The effect of mindfulness training on resting-state networks in pre-adolescent children with sub-clinical anxiety related attention impairments

Autor: Michelle Kennedy, Abdalla Z. Mohamed, Paul Schwenn, Denise Beaudequin, Zack Shan, Daniel F. Hermens, Jim Lagopoulos
Rok vydání: 2022
Předmět:
Zdroj: Brain Imaging and Behavior. 16:1902-1913
ISSN: 1931-7565
1931-7557
Popis: Background: Mindfulness training has been associated with improved attention and affect regulation in preadolescent children with anxiety related attention impairments, however little is known about the underlying neurobiology. This study sought to investigate the impact of mindfulness training on functional connectivity of attention and limbic brain networks in pre-adolescents.Methods: A total of 47 children (aged 9-11 years) participated in a 10-week mindfulness intervention. Anxiety and attention measures and resting-state fMRI were completed at pre- and post-intervention. Sustained attention was measured using the Conners Continuous Performance Test, while the anxiety levels were measured using the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale. Functional networks were estimated using independent-component analysis, and voxel-based analysis was used to determine the difference between the time-points to identify the effect of the intervention on the functional connectivity. Results: There was a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms and improvement in attention scores following the intervention. From a network perspective, the results showed increased functional connectivity post intervention in the salience and fronto-parietal networks as well as the medial-inferior temporal component of the default mode network. Positive correlations were identified in the fronto-parietal network with Hit Response Time and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale total and between the default mode network and Hit Response Time.Conclusions: A 10-week mindfulness intervention in children was associated with a reduction in anxiety related attention impairments, which were underpinned by concomitant changes in functional connectivity.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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