Mindfulness research shows extensive evidence for its broad benefits as a secular practice to effectively modulate emotional processing. A core theme distinguishing mindfulness from re-appraisal methods such as those applied in CBT, is an underlying approach of acceptance and non-judgement rather than changing of belief towards perceptions. Furthermore, emotional reactivity is supressed to some degree by mindfulness techniques but remains unaffected by re-appraisal (Grillon et al, 2015).

A study by Ochsner et al (2002), showed that viewing emotionally disturbing images caused high BOLD signal activity compared to neutral controls. When subsequently applying emotional reappraisal by attempting to neutralize any biased interpretation, similarly disturbing images elicited a BOLD response approximating to midway between the two prior approaches. fMRI analysis highlighted that reappraisal towards negative emotional triggers activated the lateral, ventral, dorsal and medial PRC regions in the brain governing cognitive control, self-monitoring and working memory (Ochsner et al., 2002).

 

A more recent meta-analysis by Ochsner and colleagues in 2014, comprising 48 reappraisal studies, further reinforced these findings with greater precision, showing elevated activity designated to the Prefrontal Cortex subregions (dorsomedial, dorsolateral and ventrolateral) and the posterior parietal lobe. Furthermore, they verified that ventral medial PFC activity was not affected, contrasting their initial predictions due to its associations with fear elimination which subsequently alters amygdala functionality. Bilateral amygdala modulation was also seen to occur, but no other brain regions displayed altered activity. It was concluded that reappraisal applies a form of cognitive control through re-evaluating the meaning of emotion triggering stimuli, which in turn moderates amygdala function.

 

Temporal fMRI studies of reappraisal shows a time dependent mode of action as cognitive control regions in PFC had increased activity in only the first 5 seconds whilst amygdala and insula activity decreased only in the last 5 seconds over the course of a 15 second exposure to offensive film material (Goldin et al., 2008). The study also explored suppression of emotional response which showed different brain pattern and temporal correlations. Activity in PFC cognitive control regions increased towards the tail end of the 15 seconds, with activity prolonged alongside elevated amygdala and insula responses. Indicating dampening of emotional affect through sustained suppression of amygdala and insula mediated functions, causing greater metabolic and cognitive demand, which can potentiate emotional fatigue. They concluded that reappraisal reduces emotional reactivity at a lower psychological and cognitive cost with cognitive control occurring rapidly during stimulus exposure and early in the emotional response cascade, sharply contrasting to suppression which utilizes cognitive control to dampen the affect mediated by late stage elevated amygdala and insula subregion activity.

 

Mindfulness shows a different neural basis to both reappraisal and suppression strategies. A study by Goldin et al. (2010), used MBSR techniques to reduce adverse emotion expression in subjects with social anxiety disorder. fMRI images revealed a corresponding amygdala activity decrease whilst activity in brain regions governing attention increased. MBSR appears to enhance attentional performance (Goldin et al., 2010), affording greater governance over rumination and cognitions of self, whilst enhancing focal directional and spatial awareness.

 

It is posited that mindfulness techniques improve the potential to disengage from neural circuitry of emotions whilst leaving the nature of the thought unchanged (Lutz et al., 2009). Thus, the stimulus flows through our awareness without subjective distortion which can impart emotive affect.

A fundamental premise of mindfulness and indeed vipassana meditation, is that sensations arise and pass like waves on the ocean. Acute bodily awareness brings one into the present moment: the mind can drift, but the body is permanently tethered to the now. It theorizes that all sensations, physical or psychological, have a bodily counterpart as source.

Mindfulness is achieved largely through a focus on bodily sensations as a temporal-spatial anchor to maintain presence awareness. Re-appraisal on the other hand uses cognitive control networks to re-process stimuli that bear pre-existing emotional classification. Additional benefits of mindfulness over re-appraisal methods, include intercepting of stimuli and dissipating its capacity for emotional affect at an earlier phase. This is further evidenced in experienced practitioners that typically possess a greater ability to disengage from fixation as fMRI comparisons between novice and expert meditators suggest. The latter showing weakened connectivity in the emotional appraisal and self-referential brain regions of the default mode network (Taylor et al., 2012).

 

It is evident that mindfulness as a cognitive strategy for emotional regulation, is more appropriately classified as no-appraisal than re-appraisal. It does not require changing one’s beliefs or attitudes towards the stimulus as re-appraisal demands. From a neural perspective, mindfulness appears to decouple the neural response pathways governing cognitive appraisal that potentiates a maladaptive emotional disposition.

 

Brown, K., Ryan, R., & Creswell, J. (2007). Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects. Psychological Inquiry – PSYCHOL INQ. 18. 211-237. 10.1080/10478400701598298.

Grillon, C., Quispe, E, D., Mathur, A., Ernst, M. (2015). Mental Fatigue Impairs Emotion Regulation. Emotion (Washington, D.C.). 15. 10.1037/emo0000058.

Lutz, A., Slagter, H.A., Dunne, J.D., Davidson. R.J. (2008). Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 2008; 12:163–169. [PubMed: 18329323]

Taylor, V. A., Daneault, V., Grant, J., Scavone, G., Breton, E., Roffe-Vidal, S., Beauregard, M. (2012). Impact of meditation training on the default mode network during a restful state. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 8(1), 4-14.