Hölzel Et Al: Mindfulness And Brain Scan

Question 1

What is MBSR Course?

Answer 1

Mindfulness based stress-reduction course

Question 2

What is FFMQ?

Answer 2

Is five-fascet mindfulness question

Question 3

What’s the aim of the study?

Answer 3

1. The aim was to identify changes in specific brain regions(TJP, PCC, CEREBELLUM) and the whole brain by comparing grey matter concentrate before and after a mindfulness course.

Question 4

Define the term mindfulness(meditation) score

Answer 4

Awareness of present moment experience with a compassionate, non-judgmental stans.

The ability of fully concentrating on an activity while performing it.

Question 5

What is the psychology being investigated in this study?

Answer 5

Localization of function
- how different parts of the brain perform specific functions
- for example ; hippocampus deals with emotional regulation
- measured with MRI

• which parts of the brain are linked with mindfulness (self awareness, attention etc)

Question 6

What’s the IV of this study?

Answer 6

To see Whether or not participant participated in the 8 week MBSR course

Question 7

What’s the DV?

Answer 7

changes in grey matter density in the regions of interest (TPJ,PCC, CEREBELLUM).
.. measured by MRI scans

Question 8

How long were the MBSR sessions and how often did they occur?

Answer 8

2 and a half hours every week for 8 weeks
a full day session on the 6th week

Question 9

What were the exercises taught to the pp and describe them.

Answer 9

Sitting meditation - focus on the sensation of breathing, sounds , sights, taste, thoughts and emotion

Mindful Yoga -gentle stretching, slow movement and breathing exercises to bring awareness to the moment-to-moment experience

Body scan - attention is guided in a sequence through the whole body which ends with a lerception of the body as a “complete whole”

Question 10

Outline the other guidance given to the participants

Answer 10

Homework : 45 min recording of guided mindfulness was given to each pp so they could practive them at home

• taught how to engage in mindfulness in everyday for ex, eating, walking and showeing

-taught how to use mindfulness to cope w stress

Question 11

State the five facets in the study

Answer 11

.. observing: attending to or noticing external & internal stimuli eg. Emotions
.. describing: noting or mentally labeling these stimuli with words.
.. acting with awareness: attending to ones current actions as opposed to acting automatically or absent mindedly.
..non-judging of inner experience: refraining from evaluation of ones sensations, emotions and cognitions
.. non reactivity to inner experience: allowing throughout and feeling to come and go without attention getting caught up in them.

Question 12

In the study by Holzel, state how many subscales are in the FFMQ?

Answer 12

There are 5 subscales

Question 13

Outline the results of the study

Answer 13

1. Amount of mindfulness practice( MBSR group(22.6hrs on average on MBSR homework) 27mins/day)
   2.improvements on mindfulness( MBSR subjects significantly increased their FFMQ scores in all the five subjects post MBSR Training) and changes in mindfulness scores was significantly higher for the MbSR group compared to the controls.

Question 14

What was the initial experimental sample of the study and why did it reduce?

Answer 14

The initial number was 8 males and 10 females but it reduced to 16 after 2 males left due to discomfort from MRI

Question 15

What was the final experimental sample

Answer 15

6 males and 10 females with the age of 38( 13 Caucasian, 1 asian, 1 African American, 1 multi ethic)

Question 16

What was the control sample of the study?

Answer 16

11 males, 6 females(39 years, 13 Caucasian,2 Asians, 2 AA and 1 hispanic

Question 17

What was the age range of the pp

Answer 17

25-55

Question 18

What was the initial experimental sample of the study and why did it reduce

Answer 18

Initial : 8 males and 10 females
It reduced to 16 because two males left due to discomfort from MRI

Question 19

How were the FFMQ scores calculated

Answer 19

Total score for 5 subscales are added and these totals were added for a total FFMQ score

Question 20

Give examples of standard and reverse scoring

Answer 20

1. Standard: ‘ I’m going at finding words to describe my feelings’
   Very often or always true scores 5
   Very rarely or never true scores 1
2. ’ l am easily distracted’ very rarely or never true scores 5
   Very often or always true scores 1

Question 21

Describe the procedure when the pp got their brain scans taken

Answer 21

• for exp group, brain scans taken 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after MBSR
• MRI used
• there was a ROI analysis and whole brain analysis, which was used to explore other regions potentially affected by MBSR

Question 22

what were the 2 regions of interest

Answer 22

-hippocampus
- Insula