Inside the mindful moment: The effects of brief mindfulness practice on large-scale network organization and intimate partner aggression

Abstract

Mindfulness can produce neuroplastic changes that support adaptive cognitive and emotional functioning. Recently interest in single-exercise mindfulness instruction has grown considerably because of the advent of mobile health technology. Accordingly, the current study sought to extend neural models of mindfulness by investigating transient states of mindfulness during single-dose exposure to focused attention meditation. Specifically, we examined the ability of a brief mindfulness induction to attenuate intimate partner aggression via adaptive changes to intrinsic functional brain networks. We employed a dual-regression approach to examine a large-scale functional network organization in 50 intimate partner dyads (total n = 100) while they received either mindfulness (n = 50) or relaxation (n = 50) instruction. Mindfulness instruction reduced coherence within the Default Mode Network and increased functional connectivity within the Frontoparietal Control and Salience Networks. Additionally, mindfulness decoupled primary visual and attention-linked networks. Yet, this induction was unable to elicit changes in subsequent intimate partner aggression, and such aggression was broadly unassociated with any of our network indices. These findings suggest that minimal doses of focused attention-based mindfulness can promote transient changes in large-scale brain networks that have uncertain implications for aggressive behavior.

Keywords: Attention; Functional connectivity; Prefrontal cortex; Regulation.

Fig. 1

MI reduced DMN intrinsic connectivity relative to controls (MIt-tests. Statistical maps are shown within the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (component 7; peak z = 6.96, FWE p = .0002), the bilateral parahippocampal cortex (component 11; peak z = 5.57, FWE p = .002), and the bilateral anterior medial PFC (component 5; peak z = 5.20, FWE p = .015). Components 5, 7, and 11 were spatially correlated with Yeo et al.’s (2011) Default Network at levels exceeding r > .15

Fig. 2

MI enhanced SN intrinsic connectivity relative to controls (MI>RI), as indicated by dual regression and two-group unpaired t-tests. Statistical maps are shown within the inferior/superior parietal lobule (component 2; peak z = 5.28, FWE p = .001) and within subcortical limbic structures (component 14; peak z = 5.13, FWE p = .041). Components 2 and 14 were spatially correlated with Yeo et al’s (2011) Somatosensory Network and Limbic Network, respectively (r > .15)

Fig. 3

Mindfulness increased FPCN intrinsic connectivity relative to controls (MI>RI), as indicated by dual regression and two-group unpaired t-tests. Statistical maps are shown within the medial FPCN (component 10; peak z = 5.30, FWE p = .0004). Component 10 was spatially correlated with Yeo’s Frontoparietal Network (r > .15)

Fig. 4

Boxplots depict the distribution of connection strengths between component 10 and component 4. Mindfulness instruction increases functional decoupling (MI z = −8.900; RI z = −3.625; FWE p = .016) between nodes of the frontoparietal network (component 10) and visual network (component 4). Blue arrows indicate negative functional coupling (i.e., decoupling) between nodes

Fig. 5

Boxplots depict the distribution of connection strengths between component 7 and component 4. Mindfulness instruction decreases functional connectivity (MI z = 3.588; RI z = 8.436; FWE p = .019) between nodes of the dorsal attention network (component 7) and visual network (component 4). Red arrows indicate positive functional coupling between nodes