Effect of Network-based Real Time Neurofeedback Augmentation of Mindfulness Practice on Recurrent Negative Thinking in Adolescents at Risk for Serious Mental Illness

Summary

The study will test the hypothesis that mindfulness-based neurofeedback (mbNF) will improve repetitive negative thinking and social and role functioning over sham neurofeedback in adolescents at risk for serious mental illness. To do so, 90 adolescents ages 14-21 with elevated repetitive negative thinking will be enrolled into a double-blind randomized clinical trial of sessions of mindfulness training with either active mindfulness-based neurofeedback or sham neurofeedback and three months of mindfulness practice and follow up.

Description

Eligibility

Age range

14–21 years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

No

Interventions

• Behavioral
  Mindfulness Training

  All participants will complete a single 45-minute mindfulness training at Visit 2, with a refresher prior to the second mbNF session at Visit 3. Clinically trained study staff will conduct the training with the aim of teaching "mental noting," a core mindfulness technique to be practiced and employed during neurofeedback. Mental noting is a major component of Vipassana (insight mindfulness meditation); its key principles include: "concentration", "observing sensory experience,'' "not 'efforting'", and "contentment".Specifically, participants will be taught to mentally label/note whatever sensation is most prominent in their sensory experience from moment to moment (e.g., seeing, hearing, feeling, thinking). Training will be personalized to identify scenarios in which mental noting can be applied in the context of each person's daily life, explaining the goal of using these strategies to manage distress in daily life.

• Behavioral
  Active mindfulness-based neurofeedback (Active mbNF)

  Before the MRI scan, participants will practice mental noting by verbalizing their mental label with the study clinician providing feedback. Participants will then complete a silent practice of mental noting while viewing simulated neurofeedback. Participants will be trained until they feel competent to use mental noting in the scanner. During active mbNF (6 runs, 2.5 minutes each), participants will use mental noting with the aim of controlling visual feedback. Specifically, they will attempt to move the position of the white dot toward the (upper) red circle and away from the (lower) blue circle.

• Behavioral
  Sham mindfulness-based neurofeedback

  Before the MRI scan, participants will practice mental noting by verbalizing their mental label with the study clinician providing feedback. Participants will then complete a silent practice of mental noting while viewing simulated neurofeedback. Participants will be trained until they feel competent to use mental noting in the scanner. During sham mbNF, participants will view a visual display (white dot, red and blue circles) extracted from a previously acquired mbNF session. The display will be independent from brain activity in the sham condition and will simply mirror the stimuli observed by those in the mbNF group. This ensures participants across groups are viewing equivalent stimuli for the same amount of overall time.

Location