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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Microdissection of Mouse Brain into Functionally and Anatomically Different Regions

Microdissection of Mouse Brain into Functionally and Anatomically Different Regions

Published on: February 15, 2021

The structure of mindful brain.

Hiroki Murakami¹, Takashi Nakao, Masahiro Matsunaga

¹Department of Clinical Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan. hmurakami@ncnp.go.jp

|October 3, 2012

Summary

Mindfulness practice, particularly the describing facet, is linked to increased gray matter volume in brain regions like the right anterior insula and amygdala. This suggests a structural basis for mindfulness in the somatic marker circuit.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology

Background:

Mindfulness is a psychotherapy technique involving non-judgmental present moment awareness.
The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) measures individual differences in mindfulness states across five facets.
Understanding the neural correlates of mindfulness facets is crucial for its therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between specific facets of mindfulness, as measured by the FFMQ, and brain structure.
To identify brain regions associated with different components of mindfulness.

Main Methods:

Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was employed to analyze brain structure.
The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) was used to assess mindfulness facets.
Statistical analyses examined correlations between FFMQ scores and gray matter volume.

Main Results:

A positive association was found between the 'describing' facet of mindfulness and gray matter volume.
This association was specifically observed in the right anterior insula and the right amygdala.
These brain regions are part of the somatic marker circuit.

Conclusions:

Mindfulness, particularly the ability to describe experiences, is associated with structural brain differences.
The findings suggest that mindfulness practice may influence the development of key brain areas within the somatic marker circuit.
This research provides a neurobiological basis for the therapeutic effects of mindfulness.