In this article comments on “The effects of gratitude expression on Neural Activity written by Kini Wong and a group of authors, it was published on March 1, 2016 in Neuroimage .
Interpretation of the findings
Gratitude correlates with activity in specific set of brain regions; and a simple gratitude writing intervention results in measurable in both gratefulness and neural sensitivity to gratitude over the course of weeks to months.
Specifically in this study significantly better mental health was reported by the participants involved in the gratitude interventions when compared with those in the expressive writing and therapy-as-usual. These improved outcomes lasted from about 4 weeks to 12 weeks. Additionally, when the gratitude writing was compared with expressive writing, a lower proportion of negative emotion words in subjects’ writing were indicative of better mental health.
This has strong implications for therapy and the practice of gratitude interventions. It appears when working with anxiety and depression a gratitude journal, modeling (positive words and behaviors) and the teaching of gratitude (positive words and behaviors) exercise can result in significant positive outcomes for clients and patients.
Conclusions
The effects of gratitude interventions in therapy are long lasting with long term effects on the brain which can be measured. There is both a difference in the measurement of gratitude from the measurement of empathy, theory of mind, and altruism and an overlap. The experience and expression of gratitude involves neural mechanisms associated with predicting the effects of one’s actions, mental arithmetic and calculations, and carrying out multiple tasks at once. Even brief expressions of gratitude show evidence of profound and lasting effects on neural activity and sensitivity, especially when considering the relationship of self to others.
Reference
Kini, P., Wong, J., McInnis, S., Gabana, N., & Brown, J. W. (2016). The effects of gratitude expression on neural activity. NeuroImage, 128, 1-10. doi: http://dx.doi.org.proxy1.calsouthern.edu/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.12.040
Even brief expressions of gratitude show evidence of profound and lasting effects on neural activity and sensitivity, especially when considering the relationship of self to others.
In this article, this author explores ADHD and the brain and body connection, and the implications this has in the treatment of ADHD with Heart Rate Variability. HRV biofeedback or training is a a non-medication treatment approach in the management of ADHD symptoms using heart rate variability, HRV.
Brain and Body Connection
Clinical improvement of ADHD increases sympathetic domination and reduces parasympathetic domination, causing the sympathovagal balance to tilt towards the sympathetic section, which shows in HRV analysis (Dogra et al., 2018). Thus, HRV shows the linkage between mental processes and autonomic regulation (Dogra et al., 2018). Preschool children with ADHD were examined for sympathetic-linked cardiac activity, reactivity and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), an index of parasympathetic – linked cardiac activity (Beauchanine et al., 2013). Children who showed reduced baseline RSA and greater RSA withdrawal scored lower on prosocial behavior before and after treatment. Additionally, those children who displayed greater RSA withdrawal scored lower on emotion regulation before and after treatment (Beauchanine et al., 2013).
Recently, researchers have shown that a change in mental state can affect the autonomic nervous system, showing children with ADHD have a sympathetic under arousal and a parasympathetic overarousal (Dogra, et al., 2018). ADHD is marked by decreased attention span, impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and autonomic nervous system imbalances (Wajnsztejn et al., 2015). An increase in chaotic activity in children with ADHD can be seen by analyzing the HRV (Wajnsztejn et al., 2015). ADHD individuals have been found to have an HRV with a greater 0.10 Hz component, which is associated with poor test performance over time (Borger et al., 1999).
Implications
Slow, deep lower abdominal breathing has been central to Asian cultural practices and has served as a powerful tool for transformation and healing (Deadman, 2018). Recently, mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve self-control, self-regulation, and improve attention, as well as help with the core ADHD symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity (Tang & Tang, 2015). Clinical improvement of ADHD increases sympathetic domination and reduces parasympathetic domination, causing the sympathovagal balance to tilt towards the sympathetic section, which shows in HRV analysis (Dogra et al., 2018). Thus, HRV shows the linkage between mental processes and autonomic regulation (Dogra et al., 2018), improved coherent heart rhythm, and diminished symptoms of ADHD.
“Recently, mindfulness meditation has been shown to improve self-control, self-regulation, and improve attention, as well as help with the core ADHD symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity”
– Dr. Diann Sanford, Psy.D, LPC
References
Beauchanine, T. P., Gatzke-Kopp, L., Neuhaus, E., Chipman, J., Reid, M. J., & Webster-Stratton, C. (2013). Sympathetic and parasympathetic linked cardiac function and prediction of externalizing behavior, emotion regulation, and prosocial behavior among preschoolers treated for ADHD. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 81(3), 481-493. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0032302
Deadman, P. (2018). The transformative power of deep, slow breathing. Journal of Chinese Medicine, 116, 56-62. Retrieved from https://www.journalofchinesemedicine.com/the-transformative-power-of-deep-slow-breathing.html
Dogra, P., Mondal, S., Bandhu, R., Kataria, D., & Ramesh V, O. S. (2018). Correlation between Conner’s parent rating score and HRV in ADHD children treated with methylphenidate. International Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences Research (IJDMSR), 2(6), 44-49.
Deadman, P. (2018). The transformative power of deep, slow breathing. Journal of Chinese Medicine, 116, 56-62. Retrieved from https://www.journalofchinesemedicine.com/the-transformative-power-of-deep-slow-breathing.html
Dogra, P., Mondal, S., Bandhu, R., Kataria, D., & Ramesh V, O. S. (2018). Correlation between Conner’s parent rating score and HRV in ADHD children treated with methylphenidate. International Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences Research (IJDMSR), 2(6), 44-49.
McCraty, R., Atkinson, M., Tomasino, D., & Bradley, R. T. (2009). The coherent heart: heart-brain interactions, psychophysiological coherence, and the emergence of system-wide order. Integral Review, 5(2), 13-73.
Tang, Y., & Tang, R. (2015). Mindfulness Meditation – A new preventive intervention for ADHD. INTECH, 294-300. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/61213
Wajnsztejn, R., Carvalho, T. D., Garner, D. M., Vanderlei, L. C., Godoy, M. F., Raimundo, R. D., & Ferreira, C. (2015, June 2). Heart rate variability analysis by chaotic global techniques in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Complexity. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cplx.21700
