Mindfulness may alter brain metabolism, small study hints

NCT ID NCT05710250

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looked at whether a 6-week mindfulness meditation program can change brain metabolism in areas linked to memory. Thirty female students were randomly assigned to either mindfulness training or muscle relaxation. Researchers used brain scans to measure chemicals like glutamate and tested memory performance before and after the program.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program
What this could lead to
If successful, this could help explain how mindfulness meditation improves memory and academic performance by changing brain chemistry.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early study with only 30 female students, so results may not apply to everyone. It measures brain changes, not long-term benefits.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for BEHAVIOR are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Behavior

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Clinical Investigation Center

    Tours, France

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.