Date of Award

Fall 2024

Project Type

Thesis

Program or Major

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Degree Name

Master of Science

First Advisor

Amy E Ramage

Second Advisor

Kimberly L Ray

Abstract

Introduction: Mindfulness, a popular practice that originated as a Buddhist custom, encompasses a myriad of techniques such as meditation, yoga, and journaling. Such practice is often suggested for individuals with mental health disorders (MHD). Recently, mindfulness-based interventions, including forms of psychotherapy like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, have gained prominence. Investigations into brain activity associated with mindfulness-based interventions have identified positive modulation of a Triple Network Model (TNM), a confluence of three brain networks that are commonly associated with MHD. Targeting these networks and understanding mindfulness-specific connectivity may provide evidence for regions to target during intervention in order to induce neural reorganization.Methods: Using BrainMap software and tools, data from 18 fMRI studies involving mindfulness were analyzed. An activation likelihood estimate (ALE) was calculated, identifying common and salient clusters of activity used to determine functional connectivity. Meta-analytic connectivity modelling (MACM) was used to identify significant connections in the brain (Robinson et al., 2010). Further analyses (paradigm and behavioral) were carried out on the eight identified regions of interest (ROI) to interpret the MACM results. Results: ALE revealed eight peak active regions during mindfulness: left superior frontal gyrus (L SFG), left insula (L Insula), left middle frontal gyrus (L MFG), left/right parahippocampus (L/R Para), left posterior cingulate cortex (L PCC), right superior parietal lobe (R SPL), and right middle cingulate cortex (R MCC). After Bonferroni correction, MACM results indicated bidirectional and unidirectional connectivity between seven brain regions (all regions except for the R MCC). These findings are consistent with functional connectivity of the TNM – the default mode, salience, and frontoparietal networks. When all the regions of interest were active simultaneously, paradigm class (the experimental task) and behavioral domain (the action contrasts within the experiment) analyses revealed multiple correlated tasks requiring executive functioning and cognitive control. Discussion: Meta-analytic work clarified the roles of brain regions commonly active across studies during mindfulness activities. These regions are represented in the TNM, proposed previously to be normalized following mindfulness-based interventions. Functional connectivity and decoding analyses further clarified that these regions are not only associated with mental processes like meditation, but also for executive functions and cognitive control. Therefore, further investigation into the role of cognition and attention during mindfulness activities is warranted, as these brain regions are also engaged in higher-order tasks.

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