The effect of mindfulness on emotion regulation : A systematic review

Sammanfattning

Mindfulness-based interventions have gained attention as methods for enhancing emotion regulation, yet their underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. This systematic review examined the effects of mindfulness on emotion regulation as measured by fMRI. A systematic search in Scopus and Medline EBSCO identified three empirical studies meeting all inclusion criteria. All studies used task-based fMRI with healthy adults and mindfulness-related conditions. Across studies, mindfulness conditions were associated with statistically significant reductions in negative affect and significantly modulated activity in emotion-related brain regions, particularly the amygdala. Two regulatory pathways were identified: top-down regulation involving increased prefrontal engagement, and bottom-up attenuation of subcortical reactivity without prefrontal involvement. These findings suggest that mindfulness enhances emotion regulation through complementary neural mechanisms depending on the type and duration of practice, supporting its value as an accessible intervention for improving emotional functioning.