Mindfulness Training Reduces Stress and Amygdala Reactivity to Fearful Faces in Middle-School Children
Mindfulness Training Reduces Stress and Amygdala Reactivity to Fearful Faces in Middle-School Children
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DOI：
10.1037/bne0000337
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发表时间：
2019-12-01
影响因子：
1.9
通讯作者：
Gabrieli, John D. E.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Bauer, Clemens C. C.;Caballero, Camila;Gabrieli, John D. E.
正念训练对压力和相关大脑可塑性的影响已在成年人中得到证实，而此类训练对发育中的大脑的影响仍不清楚。为了解决这个开放性问题，40名中学生在上学期间被随机分配到正念或编码训练（主动控制）干预中，为期八周。结果的措施是自我感知的压力和右杏仁核激活的评级，而在功能性磁共振成像观看恐惧，快乐和中性的面部表情。在干预之前，在所有儿童中，更大的压力与更大的右侧杏仁核激活相关，以应对恐惧与中性的面部表情。干预后，接受正念训练的儿童报告说，相对于对照组的儿童，与右侧杏仁核激活减少相关的压力较低。杏仁核对快乐面孔的反应与初始压力或正念减压无关。此外，正念训练导致在观看恐惧的面部表情时，右杏仁核和腹内侧前额叶皮层之间的功能连接相对较强。感知压力和神经可塑性的变化发生在非冥想状态下，表明正念训练的好处超出了积极的冥想状态。这项研究提供了初步证据，表明儿童的正念训练可以减轻压力，促进大脑功能的变化，这种训练可以融入整个班级的学校课程。这项研究还揭示了第一个证据，即神经认知机制的压力和减少正念训练是特别相关的杏仁核反应减少负面刺激。
The impact of mindfulness training on stress and associated brain plasticity has been shown in adults, whereas the impact of such training in the developing brain remains unknown. To address this open question, 40 middle-school children were randomized to either mindfulness or coding training (active control) interventions during the school day for eight weeks. Outcome measures were ratings of self-perceived stress and right amygdala activation while viewing fearful, happy, and neutral facial expressions during functional MRI. Prior to intervention, greater stress correlated with greater right amygdala activation in response to fearful versus neutral facial expressions across all children. After intervention, children who received mindfulness training reported lower stress associated with reduced right amygdala activation to fearful faces relative to children in the control condition. Amygdala responses to happy faces were unrelated to either initial stress or mindfulness reduction of stress. Moreover, mindfulness training led to relatively stronger functional connectivity between the right amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex during the viewing of fearful facial expressions. Changes in perceived stress and neuroplasticity occurred in nonmeditative states, indicating that the benefits of mindfulness training generalized beyond the active meditative state. This study provides initial evidence that mindfulness training in children reduces stress and promotes functional brain changes and that such training can be integrated into the school curriculum for entire classes. This study also reveals first evidence that a neurocognitive mechanism for both stress and its reduction by mindfulness training is related specifically to reduced amygdala responses to negative stimuli.