Changes in the neural correlates of self-blame following mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in remitted depressed participants. (30th October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Williams, Kate; Elliott, Rebecca; McKie, Shane; Zahn, Roland; Barnhofer, Thorsten; Anderson, Ian M.
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 304(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-10-30
• Subjects: fMRI -- Remitted major depression -- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy -- Mindfulness -- Self-blame -- Self-compassion; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Brain -- Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Diagnostic Imaging -- Periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; Cerveau -- Imagerie pour le diagnostic -- Périodiques; 616.890754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2020.111152
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-4927

Abstract

Highlights: There was reduced activation in the bilateral dACC/MSFG following MBCT. Increased self-kindness correlated with reduced activation in the PCC/precuneus following MBCT. This is the first fMRI study of the neural correlates of MBCT and self-blame. Abstract: Mindfulness-Based-Cognitive-Therapy (MBCT) reduces vulnerability for relapse into depression by helping individuals to counter tendencies to engage in maladaptive repetitive patterns of thinking and respond more compassionately to negative self-judgment. However, little is known about the neural correlates underlying these effects. To elucidate these correlates, we investigated fMRI brain activation during a task eliciting feelings of blaming oneself or others. Sixteen participants in remission from major depressive disorder (MDD) completed fMRI assessments before and after MBCT, alongside self-reported levels of self-compassion, mindfulness, and depression symptoms. Analyses of self-blame versus other-blame contrasts showed a reduction in activation in the bilateral dorsal anterior cingulate/medial superior frontal gyrus after MBCT compared to baseline. Further, exploratory analyses showed that increases in self-kindness after MBCT correlated with reduced activation in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus in self-blame versus rest contrasts. These findings suggest that MBCT is associated with a reduction in activations in cortical midline regions to self-blame which may be mediated by increasing self-kindness. However, this is a small, uncontrolled study with 16 participants and therefore our results will need confirmation in a controlled study.