Educational and Developmental Neuroscience Unit - March Research Seminar I: Can the neural–cortisol association be moderated by training-induced mindful experience?

Educational and Developmental Neuroscience Unit

Date	2015-03-16
Time	12:00 - 13:00
E-mail	ednu@ied.edu.hk
Venue	HKIEd Tai Po Campus B4-LP-10

EDNU March Research Seminar I: Can the neural-cortisol association be moderated by training-induced mindful experience?

Date: 16 Mar 2015 (Mon)

Time: 12:00 - 13:00

Venue: HKIEd Tai Po Campus B4-LP-10

Speaker: Dr. Way Lau

Cortisol homeostasis is important for cognitive and affective functions, which depend on cortisol-sensitive brain regions, including the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Recent studies have shown that mindfulness training induces changes in the brain. We report the findings of a longitudinal study that verified the moderation effect of mindfulness on the neural–cortisol association in cortisol-sensitive brain regions. These findings provide the first piece of evidence that planned behavioral experience can moderate the neural–cortisol association. A wide spectrum of mindfulness changes was achieved in a sample of 22 Chinese participants, divided into two groups: Awareness-based compassion meditation (ABCM) (n=11) and relaxation (n=11). Significant improvements in mindfulness were observed in the ABCM group after training. Using this longitudinal design involving mindfulness training through meditation practice, changes in the level of awareness were significant moderators of hippocampal–cortisol changes. Furthermore, there was a significant negative association between changes in plasma cortisol level and the resting-state synchrony of the bilateral hippocampal and insula-frontal-operculum regions as a result of mindfulness training. These novel findings shed light on the inter-relationships between changes in hippocampal–cortisol levels and changes in awareness and preliminarily identify the neural underpinnings of interventions for cortisol-related abnormal functioning for further study.

Dr. Way Lau is a molecular biologist. His publications cover a wide range of research fields from basic science, drug discovery to translational study. His recent researches focus on studying the biological and neurological mechanisms of non-pharmacological interventions, such as mindfulness training and electrostimulation of the brain. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Department of Psychiatry in HKU.