Ultrasound Brain Stimulation Boosts Mindfulness

In this edition of Today in Science, deep-brain ultrasound stimulation could focus a wandering mind.

This is an abbreviated version of Today in Science, our free daily newsletter that covers the latest cutting edge discoveries in science. Sign up to get the full edition of Today in Science in your inbox every day.

—Robin Lloyd, Contributing Editor

Be Here, Now

A five-minute zap with low-intensity ultrasound waves can foreclose some of the negative pathways of a wandering mind, such as excessive introspection and off-task rumination, a small study suggests. After a brief session of ultrasound stimulation to a deep-brain area called the default mode network (DMN), study participants reported being more able to feel present in the moment and to suspend judgment of themselves and others compared with participants who received a placebo stimulation.?

What the experts say: “One of the greatest barriers to meditation and mindfulness is the steep learning curve. Brain stimulation can act like training wheels for the mind, helping people achieve that deep state of consciousness. That’s our larger goal,” said study co-author and cognitive neuroscientist Brian Lord.?

Why it matters: Abnormal connectivity and functioning in the DMN is associated with anxiety and depression, reports freelance writer Lucy Tu. Interruption of those pathways could help people experience fewer negative thoughts and experience more detachment from feelings and time. ?

Sign up here to read the full version of Today in Science!