Hölzel-et-al.

(Mindfulness and brain scans)

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE LEADS TO INCREASES IN REGIONAL BRAIN GRAY
MATTER DENSITY.

Introduction Questions.

Q1. What is mindfulness? Give an example.

a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly
acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a
therapeutic technique. An example would be meditation, maybe focusing on your breathing.

Q2. How does an MRI create images of the brain?

An MRI uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside
of the body. When you lie inside an MRI machine, the magnetic field temporarily realigns
water molecules in your body. Radio waves cause these aligned atoms to produce faint
signals, which are used to create cross-sectional MRI images.

Q3. What is the posterior cingulate cortex, the left temporo-parietal junction, the lateral
cerebellum and the cerebellum vermis/brainstem? Include diagrams.

Students need to research these regions of the brain, diagrams can bee found with a google
search.

Q4. What is the hippocampus, what does it do and where is it? Include a diagram.

The hippocampus is a complex brain structure embedded deep into temporal lobe. It has a
major role in learning and memory. It is a plastic and vulnerable structure that gets damaged
by a variety of stimuli. Studies have shown that it also gets affected in a variety of
neurological and psychiatric disorders.

Q5. What is an MBSR programme?

MBSR, or Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, is an eight-week mindfulness training

program that was created by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts
Medical Center. He initially created it for chronically ill patients who were not responding
well to traditional treatments, but it is now used for a wide variety of reasons by hundreds
of thousands of people worldwide. MBSR is supported by a wide body of research showing
that it is effective at addressing chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and general stress
reduction. MBSR demonstrably and repeatedly helped patients in those eight weeks and in
some cases had proven effects up to four years later.
Hölzel-et-al. (Mindfulness and brain scans)
MINDFULNESS PRACTICE LEADS TO INCREASES IN REGIONAL BRAIN GRAY
MATTER DENSITY.

Study Questions.

Q1. Complete the table below.

What was the research method Experimental using longitudinal design.

used in the study?
What was the sample?
What was the sampling
technique used?
What was the experimental
design?
What is the independent
variable?
What is the dependant
variable?
Self-reports and brain scans.
16 participants in the MBSR condition (originally 18, two
withdrew).
17 in the control condition.
It was not stated in the study. The participants were enrolled in
the MBSR course so it could have been volunteer or
opportunity.
Independent measures.
MBSR and Control.
FFMQ results and voxel-based morphology scores.

Q2. What are the aims of the study?

Only one aim; To investigate the potential long-term effect of a mindfulness-based stress
reduction programme on brain grey matter density.

Q3. Describe the sample.

Individuals were included in the study if they self-reported as physically and psychologically
healthy and not taking any medications.

25 to 55 years old. The participant must not have participated in more than four meditation
classes in the past five years, and no more than ten meditation classes in their lifetime.

Participants must not have any metallic implants, or suffer from claustrophobia.

Any other relevant answer.

Q4. Evaluate the study in terms of Ethics.

Informed Consent: All participants gave their consent to take part in the study in both
groups.

Deception: There was no deception in this study.

Withdrawal: The right to withdraw was given as evidenced by two participants withdrawing
from the MBSR group.
Hölzel-et-al. (Mindfulness and brain scans)
MINDFULNESS PRACTICE LEADS TO INCREASES IN REGIONAL BRAIN GRAY
MATTER DENSITY.

Protection of Participants: Two participants left the study indicating that they felt discomfort
when inside the MRI, this suggests that the participants did not leave the study in the same
psychological state that they entered. Physiologically, the participants dd show increased
grey matter concentration, so they did not leave the study in the same state that they
entered.

Confidentiality: There is no identifying information in this study, other than participants

were referred to or were self-referred to the MBSR programme.

Debrief: The study does not mention a debrief, it seems reasonable that this was no
required as they had full knowledge of the study’s aims at the beginning of the experiment.

Q5. Evaluate the study in terms of strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths:

 Good standardised procedure, using FFMQ and MRI.

 Easy to replicate.
 High levels of control, this included using a criterion for the selection of participants.
 Good range of ages of participants.
 Can be confident that the MBSR programme caused a change in the grey matter.

Weaknesses:

 Questionnaires, the participants may have given socially desirable answers.

 Repeating the same questionnaire, participants may have felt as though they had to
give different answers.
 The five-factor scale may have been limiting to the participants, they may have
wanted to select a choice not available
 Potential to lower the validity of the finding because of the factors above.

*Note – for the examination bullet points are not advised. Also, more detail will be required.

Q6. Give an alternative explanation for the grey matter results seen in the MBSR participants.

It does not state explicitly in the study if the participants were told that they would have
their grey matter measured, it does say that they had informed consent. This would suggest
that they knew what the purpose of the study and its aims were. Assuming this to be true,
we could argue that simply knowing what the experimenter was looking for could in fact
account for the physiological change in the grey matter. While I doubt this is true,
conducting a double-blind study would eliminate this argument.
Hölzel-et-al. (Mindfulness and brain scans)
MINDFULNESS PRACTICE LEADS TO INCREASES IN REGIONAL BRAIN GRAY
MATTER DENSITY.

Q7. Describe one assumption of the biological approach, using an example from the study of
Hölzel et al. (Mindfulness and brain scans).

One of the assumptions of the biological approach is that behaviour, cognitions and
emotions can be explained in terms of the working of the brain and the effect of hormones,
genetics and evolution. In the mindfulness and brain scans study we can clearly see the link
between the body and the mind. When the mind was stimulated by using a MBSR
programme the body reacted and increased the concentration of grey matter in the brain.

Application of Understanding Questions.

Q1. Alison wants to investigate the brain changes that link mindfulness meditation training
with health in stressed adults. She wants to see if there is a difference in mindfulness
meditation training, compared to relaxation training in stress reduction in high-stress,
unemployed adults.

(a) Design a study to investigate the differences in stress reduction techniques and brain
changes.

Lab experiment
Major considerations:
What: – will be recorded, i.e. DV Change in the grey matter of the
hippocampus/ posterior cingulate cortex (operationalisation: scoring)
How: – IV mindfulness meditation or relaxation training program
(operationalisation: how it is presented visually and orally)
– controls (e.g. limiting distractions, time practicing meditation)
Minor considerations:
where – location of participants when data is collected (i.e. lab)
who – participants
Other details for replication:
• experimental design (any are appropriate here)
• sampling technique
• sample size
• description of how data will analysed, e.g. use of measures of central
tendency and spread, bar charts
• ethical issues

8–10 marks:
• Response is described in sufficient detail to be replicable.
• Response may have a minor omission.
• Use of psychological terminology is accurate and comprehensive.
5–7 marks:
• Response is in some detail.
• Response has minor omission(s).
• Use of psychological terminology is accurate.
Hölzel-et-al. (Mindfulness and brain scans)
MINDFULNESS PRACTICE LEADS TO INCREASES IN REGIONAL BRAIN GRAY
MATTER DENSITY.

1–4 marks:
• Response is basic in detail.
• Response has major omission(s).
• If response is impossible to conduct max. 2.
• Use of psychological terminology is mainly accurate.

(b) Identify one weakness with the methodology of your study and suggest how this
methodological weakness could be resolved.

Validity
• operationalisation
• situational/participant variables factors
Reliability
• inter-rater consistency
• intra-rater consistency.

Q2. Greg wants to investigate the effects of meditation on the feeling of wellbeing comparing
against those that do not meditate.

(a) Design a study using a questionnaire to investigate the psychological effects of

meditation and the feeling of wellbeing.

Questionnaire
Major considerations:
Who/when: – sample of participants (meditation and non-meditation)
How: – style of questions asked (e.g. open or qualitative and interpretation
/ closed or quantitative and how scored)
What: – content of questions asked (i.e. to include questions related to
wellbeing)
Minor considerations:
where: location of participants when completing the questionnaire / how it
is distributed
Other details:
• lie questions
• filler questions
• sampling technique
• sample size
• ethical issues

8–10 marks:
• Response is described in sufficient detail to be replicable.
• Response may have a minor omission.
• Use of psychological terminology is accurate and comprehensive.
5–7 marks:
• Response is in some detail.
• Response has minor omission(s).
• Use of psychological terminology is accurate.
1–4 marks:
• Response is basic in detail.
Hölzel-et-al. (Mindfulness and brain scans)
MINDFULNESS PRACTICE LEADS TO INCREASES IN REGIONAL BRAIN GRAY
MATTER DENSITY.

• Response has major omission(s).

• If response is impossible to conduct max. 2.
• Use of psychological terminology is mainly accurate.

(b) Identify one weakness with the methodology of your study and suggest how this
methodological weakness could be resolved.

Validity
• operationalisation
• difficulty with lying / social desirability
• difficulty with response biases
Reliability
• inter-rater consistency
• intra-rater consistency.