Distinct and shared therapeutic neural mechanisms of mindfulness-based and social support stress reduction groups in adults with autism spectrum disorder.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) alleviates depression and anxiety in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, underlying therapeutic neural mechanisms and mindfulness-specific effects have yet to be elucidated.

Methods

We randomly assigned adults with ASD to MBSR or social support/education (SE). They completed questionnaires that assessed depression, anxiety, mindfulness traits, autistic traits and executive functioning abilities as well as a self-reflection functional MRI task. We used repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to evaluate behavioural changes. To identify task-specific connectivity changes, we performed a generalized psychophysiological interactions (gPPI) functional connectivity (FC) analysis on regions of interest

SUBMITTER: Pagni BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10065804 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar-Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature