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Could Meditation Modulate the Neurobiology of Learning Not to Fear?
NCT01320969 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
It is well-established that the practice of mindfulness meditation leads to improvements in mental health and well-being and the cultivation of positive emotions. However, the neural mechanisms of these improvements are largely unknown. A few recent studies suggest that mindfulness meditation impacts the structure and function of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala. Interestingly, recent studies have shown that these regions are part of a brain circuit that is critical for the extinction of conditioned fear responses, and for the retention of fear extinction memory. Building on the overlap of these regions and on conceptual considerations, the project investigates whether mindfulness meditation could influence one's capacity to retain the memory of fear extinction. Meditation-naïve participants will be randomized to either a mindfulness-meditation based training or an active control training that controls for all mindfulness-unspecific components. Participants will undergo a fear conditioning, extinction and extinction recall protocol in an MRI scanner before and after the trainings. We hypothesize that participants who have practiced mindfulness meditation will show greater improvements in fear extinction memory after the course, and that these improvements will be correlated with anatomical and functional changes in the brain regions of interest. Improvements in fear extinction memory will also be related to improvements in self-reported psychological well-being. Merging the fields of an ancient spiritual tradition and a fundamental learning mechanism, the project investigates the underlying neural mechanisms of a practice for the enhancement of mental health and well-being.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- BEHAVIORAL Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course
Study Locations (1)
Massachusetts
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Charlestown
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 85 participants |
| Start Date | 2010-12 |
| Est. Completion | 2012-05 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT01320969
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT01320969 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 85 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Massachusetts General Hospital, which has 1,948 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 2 conditions, with Healthy Individuals appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 1 intervention — of which Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT01320969 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Massachusetts. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT01320969 about?
NCT01320969 is a clinical study titled "Could Meditation Modulate the Neurobiology of Learning Not to Fear?". It is well-established that the practice of mindfulness meditation leads to improvements in mental health and well-being and the cultivation of positive emotions. However, the neural mechanisms of these improvements are largely unknown. A few recent studies suggest that mindfulness meditation impact...
What is the current status of trial NCT01320969?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 85 participants. The study started on 2010-12. Estimated completion is 2012-05.
What conditions does trial NCT01320969 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Healthy Individuals, Highly Stressed. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT01320969?
The interventions under investigation include: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course (BEHAVIORAL). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT01320969?
This trial is sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital, which has 1,948 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT01320969 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Massachusetts. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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