Mindfulness-Based Interventions for the Treatment of Aberrant Interoceptive Processing in Substance Use Disorders

Brain Sciences

Namik Kirlic¹  Jennifer L. Stewart¹  Chrysantha Davis¹  April C. May² 

[1] Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK 74136, USA;San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA 92037, USA;

关键词: interoception;    mindfulness;    substance use disorder;    insula;   

DOI  :  10.3390/brainsci12020279

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Altered interoception, or the processing of bodily signals, has been argued to play a role in the development and maintenance of substance use disorders (SUD). Therefore, interoceptive interventions focusing on bodily awareness, such as mindfulness meditation, may improve treatment outcomes for individuals with SUD. Here we review: (1) subjective, behavioral and brain evidence for altered interoceptive processing in SUD, focusing on insular and anterior cingulate cortices (INS, ACC), key regions for interoceptive processing; (2) research highlighting links between mindfulness and brain function; and (3) extant brain research investigating mindfulness-based interventions in SUD. SUD tend to be characterized by heightened INS and ACC responses to drug cues but blunted interoceptive awareness and attenuated INS and ACC responses during tasks involving bodily attention and/or perturbations. In contrast, mindfulness interventions in healthy individuals are linked to enhanced INS and ACC responses and heightened interoceptive awareness. It is crucial for future research to identify: (1) whether mindfulness-based treatments are efficacious across substance classes; (2) what particular approaches and dosages show the largest effect sizes in enhancing INS and ACC function to non-drug stimuli and reducing responsivity to substance cues, thereby improving SUD treatment outcomes (reducing drug craving and relapse).

【 授权许可】

Unknown