Can Mindfulness Retrain the Brain to Reduce Anxiety? Study Sheds Light

New Delhi: Mindfulness can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms, and different mindfulness practices may be more effective for specific types of anxiety, according to a new study published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. The research concludes that aligning mindfulness techniques with individual anxiety patterns could lead to more targeted and effective treatment strategies.

The framework of the study moves away from the traditional one-size-fits-all model, instead proposing a tailored approach to using mindfulness for anxiety, which spans from mild worry to more severe clinical conditions.

At the core of this new model is the role of cognitive control — the mental ability to regulate thoughts and actions toward achieving goals. Resh Gupta, study’s lead author and a postdoctoral research associate with the Mindfulness Science and Practice cluster at Washington University in St. Louis, explains that mindfulness enhances cognitive control, while anxiety undermines it by flooding the brain’s working memory with worry. Neuroimaging studies support this idea, showing that mindfulness meditation strengthens brain areas associated with cognitive control.

Different types of mindfulness meditations may serve different needs. For those experiencing constant worrying, focused attention meditation, which centres attention on a specific anchor like the breath, can redirect thoughts from worry to the present moment. For individuals suffering from hypervigilance and physical symptoms of anxiety, open monitoring meditation, which involves non-judgmentally observing a wide range of experiences, may be more helpful.

With growing evidence and community engagement, the team hopes to empower individuals to find the mindfulness practice that best suits their needs and enhances their quality of life.

Reference: Gupta, R. S., Heller, W., & Braver, T. S. (2025). Reconceptualizing the relationship between anxiety, mindfulness, and cognitive control. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 106146.