How different types of meditation shape everyday brain responses
Meditation training can change how your brain reacts to emotional images even when you are not actively meditating.
Source
Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state
What they did
The researchers randomized 51 healthy, meditation-naive adults into three groups: Mindful Attention Training, Cognitively-Based Compassion Training, or a health discussion control group. Over eight weeks, participants attended a 2-hour class weekly, and the meditation groups practiced at home. In the final analysis, there were 12 participants in each of the three groups who underwent fMRI scans while viewing positive, negative, and neutral images in an ordinary, non-meditative state.
What they found
After eight weeks, participants in the Mindful Attention Training group showed a significant decrease in right amygdala activation when viewing emotional images, especially positive ones, compared to their baseline scans. In contrast, those in the compassion training group showed a trend toward increased right amygdala activation when viewing negative images of human suffering. Crucially, a greater increase in amygdala response in the compassion group was linked to a greater decrease in depression symptoms, suggesting a healthier engagement with others' suffering.
The limits
What it doesn't show
This study's findings are limited by a small final sample size of 12 participants in each group, which reduces statistical power and generalizability. The lack of a direct measure of real-world emotional behavior or clinical symptoms makes it hard to determine if these brain changes translate into daily life improvements. Additionally, because the compassion training program also included mindful attention training elements, the study cannot entirely isolate the unique neural mechanisms of compassion versus attention.
Key terms
- Amygdala
- A bilateral brain structure critically involved in detecting, processing, and regulating responses to emotionally significant stimuli.
- Mindful Attention Training (MAT)
- A meditation program focused on sharpening attentional skills, utilizing techniques like focusing on breathing and tracking mental events.
- Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT)
- A meditation program derived from Tibetan Buddhist practices designed to foster equanimity, appreciation, and active compassion for oneself and others.
- Region-of-Interest (ROI) analysis
- An fMRI analysis method that focuses on measuring activation within specific, pre-defined anatomical areas of the brain.
- fMRI (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
- A neuroimaging technology that measures brain activity by detecting associated changes in blood flow and oxygenation.
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Quiz yourself
What was the primary reason researchers scanned participants in an ordinary, non-meditative state during the post-intervention fMRI scan?
Common questions
Why were participants scanned in a non-meditative state?
The researchers wanted to see if meditation training creates lasting changes in emotional processing that persist during normal daily life, rather than just temporary changes that happen while actively meditating.
Why would compassion training increase brain activity in response to suffering?
Compassion training teaches people to deeply connect with and wish to alleviate the suffering of others, which may increase emotional arousal and brain activity in response to sad images instead of avoiding the emotion.
Why was there no change in the left amygdala?
The study only found significant changes in the right amygdala, which is consistent with previous research suggesting the right amygdala is more rapidly and dynamically involved in processing emotional stimuli.
How much did the participants actually practice at home?
On average, participants in the mindful attention group practiced for 645 minutes over the eight weeks, while those in the compassion group practiced for 454 minutes.
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