Augmenting Mindfulness Training Through Experience-driven Neurofeedback Devices (

描述(申请人提供)：通过经验驱动的神经反馈设备加强正念训练(参加)。冥想是美国第二种最常用的心身疗法，临床上证明它对治疗压力、焦虑、抑郁和上瘾有好处。然而，冥想状态的神经生物学标记还没有被清楚地描绘出来。缺乏评估专注力的客观工具是进一步科学进步的根本障碍。后扣带回皮质(PCC)最近被认为是一种很有前途的基于神经成像的冥想标记，因为这一大脑区域在压力和走神时被激活，但在正念时被停用(Breyer 2011)。与此同时，实时功能磁共振神经反馈(RTFB)的方法学进步使PCC能够提供反馈，以增强传统上通过基于正念的压力减轻(MBSR)计划提供的冥想获得。在拟议的研究中，目标1将确认PCC去激活对应于冥想的主观体验。为了实现这一点，24名有经验的冥想者将在一系列4步fMRI任务中测量PCC活动，这些任务从(1)冥想，(2)模拟RTFB冥想，(3)利用PCC的RTFB冥想，到(4)自愿去激活PCC活动。我们预计，冥想者将在第三步中报告PCC活动减少与主观冥想之间的高度一致性，并将能够在第四步中通过冥想来故意停用他们的PCC。这些数据将证实PCC是冥想状态的敏感神经成像标记。目标2将证明来自PCC的RTFB增强了MBSR，通过在冥想中PCC去激活来评估。为了实现这一目标，129名冥想新手将被随机分成三组。第1组：MBSR+PCCRTFB训练；第2组：MBSR+对照地区RTFB训练；第3组：单纯MBSR。我们预计，在冥想期间，第一组的PCC在MBSR前和MBSR后的百分比信号变化明显更大。这些结果将证明RTFB可以增强MBSR训练。目标3将表明，来自PCC的MBSR和RTFB可以减少压力和改善注意力。压力将使用感知压力量表(PSS)测量，注意力将使用快速视觉信息处理任务(RVIP)在MBSR前后和3个月的随访中测量。我们预计，从目标2开始冥想期间PCC中信号的百分比变化将预测MBSR前到MBSR后以及MBSR前到MBSR后3个月的PSS和RVIP分数的变化。这些结果将证明，MBSR的RTFB增强改善了认知和与健康相关的结果，如压力。这个项目对社会有很多好处，因为它将是第一个确定冥想的神经目标，并将这些知识转化为通过增强MBSR来改善健康的策略。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Augmenting Mindfulness Training Through Experience-driven Neurofeedback Devices (ATTEND). Meditation is the second most frequently used mind-body therapy in the US, with demonstrated clinical benefits for stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction. However, no neurobiological markers of meditative states have been clearly delineated. The lack of objective tools for assessing mindfulness is a fundamental obstacle to further scientific progress. The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) has recently been identified as a promising neuroimaging-based marker of meditation, as this brain region is activated during stress and mind-wandering, but deactivated during mindfulness (Brewer 2011). At the same time, methodological advances in real-time fMRI neurofeedback (RTFB) allow delivery of feedback from the PCC to augment meditation acquisition that is traditionally delivered through Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs. In the proposed study, Aim 1 will confirm that PCC deactivation corresponds to the subjective experience of meditation. To achieve this, PCC activity will be measured in 24 experienced meditators in a 4-step series of fMRI tasks progressing from: (1) meditation, (2) meditation with simulated RTFB, (3) meditation with RTFB from the PCC, to (4) volitional deactivation of PCC activity. We anticipate that meditators will report a high correspondence between decreased PCC activity and subjective meditation in Step 3 and will be able to volitionally deactivate their PCC by meditation in Step 4. These data will confirm the PCC as a sensitive neuroimaging marker of the meditative state. Aim 2 will demonstrate that RTFB from the PCC augments MBSR as assessed by PCC deactivation during meditation. To achieve this, 129 novice meditators will be randomized to three groups. Group 1: MBSR with RTFB training from the PCC, Group 2: MBSR with RTFB training from a control region, or Group 3: MBSR alone. We anticipate that Group 1 will show significantly greater pre- to post-MBSR percent signal change in the PCC during meditation. These results will demonstrate that RTFB can augment MBSR training. Aim 3 will show that MBSR with RTFB from the PCC leads to reduced stress and improved attention. Stress will be measured using the perceived stress scale (PSS), and attention will be measured using the Rapid Visual Information Processing task (RVIP), pre- and post-MBSR, and at a 3-month follow-up. We anticipate that percent signal change in the PCC during meditation from Aim 2 will predict change in PSS and RVIP scores pre- to post-MBSR and pre- to 3 months post-MBSR. These results will demonstrate that RTFB augmentation of MBSR improves cognition and health-related outcomes such as stress. This project has numerous benefits for society, as it will be the first to confirm neural targets of meditation, and to translate this knowledge into strategies to improve health through augmentation of MBSR.