title: Interaction between neuroanatomical and psychological changes after mindfulness-based training.
abstract: Several cross-sectional studies have documented neuroanatomical changes in individuals with a long history of meditation, while a few evidences are available about the interaction between neuroanatomical and psychological changes even during brief exposure to meditation. Here we analyzed several morphometric indexes at both cortical and subcortical brain level, as well as multiple psychological dimensions, before and after a brief -8 weeks- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training program, in a group of 23 meditation naïve-subjects compared to age-gender matched subjects. We found a significant cortical thickness increase in the right insula and the somatosensory cortex of MBSR trainees, coupled with a significant reduction of several psychological indices related to worry, state anxiety, depression and alexithymia. Most importantly, an interesting correlation between the increase in right insula thickness and the decrease in alexithymia levels during the MBSR training were observed. Moreover, a multivariate pattern classification approach allowed to identify a cluster of regions more responsive to MBSR training across subjects. Taken together, these findings documented the significant impact of a brief MBSR training on brain structures, as well as stressing the idea of MBSR as a valuable tool for alexithymia modulation, also originally providing a plausible neurobiological evidence of a major role of right insula into mediating the observed psychological changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy; Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy; Berenson-Allen Center for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Emiliano
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Santarnecchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Sicilia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Arista
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Eutizio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Egiziano
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Concetta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Petrosino
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological, Neurosurgical and Behavioral Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reda
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000523:psychology; D064866:Mindfulness; D009445:Neuroanatomy; D009929:Organ Size; D011584:Psychology