Mindfulness最新文献

Objectives: Meditation has long been known to promote health. We utilized a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the impact of mind-body interventions on the body in a twin cohort during a week-long meditation retreat.

Method: This study was designed to address individual changes controlling for intersubject trait variation and explore the role of genetic background on multi-omic factors during meditation. Transcriptomic analysis was carried out from whole blood samples, while metabolomic and biochemical studies were carried out in blood plasma. Quantitative electroencephalography studies, coupled with biometric analysis and molecular studies at multiple time points, were carried out in twins meditating together and in twins separated and simultaneously either meditating or listening to a documentary.

Results: Changes in gene expression, metabolites, and cytokines in blood plasma associated with specific meditative states showed patterns of change relative to the time point being assessed. Twin sets were similar in multiple domains before the start of the retreat, showed considerable divergence at the mid-point, and looked more similar by the end of the retreat. Twin pairs showed significant spectral power correlations in separate rooms and when only one twin meditated. These similarities were not observed in mismatched twin pairs. Heart rate dynamics assessments showed alignment among twin pairs, absent between unmatched pairs.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this pilot study is novel within the twin research paradigm and is a first step toward exploring the effects of meditation in twins.

Preregistration: This study was not preregistered and was carried out under IRB protocol MED02#20211477.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-025-02584-x.

Objectives: We aimed to quantify the effects of advanced meditation on brain electrical activity during sleep. This investigation addresses the need for objective neurophysiological measures of meditation's potential impact on brain aging and health.

Method: This study was a single-site, prospective cohort study (conducted August 25, 2021, through September 26, 2021) of meditators attending the "Samyama Sadhana" retreat (September 1-5, 2021). Two healthy comparison groups and four comparison groups with varying degrees of age-related brain pathology are included. Using overnight electroencephalography, physiological measures of brain age were derived and subtracted from chronological age, measuring the deviation of apparent brain age from chronological age.

Results: Thirty-four participants completed the study (average age = 38 years; 36% female). Estimated brain age index after adjustment by matching: meditators (n = 34), - 5.9 years (SE = 0.94 years, t-test p < 0.001); Dreem healthy controls (n = 1077), - 0.24 (0.61, p < 0.001); Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) healthy controls (n = 112), 0.55 (0.92, p < 0.05); MGH "no dementia" (n = 7618), 2.4 (0.094, reference cohort for t-test); MGH "symptomatic" (n = 697), 2.0 (0.33, p > 0.05); MGH "mild cognitive impairment (MCI)"(n = 205), 8.8 (2.8, p < 0.05); and MGH "dementia" (n = 153), 10.5 (2.8, p < 0.01).

Conclusions: Long-term meditators exhibit lower brain age relative to matched control groups. This study suggests that advanced meditation enhances brain health.

Preregistration: This study was not preregistered.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-025-02583-y.

Objectives: Nearly one third of adults in the US experience at least one anxiety disorder over the course of their lifetime. Trait mindfulness is associated with fewer symptoms of anxiety. This study examined two such factors from positive psychology that may help to explain this relationship: hope and optimism.

Method: Two-hundred and nine participants completed self-report measures of anxiety symptoms, trait mindfulness, hope, and optimism at two timepoints.

Results: Trait mindfulness was negatively associated with anxiety symptoms at both baseline and follow-up. Bias-corrected bootstrapping mediation indicated that optimism, but not hope, mediated this relationship.

Conclusions: Trait mindfulness may reduce anxiety because it helps to cultivate one's general positive attitude about the future which may challenge the diffuse worry and anticipatory fear that are inherent to anxiety. Future research should seek to further explore how to harness optimism in mindfulness treatments.

Preregistration: This study is not preregistered.

While there exists a large body of research on the possibility of measuring certain aspects of human development, what might be called inner development has mostly been neglected, in particular as it pertains to advanced meditation. A central aspect of this kind of development, which we call meditative development, is associated with access to bliss, peace, wisdom, and the reduction of suffering, which have been regarded as highly desirable or even ultimate aims of human life. The potential for such development is currently being scientifically studied and developmentally mapped. While the use of maps to guide meditation during practice has been criticized, the conceptualization of a transformative process involving a metaphorical death and rebirth, or the dissolution of an old identity and the emergence of a new one, is common across various wisdom traditions. In the meditative traditions, some maps, such as the one described by Mahāsī Sayādaw, describe this process in a way that is both highly detailed and grounded in experience. Here, we propose an outline of the process of metaphorical "death and rebirth" in advanced meditation, which may form a foundation for the scientific investigation of meditative development and support a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.

Objectives: The present study aimed to identify distinct profiles of mindfulness among a sample of university students in the USA who use alcohol and cannabis. Further, we examined whether these mindfulness profiles were indirectly associated with alcohol and cannabis-related outcomes via alcohol and cannabis use motives.

Method: Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to determine the number of latent classes among 771 US university students (75.7% White, 66.8% female) who consumed alcohol and cannabis in the prior month. Additionally, parallel mediation analyses were conducted to determine whether mindfulness profiles were indirectly associated with alcohol- and cannabis-related outcomes via alcohol and cannabis use motives.

Results: LPA indicated a 4-class solution fit optimally. Further, the high mindfulness group was generally the most adaptive (lower scores) across alcohol and cannabis outcomes, whereas the judgmentally observing group was generally the most maladaptive (higher scores). Indirect effect analyses revealed that compared to the low mindfulness group, the high mindfulness group reported lower scores on alcohol- and cannabis-related outcomes via lower alcohol- and cannabis-related coping motives.

Conclusions: These findings can inform prevention and intervention efforts using mindfulness techniques and interventions among students who engage in problematic alcohol and cannabis use.

Preregistration: This study is not preregistered.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-025-02544-5.

The need for improve medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment outcomes can be limited by co-occurring polysubstance use, mental health, and chronic pain conditions. Interoceptive training may facilitate well-being and support medication treatment for MOUD.

Objectives: While effective, medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment outcomes can be limited by co-occurring polysubstance use, mental health, and chronic pain conditions. Interoceptive training may facilitate well-being and support medication treatment for MOUD. This study examined the pre-post effects of the mindfulness-based intervention Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT) as an adjunct to MOUD. MABT teaches interoceptive awareness skills to promote self-care and emotion regulation.

Method: Participants stabilized on medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) (n = 303) from six community clinics in North-western United States were recruited and randomly assigned to MABT plus MOUD or MOUD only. In a mixed-methods study, we used an intent-to-treat approach (analyzing participants based on their assigned group, regardless of adherence) to examine the proportion of days abstinent from non-prescribed opioids, and other substance use (primary outcomes) at baseline and 3 months post-intervention. Secondary outcomes included symptoms of mental health distress, emotional regulation difficulties, pain and physical symptom indicators, interoceptive awareness, and mindfulness skills. Participant experience of MABT was collected through post-intervention surveys. Changes in outcomes were assessed using linear mixed models; content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data.

Results: Levels of overall substance use were low and did not differ between groups. Significant improvements in PTSD symptoms, interoceptive awareness, pain severity, pain activity interference, and physical symptom frequency were found for those who received MABT compared to MOUD only.

Conclusions: In this stable MOUD population, substance use outcomes were not improved; however, MABT demonstrated significant positive changes across multiple health outcomes critical for improving MOUD treatment.

Preregistration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifer: NCT04082637.

Objective

While mindfulness meditation is an established practice for improving well-being, the physical environment for this activity awaits further exploration. This research aimed to explore how the physical environment facilitates mindfulness meditation and to establish a framework through Analysis of Means (ANOM) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). The framework was intended to provide guidance for organisations and individuals to better design or modify physical space to support their mindfulness meditations.

Method

This study used methods to establish an initial research framework from the literature on mindfulness, architectural design, and environmental psychology. A survey of UK mindfulness practitioners was conducted in 2021–2022 to provide insights from a quantitative perspective. The data were analysed using ANOM and EFA to obtain a comprehensive framework based on the responses.

Results

Through a review of the literature and empirical study, nine physical factors with controllable elements were identified, ranked by their relative importance. Quietness, the use of supportive tools, and natural sounds were found to be the most important.

Conclusion

This research suggests the priority elements for groups and individuals to consider when adapting the physical environment for mindfulness meditation. The results revealed quietness as the most beneficial controllable element for its facilitation. Additionally, the use of supportive meditation tools was also important. Considering these top elements first could support practitioners' mindfulness meditation more effectively and efficiently.

Preregistration

This study was not preregistered.

Objectives

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have demonstrated efficacy in psychological and physiological domains. However, there is a limited body of research on MBIs specifically for First Nations peoples. The current review aimed to systematically evaluate the status of culturally adapted MBIs, examining their effectiveness and feasibility when applied to First Nations peoples.

Method

A systematic review was performed to synthesise the data from 10 reports of nine studies, with a combined sample size of 125 participants.

Results

The MBIs demonstrated adherence to elements of cultural adaptation, encompassing the aspects of persons, metaphors, content, goals, and concepts in all included studies. Overall, the quantitative evidence measuring the effectiveness of the adapted interventions showed improvements in psychological, physiological, and mindfulness aspects, as well as cultural elements and satisfaction with the programmes. However, there were minor mixed results observed in psychological outcomes and mindfulness measures. The qualitative findings highlighted that MBIs, by aligning with First Nations’ holistic spiritual beliefs, facilitated a means to reconnect with cultural and social identity. The maximum number of participants in the programmes ranged from 1 to 34. Participants were recruited through local community organisations, youth correctional facilities, long-term care facilities, Indigenous educational institutes, schools, universities, and word-of-mouth promotion. The pooled retention rate was relatively high at 85.2%, indicating that participants generally remained engaged throughout the programmes.

Conclusions

MBIs appear adaptable, effective, and feasible for First Nations peoples, with consistently positive outcomes. Based on the findings of the current review, a model of culturally adapted MBIs is proposed.

Preregistration

PROSPERO (Reg, CRD42023413826).

Objectives

Mindfulness training (MT) has been shown to have substantial therapeutic effects on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom severity, health-related quality of life, and psychological symptoms at 3 months following an 8-week group MT intervention. This study reports a secondary analysis to examine the long-term trajectory of change in these IBS symptoms.

Methods

This study analyzed 6- and 12-month follow-up data collected in a randomized controlled pilot study involving 75 adult women meeting Rome II criteria for IBS assigned to 8 weekly 2-hr sessions plus one half-day intensive of either a group mindfulness training (MT) or a validated IBS support group (SG). Outcome measures included the IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS), the IBS-Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) and Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI) questionnaires, and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 psychological distress measure. Measures were mailed to all participants who attended at least one treatment session. Analysis included mixed effects models comparing the trajectory of change over time between groups.

Results

At 6-month follow-up, MT patients had significantly lower mean IBS-SSS scores compared to SG patients (− 123.79 vs. − 51.82, respectively, p = 0.004). At 12-month follow-up, effects were attenuated, with IBS-SSS scores of − 88.93 (p = 0.001) for MT and − 33.63 (p = 0.158) for SG participants, with a clinically important between-group difference of 61 points (p = 0.107). VSI scores significantly improved at both 6- and 12-month follow-up compared to baseline, for the MT group only. Anxiety and depression significantly improved at 6 months, in the MT group only.

Conclusions

Beneficial effects of an 8-week MT program tailored for IBS persist for up to 12 months after the training.

Preregistration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00680693.

Objectives

Self-regulation practices, such as meditation, have been shown to influence neural and cardiac activities, which are critical for managing stress and emotions. However, most research focuses on these physiological subsystems independently, overlooking their interactions. This study sought to address this gap by investigating the relationship between brain and heart dynamics during meditation and cognitive tasks in novice meditators, providing insights that could guide future interventions for emotion and stress regulation

Method

Using recordings of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG), we assessed transient relationships between the alpha neural band and heart rate during an arithmetic task and a breath-focused meditation in a sample of 20 young participants (10 women, age range 20–29 years) with no prior experience in meditation practices

Results

In terms of the relationship between alpha frequency and heart rate, the arithmetic task exhibited cross-frequency ratios of smaller magnitude compared to the breath-focused meditation. Furthermore, during the arithmetic task, a higher incidence of the specific 8:1 cross-frequency relationship was evident, which is proposed to enable cross-frequency coupling among neural and cardiac rhythms during a state of heightened cognitive effort. Heart rate and alpha frequency were also significantly higher during the arithmetic task, compared to the breath-focused meditation condition. The changes in cross-frequency relationships were primarily driven by changes in heart rate between the two tasks, as indicated through surrogate data analyses.

Conclusions

Our results provide novel evidence that stress responses and physiological changes during meditation practices can be better characterized by integrating physiological markers and, more crucially, their interactions. Together, this physiologically integrative approach can aid in guiding interventions such as physiological modulation protocols (biofeedback and neurofeedback) for regulation of emotion and stress.

Preregistration

This study is not preregistered.