Meditation helps kids suffering from trauma, say neuroscientists

Hilary A. Marsak, Wayne State University

Actively meditating children showed lower activity in parts of the brain associated with rumination, distraction and depression, according to the first brain imaging study conducted by our research team in adolescents under the age of 18. Overactivity in this brain region, known as the default mode network, is thought to be involved in generating negative self-directed thoughts, such as “I’m such a terrible person,” that are hallmarks of depression and other mental illnesses.

In our study, we compared two relatively simple forms of meditation: a simple distraction – counting backwards from ten – and mindful acceptance by focusing on one’s breathing. Children inside an MRI scanner were required to use these techniques while watching a pain-inducing video clip, such as a child receiving an injection.

“We found that meditation was more effective than distraction at calming activity in brain networks, supporting research from our lab and others showing that contemplative and martial arts-based meditation programs are effective in reducing pain and stress in children and their siblings with cancer and other chronic illnesses, as well as in school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The study, led by medical student Aneesh Hare, is significant because meditation techniques such as focusing on the breath and mindful acceptance are popular in schools and are increasingly being used to help children cope with stressful experiences, which can include trauma, exposure to medical procedures, and even COVID-19-related stress. https://www.youtube.com/embed/SpjWb9teKSY?wmode=transparent&start=0 Here’s what happened at one elementary school that made meditation part of its curriculum:

While researchers know a lot about what happens to the brain and body when adults meditate, comparable data on children is lacking. Understanding what happens to children’s brains when they meditate is important because developing brains are wired differently than adult brains.

These findings are important because caregivers and health care workers often use distraction methods, such as iPads or toys, to help them cope with pain and distress during medical procedures, etc. But these techniques may rely heavily on the prefrontal cortex, which is underdeveloped in young people.

That is, stress and emotion regulation techniques that rely on the prefrontal cortex may be effective in adults but may be less accessible to children. Meditation techniques may not rely on the prefrontal cortex and therefore may be more accessible and effective in helping children manage and cope with stress.

There is still much to learn about how meditation affects children’s brain development, including what types of meditation techniques are most effective, the ideal frequency and duration, and how meditation may affect children differently.

Our study focused on a relatively small sample of 12 children with active cancer and survivors who may have experienced significant distress from their diagnosis, treatment, and anxiety about the future. Future studies with larger sample sizes, including children with more diverse diagnoses and those exposed to early life adversity and trauma, will help researchers like us gain a deeper understanding of how meditation affects children’s brains and bodies.

Our findings highlight the need to understand exactly how meditation techniques work. Exciting recent studies have begun to look at how participation in mindfulness and meditation-based programs affects children’s brain functioning.

Understanding how these technologies work is also essential to optimising their application in healthcare settings, such as addressing needle-related procedures or helping children manage the adverse effects of stress and trauma.

Hilary A. Marsak , Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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