A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)

Neuroimaging studies in the area of mindfulness research have provided preliminary support for the idea of fear extinction as a plausible underlying mechanism through which mindfulness exerts its positive benefits. Whilst brain regions identified in the fear extinction network are typically found at...

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Main Authors: Auretta S. Kummar, Helen Correia, Hakuei Fujiyama
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
Series:Brain Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/9/10/258
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author Auretta S. Kummar
Helen Correia
Hakuei Fujiyama
author_facet Auretta S. Kummar
Helen Correia
Hakuei Fujiyama
author_sort Auretta S. Kummar
collection DOAJ
description Neuroimaging studies in the area of mindfulness research have provided preliminary support for the idea of fear extinction as a plausible underlying mechanism through which mindfulness exerts its positive benefits. Whilst brain regions identified in the fear extinction network are typically found at a subcortical level, studies have also demonstrated the feasibility of cortical measures of the brain, such as electroencephalogram (EEG), in implying subcortical activations of the fear extinction network. Such EEG studies have also found evidence of a relationship between brain reactivity to unpleasant stimuli (i.e., fear extinction) and severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Therefore, the present paper seeks to briefly review the parallel findings between the neurophysiological literature of mindfulness and fear extinction (particularly that yielded by EEG measures), and discusses the implications of this for fear-based psychopathologies, such as trauma, and finally presents suggestions for future studies. This paper also discusses the clinical value in integrating EEG in psychological treatment for trauma, as it holds the unique potential to detect neuromarkers, which may enable earlier diagnoses, and can also provide neurofeedback over the course of treatment.
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spelling doaj.art-bf609c7c296240cd854a7ac5665efad02022-12-22T01:32:01ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252019-09-0191025810.3390/brainsci9100258brainsci9100258A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)Auretta S. Kummar0Helen Correia1Hakuei Fujiyama2Discipline of Psychology, Exercise Science, Chiropractic and Counselling; College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, AustraliaDiscipline of Psychology, Exercise Science, Chiropractic and Counselling; College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, AustraliaDiscipline of Psychology, Exercise Science, Chiropractic and Counselling; College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, AustraliaNeuroimaging studies in the area of mindfulness research have provided preliminary support for the idea of fear extinction as a plausible underlying mechanism through which mindfulness exerts its positive benefits. Whilst brain regions identified in the fear extinction network are typically found at a subcortical level, studies have also demonstrated the feasibility of cortical measures of the brain, such as electroencephalogram (EEG), in implying subcortical activations of the fear extinction network. Such EEG studies have also found evidence of a relationship between brain reactivity to unpleasant stimuli (i.e., fear extinction) and severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Therefore, the present paper seeks to briefly review the parallel findings between the neurophysiological literature of mindfulness and fear extinction (particularly that yielded by EEG measures), and discusses the implications of this for fear-based psychopathologies, such as trauma, and finally presents suggestions for future studies. This paper also discusses the clinical value in integrating EEG in psychological treatment for trauma, as it holds the unique potential to detect neuromarkers, which may enable earlier diagnoses, and can also provide neurofeedback over the course of treatment.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/9/10/258mindfulnessfear extinctiontraumaptsdelectroencephalogram (eeg)neurofeedback
spellingShingle Auretta S. Kummar
Helen Correia
Hakuei Fujiyama
A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)
Brain Sciences
mindfulness
fear extinction
trauma
ptsd
electroencephalogram (eeg)
neurofeedback
title A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)
title_full A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)
title_fullStr A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)
title_full_unstemmed A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)
title_short A Brief Review of the EEG Literature on Mindfulness and Fear Extinction and its Potential Implications for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS)
title_sort brief review of the eeg literature on mindfulness and fear extinction and its potential implications for posttraumatic stress symptoms ptss
topic mindfulness
fear extinction
trauma
ptsd
electroencephalogram (eeg)
neurofeedback
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/9/10/258
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