State and Training Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Brain Networks Reflect Neuronal Mechanisms of Its Antidepressant Effect

Forty days of mindfulness meditation training in 13 novice meditators altered functional connectivity in brain networks linked to self-referential thought and emotion regulation. During meditation, internal consistency increased in the precuneus and temporoparietal junction but decreased in frontal regions, and connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula was reduced. After training, resting-state connectivity between the pregenual anterior cingulate and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex decreased. Participants also reported significantly reduced depression and anxiety scores. These results suggest that meditation may produce antidepressant effects through neuroplastic changes in brain networks underlying affective disorders.

Study at a glance

Abstract

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.