Brain Scans Prove Treating PTSD With Mindfulness helps veterans recover from trauma

War veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can see their symptoms improve when they practice mindfulness training. Scientists have observed that this mind-body technique - achieved by focusing on awareness of the present moment - triggers changes in the brains of the patients to help them combat the disorder. Their study, published in the journal Depression and Anxiety, investigated whether combining mindfulness with traditional psychotherapy and counselling enabled former soldiers to come to term with painful memories.

The colorful areas show the two brain regions where veterans trained in mindfulness saw the biggest increases in connections, using powerful fMRI scanners.University of Michigan/VA Ann Arbor.