Mechanisms of improvement in generalized anxiety disorder: A mediation and moderated mediation analysis from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is associated with the lowest treatment response rate among all anxiety disorders. Understanding mechanisms of improvement may help to develop more effective and personalized treatments. AIM: The objective of the study was to investigate different improvement mechanisms in the treatment of individuals diagnosed with GAD. DESIGN: We reported data from a randomized controlled trial that evaluated three different GAD treatments (mindfulness-based intervention, BMT; fluoxetine, FLX; and an active comparison group, QoL) for 8 weeks. METHOD: Mediation analyses were performed evaluating the association between worry symptoms at baseline and anxiety scoring at the endpoint, considering self-compassion or mindfulness or its dimensions at mid-treatment as mediators for the whole sample (assessing GAD improvement mechanism) and the different interventions as moderators. RESULTS: Contrary to mindfulness state scoring (C = .06; 95% CI = -.05 to .20), self-compassion (C = .11; 95% CI = .01 to .28) and non-judgement of inner experience (C = .10; 95% CI = .004 to .21) mediated the association between worry symptoms at baseline and anxiety at the endpoint. When comparing BMT to FLX, the intervention modality did not moderate these associations. CONCLUSION: Self-compassion and non-judgement of inner experience seem to be essential targets in GAD treatment, contrary to the mindfulness state itself. Although no difference was found considering the intervention modality, future research may assess how to boost these dimensions in specific treatments for GAD.

A preliminary neuroimaging investigation of the effects of mindfulness training on attention reorienting and amygdala reactivity to emotional faces in adolescent and adult females.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescence is a time of increased emotional reactivity and improving cognitive control. Mindfulness meditation training may foster adolescents' cognitive control and emotional regulation skills; however little is known about the impact of mindfulness training in adolescents compared to adults. We examined the effect of mindfulness meditation versus a closely matched active control condition (relaxation training) on behavioral and neural measures of cognitive control and emotional reactivity in a small group of adolescents and adults. METHODS: Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected before and after 8 weeks of training in 26 adolescent (12-14 years) and 17 adult (23-33 years) female participants in the United Kingdom while they completed an n-back task with emotional face distractors and an attentional control task. Participants of each group chose a class date/time and the classes were then randomly allocated to mindfulness or relaxation conditions. RESULTS: Compared to relaxation training, mindfulness training led to an increase in the speed of reorienting attention across age groups. In addition, there was preliminary evidence for reduced amygdala response to emotional face distractors in adolescents after mindfulness training. CONCLUSIONS: An 8-week mindfulness program showed similar facilitative effects in adolescent and adult females on the reorienting of attention, a skill that is repeatedly practiced during mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness also reduced left amygdala reactivity to emotional face distractors in adolescents only. Mindfulness meditation practice can therefore have a facilitative effect on female adolescents' attentional control, and possibly attenuate their emotional reactivity.

Open monitoring meditation alters the EEG gamma coherence in experts meditators: The expert practice exhibit greater right intra-hemispheric functional coupling.

AIM: This study investigated the differences in frontoparietal EEG gamma coherence between expert meditators (EM) and naïve meditators (NM). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with a sample of twenty-one healthy adults divided under two groups (experts meditators vs. naive-meditators), with analyzing the intra-hemispheric coherence of frontoparietal gamma oscillations by electroencephalography during the study steps: EEG resting-state 1, during the open presence meditation practice, and EEG resting-state 2. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated greater frontoparietal EEG coherence in gamma for experts meditators in the Fp1-P3, F4-P4, F8-P4 electrode pairs during rest 1 and rest 2 (p ≤ 0.0083). In addition, we evidenced differences in the frontoparietal EEG coherence for expert meditators in F4-P4, F8-P4 during the meditation (p ≤ 0.0083). CONCLUSION: Our results can support evidence that the connectivity of the right frontoparietal network acts as a biomarker of the enhanced Open monitoring meditation training.

Mindfulness em ambientes escolares: adaptações e protocolos emergentes / Mindfulness in school settings: adjustments and emerging protocols / Mindfulness en el ambiente escolar: adaptaciones y protocolos emergentes

Estudos têm demonstrado o impacto positivo das Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) no tratamento de doenças e transtornos mentais em adultos. Recentemente, as MBIs estão sendo adaptadas para crianças e adolescentes em ambiente escolar. O objetivo deste artigo é discutir as adaptações necessárias, o papel da Autocompaixão, os efeitos das intervenções e o treinamento de professores através de três MBIs adaptadas para escolas: Dot-Be, MindUp e Learning to Breath. Os resultados indicam que MBIs para escolas devem ter menor duração das sessões; maior integração das práticas com o quotidiano; maior exploração dos cinco sentidos; maior utilização de metáforas, linguagem visual e tecnologia; e envolvimento de familiares, professores e educadores. Tanto o conceito quanto as práticas de Autocompaixão são utilizadas nestas MBIs, afetando a estrutura das intervenções e a escolha das práticas, e os efeitos nos desfechos pesquisados. Evidências sugerem que os efeitos do treinamento de Mindfulness em ambientes educacionais podem ser semelhantes àqueles verificados em adultos em contextos de saúde. Entretanto, com a proliferação de protocolos de treinamento para professores e gestores educacionais, as evidências de efetividade de MBIs neste contexto não podem ser generalizadas. Visando contribuir com esse processo, apresenta-se um modelo de treinamento em Mindfulness para a equipe educacional.

Several studies have demonstrated the positive impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) in treatment of diseases and mental disorders in adults. MBIs are being adapted on children and adolescents in school environment. This paper aims to discuss the necessary adaptations, the role of self-compassion, the interventions effects and the teacher training, through three MBIs adapted for schools: Dot-Be, MindUp, and Learning to Breath. The results indicate that MBIs for schools should be structured with shorter duration of sessions; greater integration of mindfulness exercises with daily activities; further exploration of the five senses; increased use of metaphors, visual language and technology; and the involvement of family members, teachers and educators. Both the concept and the practices of self-compassion are used in these MBIs, affecting the structure, the choice of practices and the effects on assessed outcomes. Evidence suggests that the effects of Mindfulness training in educational environments may be similar to those observed in adults in health contexts. However, with the proliferation of training protocols to teachers and educational managers, the evidence of MBIs effectiveness in the educational context should not be generalized. In order to contribute to this process, this paper presents a general training framework in Mindfulness for educational staff.

Estudios han demostrado el impacto positivo de Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) en tratamiento de enfermedades y trastornos mentales en adultos. MBIs están siendo adaptadas para niños y adolescentes en ambiente escolar. El objetivo es analizar cambios necesarios, papel de la autocompasión, efectos de las intervenciones y formación del profesorado, a través de tres MBIs adaptados para escuelas: Dot-Be, MindUp y Learnig to Breath. Resultados indican que MBIs para escuelas deben tener sesiones de menor duración; mayor integración de las prácticas en la rutina diaria; mayor exploración de los cinco sentidos; mayor uso de metáforas, lenguaje visual y tecnología; y participación de la familia, profesores y personal educativo. Tanto el concepto y las prácticas de auto-compasión son utilizados en estos MBIs, afectando la estructura de intervenciones, la elección de práticas y los efectos sobre resultados. Evidencias sugieren que los efectos del entrenamiento en Mindfulness en entornos educativos pueden ser similares a los observados en adultos. Sin embargo, con la proliferación de protocolos de entrenamiento para maestros y administradores de la educación, evidencias de eficacia de los instrumentos no se pueden generalizar. Para contribuir a la optimización de las MBIs para escuelas, se presenta un modelo de formación para el personal educativo.

What and who? Mindfulness in the mental health setting.

A strong and growing evidence base exists for the use of mindfulness-based interventions to prevent relapse in major depression and for the self-management of chronic physical health conditions (e.g. pain), but the evidence in other domains of mental health work is still emerging. Much work is being conducted outside the evidence base and standardised protocols, and by individuals with varied levels of experience and training. The (mis)perception of mindfulness as a 'simple technique' belies the complexity and skill needed to deliver a mindfulness training that has real therapeutic and transformative power. We propose a framework to help clinicians think through the suitability of mindfulness for their particular client group with the intention of providing guidance for thoughtful decision-making.

Brain imaging analysis can identify participants under regular mental training.

Multivariate pattern recognition approaches have become a prominent tool in neuroimaging data analysis. These methods enable the classification of groups of participants (e.g. controls and patients) on the basis of subtly different patterns across the whole brain. This study demonstrates that these methods can be used, in combination with automated morphometric analysis of structural MRI, to determine with great accuracy whether a single subject has been engaged in regular mental training or not. The proposed approach allowed us to identify with 94.87% accuracy (p<0.001) if a given participant is a regular meditator (from a sample of 19 regular meditators and 20 non-meditators). Neuroimaging has been a relevant tool for diagnosing neurological and psychiatric impairments. This study may suggest a novel step forward: the emergence of a new field in brain imaging applications, in which participants could be identified based on their mental experience.

Pesquisas em cérebro e Práticas Contemplativas / Brain Research and Contemplative Practices

Introdução: Nos últimos anos tem havido um crescente interesse na investigação dos efeitos práticas de meditação na saúde mental e física. De alguma maneira, as habilidades treinadas durante as práticas meditativas, como o treinamento da atenção focada em um objeto específico, ou a monitoração dos padrões de pensamentos e emoções age modificando o funcionamento e a estrutura cerebrais. Recentemente, trabalhos na área de neuroimagem tem ajudado a elucidar possíveis mecanismo de ação das práticas meditativas no cérebro. Objetivo: revisar na literatura os estudos mais recentes sobre os efeitos da prática de meditação no cérebro e apresentar resultados de um protocolo com ressonância magnética funcional (fMRI) desenvolvido no Instituto do Cérebro do Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein (InCe-HIAE) sobre os efeitos da meditação na atenção. Método: revisão sobre estudos de neuroimagem funcional e estrutural e avaliação por fMRI de 39 sujeitos, 20 meditadores que realizam a prática há pelo menos 3 anos, por 3 vezes por semana e 20 sujeitos inexperientes em meditação. Resultados: estudos recentes têm mostrado alterações funcionais resultantes da prática de meditação, na atividade cerebral, bem como na estrutura do cérebro, como a espessura de áreas corticais. Nossos resultados preliminares corroboram com estes dados, mostrando que sujeitos que praticam meditação regularmente precisam recrutar menos áreas cerebrais, em especial frontais, do que pessoas inexperientes em meditação para ter o mesmo desempenho em uma tarefa atencional (o Stroop Word-Color Task). Conclusão: a prática de meditação pode trazer mudanças não apenas psicológicas, como mostram boa parte dos estudos, mas também modificações na fisiologia e anatomia cerebrais. Nosso estudo preliminar no InCe-HIAE indica que pessoas que praticam meditação regularmente podem apresentar um cérebro mais eficiente no desempenho de uma tarefa de atenção.

Meditation training increases brain efficiency in an attention task.

Meditation is a mental training, which involves attention and the ability to maintain focus on a particular object. In this study we have applied a specific attentional task to simply measure the performance of the participants with different levels of meditation experience, rather than evaluating meditation practice per se or task performance during meditation. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of regular meditators and non-meditators during an fMRI adapted Stroop Word-Colour Task (SWCT), which requires attention and impulse control, using a block design paradigm. We selected 20 right-handed regular meditators and 19 non-meditators matched for age, years of education and gender. Participants had to choose the colour (red, blue or green) of single words presented visually in three conditions: congruent, neutral and incongruent. Non-meditators showed greater activity than meditators in the right medial frontal, middle temporal, precentral and postcentral gyri and the lentiform nucleus during the incongruent conditions. No regions were more activated in meditators relative to non-meditators in the same comparison. Non-meditators showed an increased pattern of brain activation relative to regular meditators under the same behavioural performance level. This suggests that meditation training improves efficiency, possibly via improved sustained attention and impulse control.

Remediation of facial emotion perception in schizophrenia: concomitant changes in visual attention.

The study examined changes in visual attention in schizophrenia following training with a social-cognitive remediation package designed to improve facial emotion recognition (the Micro-Expression Training Tool; METT). Forty out-patients with schizophrenia were randomly allocated to active training (METT; n=26), or repeated exposure (RE; n=14); all completed an emotion recognition task with concurrent eye movement recording. Emotion recognition accuracy was significantly improved in the METT group, and this effect was maintained after one week. Immediately following training, the METT group directed more eye movements within feature areas of faces (i.e., eyes, nose, mouth) compared to the RE group. The number of fixations directed to feature areas of faces was positively associated with emotion recognition accuracy prior to training. After one week, the differences between METT and RE groups in viewing feature areas of faces were reduced to trends. However, within group analyses of the METT group revealed significantly increased number of fixations to, and dwell time within, feature areas following training which were maintained after one week. These results provide the first evidence that improvements in emotion recognition following METT training are associated with changes in visual attention to the feature areas of emotional faces. These findings support the contribution of visual attention abnormalities to emotion recognition impairment in schizophrenia, and suggest that one mechanism for improving emotion recognition involves re-directing visual attention to relevant features of emotional faces.

A pilot study to investigate the effectiveness of emotion recognition remediation in schizophrenia using the micro-expression training tool.

OBJECTIVE: Emotion recognition impairments are a common feature of schizophrenia. This pilot study investigates the effectiveness of the 'micro-expressions training tool' (METT) to help improve this skill. METHOD: Twenty patients with schizophrenia and 20 healthy matched control participants completed the assessment, training and practice subsections of the METT. They were additionally evaluated pre- and post-training on an emotion-matching task (EMT). RESULTS: Both groups improved with METT training; patients with schizophrenia improved to a level that did not distinguish them from pre-trained controls (on both METT and EMT assessments). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with schizophrenia make significant improvements in emotion recognition following training with this tool, suggesting that brief remediation therapy may be a valuable adjunct to existing treatment programmes.

Do you see what I see? Interpretations of intentional movement in schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: Current literature exploring theory of mind (ToM) abilities in patients with schizophrenia has failed to take into account the dynamic nature of complex social interactions. The aim of this study was to explore symptom specific impairments in theory of mind using a novel, dynamic task. METHODS: Subjects viewed short animations displaying three types of movement; random, goal directed, and socially complex (theory of mind). Verbal descriptions of the animations were obtained from 61 patients with schizophrenia (divided into symptom sub-groups) and 22 healthy comparison subjects and were scored for accuracy, type of response and use of target terms (terms most appropriate to each animation type). RESULTS: Accuracy on all three conditions discriminated behavioural signs (BS), and (to a lesser degree) paranoid subjects, from the other schizophrenia sub-groups (those in remission and those with passivity features) and the controls. Paranoid and BS groups had difficulties with all the animations, yet all symptom sub-groups failed to use the appropriate mentalising language to describe the ToM animations. CONCLUSIONS: In this first exploration of on-line mentalising abilities in schizophrenia, it is suggested that a failure to use appropriate mentalising language may be a trait marker for the disease. The nature of the type of tasks used to assess social cognitive processing in this group needs careful consideration, and tasks tapping into the fluidity of social interactions yield results that differ from previously reported studies.

Human attachment security is mediated by the amygdala: evidence from combined fMRI and psychophysiological measures.

The neural basis of human attachment security remains unexamined. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and simultaneous recordings of skin conductance levels, we measured neural and autonomic responses in healthy adult individuals during a semantic conceptual priming task measuring human attachment security "by proxy". Performance during a stress but not a neutral prime condition was associated with response in bilateral amygdalae. Furthermore, levels of activity within bilateral amygdalae were highly positively correlated with attachment insecurity and autonomic response during the stress prime condition. We thereby demonstrate a key role of the amygdala in mediating autonomic activity associated with human attachment insecurity.