofeedback have been implemented with high fidelity in clinical populations, but mental health benefits have not been established. The review recommends sham-controlled RCTs and clear reporting using CRED-NF guidelines.