The Impact of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy on Neural Processing of Sadness Provocation and Depressive Relapse in a High-risk Sample

The current study sought to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Eighty-one remitted patients with a lifetime history of depression were recruited and randomly assigned to either MBCT or Cognitive Behavioral Wellbeing Therapy. Participants underwent functional MRI while completing a sadness provocation task at pre- and post-treatment. MBCT participants evinced lower activation of the posterior insula, a region implicated in body awareness, whereas MBCT relapsers evinced further MPFC deactivation, a region implicated in ruminative thinking. Moreover, it appeared non-relapsers exhibited stable brain responsiveness across time points, whereas relapsers tended to fluctuate. Findings indicate MBCTâ s emphasis on stabilizing behavioral symptoms extends to functional brain profiles, and the activation pattern in relapsers may reflect dissociation from current sensory experiences when confronted by dysphoric cues. Implications pertain to clinical practice in terms of the importance of regularly monitoring client progress throughout treatment and addressing the misapplication of mindfulness skills.M.A