Neurobiological Investigations of Mindfulness, Depression and Sleep Disturbances in Medical Staffs and Community Elders

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have capability to effectively reduce anxiety, alleviate stress responses, and decrease negative emotional states and rumination. However, the majority of studies have predominantly focused on younger populations or university students, utilizing subjective scales as assessment tools. Noticeable scarcity of studies is in need to implement mindfulness programs among healthcare staff and elderly patients experiencing depression, despite these groups exhibiting urgent needs for improving mental health. This research project aims to introduce MBI within a healthcare setting to effectively alleviate workplace stress, enhance self-awareness, and improve sleep quality or psychological well-being among medical personnel. Additionally, this initiative targets mental health issues in older adults by recruiting participants from the community surrounding Shuang-Ho Hospital. The program aims to prevent depression, delay cognitive decline, and reduce suicide risk while providing continuous opportunities for personal growth among the senior adults. This effort aligns well with Taiwan government initiatives promoting social support and long-term care in the over-aging societies and lays the groundwork for quantitative research on MBI for older adults. The research team proposes a multi-year study with the first year focusing on the developmental phase. In this initial phase, we aim to recruit 40 participants (including healthcare staff and older adults) from Shuang-Ho Hospital and the surrounding community to undergo two mindfulness intervention sessions, each lasting four months. We anticipate that these interventions will prevent and alleviate stress and depressive symptoms while enhancing self-awareness and psychological health. To explore the neurophysiological effects of mindfulness courses, we will employ advanced technologies, including non-invasive fiber optic physiological monitoring (nFOPT), wearable Garmin smartwatches, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to observe changes in participants' central and peripheral nervous systems throughout the intervention. fMRI will elucidate the central modulatory effects of mindfulness on neural function, while Garmin smartwatches will provide continuous physiological data monitoring. Coupling these methods with nFOPT and the Belun ring will allow for comprehensive sleep quality assessments. This interdisciplinary approach addresses the limitations of prior qualitative-focused mindfulness research. Ultimately, this study aims to advance the care of healthcare workers, fulfill social responsibilities associated with university outreach, and make significant contributions world-wide to both the academic fields of mindfulness and neuroscience.