Focus is Neural Effects of Mindfulness Training on Attention, No Condition
Conditions
Keywords
Attention, ERP, event-related potentials, fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging, MBSR, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness Meditation Training, MMT
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to examine behavioral and neural changes resulting from Mindfulness Meditation Training (MMT), and to use this knowledge in advancing our understanding of the mechanisms of attention.
Detailed description
Mindfulness Meditation Training (MMT) has been used successfully to decrease stress, pain, and adverse health symptoms in a varied subject population. MMT has been described as paying attention in a particular way. Although attention is a key component of meditation, little is known about the cognitive and neural changes within the human attention system that result from MMT. In this study, we examine the effects of MMT on the human attention system using neurobehavioral measures. Here MMT comprises participation in a Mindfulness-Based-Stress-Reduction (MBSR) course, while the comparison group participates in a nutrition education course, both 8 weeks long. We compare the performance and neural activity of these groups both before and after participation in the course.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALMindfulness Meditation Training (MMT)
8-week training course in mindfulness meditation
BEHAVIORALNutrition Education course
8-week course in nutrition
Sponsors
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
University of Pennsylvania
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Men and women (all races and ethnicities) between 18 and 40 years old * Women of childbearing age with a negative pregnancy test within 48 hours of scanning * In good health * Right-handed * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision * English as a first language * Able to understand and provide signed informed consent * No history of metal in their body or other reasons why they could not undergo an Magnetic Resonance Imaging * No history of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, encephalopathy or encephalitis, minimal-cognitive impairment or dementia, movement disorder such as Parkinson's disease, head trauma causing loss of consciousness, cancer involving the central nervous system
Exclusion criteria
* Pregnant or breast-feeding women * Individuals with implanted metal or electronic devices that would prevent them from MRI scanning. * Individuals with a history of neurologic dysfunction that would prevent performance on attentional tasks including: history of transient ischemic attacks, history of cerebral infarction, history of Binswanger's disease (or a history of hypertensive encephalopathy), history of intracranial hemorrhage, history of head trauma with loss of consciousness, history of encephalitis, history of extended exposure to any known neurotoxin, history of acquired cognitive impairment, history of normal pressure hydrocephalus, history of a cancer metastatic to the central nervous system, history of Parkinson's or other basal ganglia disease, history of Guillain-Barré syndrome or chronic or relapsing polyneuropathy
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reaction Times on the Sustained Attention to Response Task. | 9 weeks | Single digits (0-9) are flashed on the screen one by one. The number 3 is the target and all other digits are non-targets. The participant is asked to press the space bar for nontargets and withhold from pressing the space bar for the target. |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Recruitment details
PI Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania Round 1 of recruitment February 1-15, 2007 Round 2 of recruitment September 7-21, 2008
Pre-assignment details
Participants ages and gender were matched across groups. Significant prior experience with meditation or current or past neurological disorder or metal in body (for FMRI safety) were used as exclusion criteria
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Mindfulness Training Group Meditation training group-- received Mindfulness Based Stress Management from the Penn Program for Stress Management | 30 |
| Nutrition Education Group Nutrition education group - received information about nutrition | 30 |
| Total | 60 |
Withdrawals & dropouts
| Period | Reason | FG000 | FG001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Study | Withdrawal by Subject | 10 | 7 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Total | Mindfulness Training Group | Nutrition Education Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Categorical <=18 years | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical >=65 years | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years | 60 Participants | 30 Participants | 30 Participants |
| Age Continuous | 46 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 12 | 45 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 11 | 46 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 12 |
| Region of Enrollment United States | 60 participants | 30 participants | 30 participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 32 Participants | 16 Participants | 16 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 28 Participants | 14 Participants | 14 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | — / — | — / — |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 30 | 0 / 30 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 30 | 0 / 30 |
Outcome results
Primary
Reaction Times on the Sustained Attention to Response Task.
Single digits (0-9) are flashed on the screen one by one. The number 3 is the target and all other digits are non-targets. The participant is asked to press the space bar for nontargets and withhold from pressing the space bar for the target.
Time frame: 9 weeks
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness Training Group | Reaction Times on the Sustained Attention to Response Task. | 380 milliseconds | Standard Deviation 24 |
| Nutrition Education Group | Reaction Times on the Sustained Attention to Response Task. | 407 milliseconds | Standard Deviation 22 |
Comparison: Statistical tests are evaluated at an alpha level of 0.05 (corrected, when appropriate, for multiple comparisons). Analyses are performed on both response latency and accuracy on behavioral data. For latency analyses, mean response times for correct trials are calculated for each subject. Repeated-measures ANOVA are used for omnibus tests; paired t-tests are used for individual planned contrasts, with Bonferroni-corrected significance levels to maintain a .05 alpha levelp-value: <0.01ANOVA