AS Psych: Hölzel (mindfulness and brain scans)
Psychology Being Investigated
1. Localization of function refers to the way that particular areas of the brain are responsible for different activities
– e.g. hippocampus is responsible for memory and emotion regulation
2. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) allows detailed images of living brains
– Participant’s (P) head placed in a strong magnetic field from scanner
– The brain’s protons line up, magnets are turned off, and the scanner detects energy released as protons go back to their original positions
3. Mindfulness is a state achieved through meditation that aims to increase awareness of the present-moment experience and enable a person to look at themselves in a compassionate, non-judgemental way
Background
– Mindfulness involves thinking and sensations, and this information is processed by the brain
– It is possible to study what parts of brain involved in changes in attention and thinking associated with mindless
– MRI detects small structural changes in the concentration of grey matter over time
– Past studies have shown a high activity in the hippocampus when participants (P) meditated in a fMRI scanner (shows blood flow)
Longitudinal studies
– Compared individuals who engage in different kinds of meditation (including mindfulness) than those who don’t
– Found difference in grey matter in various brain areas associated with meditation
– However, these were cross-sectional (i.e. they compared those who meditated and those who do not) → any differences in grey matter may have been due to pre-existing differences (conclusion misleading)
Aims
1. To identify changes in specific brain regions, and the whole brain, by comparing grey matter concentration before and after a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course.
Method
Research method: Longitudinal study + experiment
Research design: Independent measures (comparison of MRI results from MBSR group vs control) + Repeated Measures (MBSR group before and after brain scans)
IV: exposure to 8 week MBSR course
DV: change in grey matter/change in mindfulness + FFMQ scores
Sampling technique: Opportunity
Sample
Overall
– 22-55y
– Recruited from people already enrolled in MBSR course at University of Massachusetts
– Enrolled to help with stress reduction (doctor or self-referred)
– Safe to have MRI scan (no metal in their body, no claustrophobia)
– P had limited meditation experience (0 in 6 months, ≤4 in 5 years, ≤10 in lifetime)
– P received a discounted course fee
Experimental Group
– 18 P
– 8 male, 10 female
– Mean 37.8 years old
– 2 male left after the first MRI due to discomfort
– Final: 6 male, 10 female
– 13 Caucasians, 1 Asian, 1 African American, 1 mixed ethnicity
Control Group
– 17 P
– 11 male, 6 female
– Mean 39 years
– 13 Caucasians, 2 Asians, 2 African American, 1 Hispanic
Procedure
Before MBSR sessions
– MRI scans taken 2 weeks before the first session
– 3D digital models of the brain were created
– FFMQ administered to P
8 week program
– MBSR group underwent the 8 week course
– 8 weekly group meetings (2.5 hours each) + 1 full day session (6.5h) during week 6
– Trained in mindfulness exercises intended to develop full awareness of present-moment experiences and compassionate non-judgemental view
1) “Body scan”: attention is guided in a sequence through the whole body, ending with awareness of the body “as a complete whole”
2) “Mindful yoga”: gentle stretching, slow movements, breathing exercises, meant to increase awareness of the moment-to-moment experience
3) “Sitting meditation”: focuses on breathing sensation, progress to sounds, sight, taste, thoughts, and emotions
– P given 45 min recording, instructed to practice daily at home
– P noted how long they spent on the homework
After MBSR sessions
– MRI scans taken again for P in both experimental and MBSR group → data used to produce “regions of interest” analysis (hippocampus and insulae) + whole brain analysis
– FFMQ administered again to P in both experimental and MBSR group
Results
– MBSR group spent a total average of 22.6 hours of MBSR exercises
– Mean 27 minutes a day of mindfulness exercises
FFMQ scores
– MBSR group showed improvements in “acting with awareness” “non-judging” and “observing” after MBSR training
– No improvements in “describing” or “non-reacting” subscales
MRI
– MBSR group showed significant grey matter increase in the left hippocampus, PCC, TJP, and cerebellum
– No significant difference in grey matter concentration of the insula
– No correlation between time spent on mindfulness exercises and grey matter concentration
Conclusion
1. Participating in a MBSR course increases grey matter concentration in the brain, specifically in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), left temporoparietal junction (TJP), left hippocampus, and cerebellum
2. This aids processes such as memory, emotion and cognition, perspective-taking, leading to improved overall well-being
Ethical Issues
Protection from Harm – P in the “waitlist group” (control group) had to wait for at least 8 weeks before they received assistance for the stress they were experiencing
✔ IRBs of Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Massachusetts Medical School approved this experiment
✔ Protection from Harm – it was ensured no P had metal implants to prevent physical harm + no P had claustrophobia to prevent psychological harm
✔ Right to withdraw – 2 P left the study after the first MRI scan as they felt uncomfortable
Application to Daily Life
– In today’s stressful, fast-paced world, MBSR should be integrated into our daily lives (in schools and workplaces particularly) to help stress reduction and improve overall well-being
– The MBSR exercises “body scan,” “mindful yoga,” and “sitting meditation” can be incorporated into our daily lives