The effects of mindfulness meditation on rumination in depressed people
Rachel Sluder
Adviser: Dr. Brett Gibson
University of New Hampshire
Findings
What is mindfulness meditation (MM)?
-Practice of increasing awareness of one's body, thoughts,
Behavioral data strongly supports effectiveness of
mindfulness-based therapies in improving symptoms of
depression, even beyond rumination. (Deyo et al 2009; Kenny
et al 2007)
circumstances
-Non-judgmental
-MBCT = mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
-MBSR = mindfulness-based stress reduction
What is rumination?
-Maladaptive pattern of thinking found in depression, anxiety,
and similar disorders.
-Commonly accepted theory suggests that it is a way of
responding to distress through perseverative thoughts on the
cause of distress, as well as possible causes and
consequences .; known as the “response styles” theory
(Nolen-Hoeksema et al., 2008).
-Thoughts can be overwhelming, and thereby interfere with
Future directions
FcMRI on connectivity networks in MM before and after MBSR:
found increases in networks including anterior cingulate cortex
and lateral frontal cortex (“auditory/salience”) and areas of
default mode network (Kilpatrick et al 2011; below image from
same)
successful, effective problem solving.
Methods
I performed a search on ScienceDirect for articles about MM
and rumination, rumination and depression, and MM and
depression, gathering information from both behavioral and
imaging studies. The research was done in this format since
UNH does not have access to fMRI equipment.
FMRI on gray matter density: increases in several areas of
interest following MBSR. (Holzel et al 2010)
EEG: ERP following MBCT (Bostanov et al 2012); alpha band
activity state-effects during MM (Keune et al 2013)
FMRI: Neural correlates of rumination (Kuhn et al 2012);
effects of MBSR on connectivity (Kilpatrick et al 2011)
-Neuroimaging research on the intersection of MM, rumination,
and depression could shed light into each facet
-fMRI would provide capability of seeing short-term withingroup gray matter density and activity levels
-Imaging of MM is a new field, so additional research on any
aspect of it could shed light onto the functional neuroanatomy
involved, as well as mechanisms of specific effects
-Rumination has the potential to cause relapse in depressed
patients. A free, relatively simple behavioral treatment would
be very valuable, particularly since it has shown to be
effective in patients unresponsive to other treatments (Kenny
et al 2007)
-A potential direction for future research could focus on the
difference between EEG signals in rumination and in
mindfulness meditation in the same subjects following MBCT.
References
Bostanov, V., Keune, P., Kotchoubey, B., & Hautzinger, M. Event-related brain potentials reflect increased concentration
ability after mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: A randomized clinical trial. (2012). Psychiatry Research, 199,
174-180
Study types
Behavioral data: effects of rumination (Nolen-Hoeksema,
2008); meditation and rumination (Deyo et al 2009)
Conclusions
Common threads: certain brain regions, such as anterior
cingulate cortex, are involved in meditation and rumination;
improvement in rumination cessation seems to go along with
improvement in attention skills
Challenges: selection bias; newness of field – many studies
have not been replicated, or attempts have been unsuccessful
Deyp, M., Wilson., KA., Ong, J., & Koopman, C. Mindfulness and Rumination: Does mindfulness training lead to reductions in
the ruminative thinking associated with depression? (2009). Explore, 5(5), 265-271
EEG: increased ERP signal following MBCT in depressed
patients indicates improved ability to shift attention (Bostanov
et al 2012); increased alpha band asymmetry indicates cortical
involvement (Keune et al 2013, below image from same)
Holzel, BK, Carmody, J., Vangel, M., Congleton, C., Yerramsetti, SM., Gard, T., & Lazar, SW. Mindfulness practice leads to
increases in regional brain gray matter density. (2011). Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191, 36-43
Kenny, MA.., & Williams, JMG. Treatment-resistant depressed patients show a good response to mindfulness-based cognitive
therapy. (2007). Behavior Research and Therapy. 45, 617-625
Keune, PM., Bostanov, V., Hautzinger, M., & Kotchoubey, B. Approaching dysphoric mood: State-effects of mindfulness
meditation on frontal brain asymmetry. (2013). Biological Psychology, 93, 105-113
Kilpatrick, LA., Suyenobu, BY., Smith, SR., Bueller, JA., Goodman, T., Creswell, JD., Tillisch, K., Mayer, EA., & Naliboff, BD.
Impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction training on intrinsic brain connectivity. (2011). NeuroImage, 56, 290-298.
Kuhn, S., Vanderhasselt, MA., De Raedt, R., & Gallinat, J. Why ruminators won't stop: The structural and resting state
correlates of rumination and its relation to depression. (2012). Journal of Affective Disorders, 141, 352-360.
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Wisco, BE., & Lyubomirsky, S. Rethinking Rumination. (2008). Perspectives on Psychological Science,
3(5), 400-424.