Neural Effects of Mindfulness Training on Attention

University of Pennsylvania

Status: Completed

Conditions: No Condition; Focus is Neural Effects of Mindfulness Training on Attention

Treatments: Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation Training (MMT); Behavioral: Nutrition Education course

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00379210

R21AT002761-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

10012037

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full 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.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

1

Experimental group

Description:

Meditation training group-- received Mindfulness Based Stress Management from the Penn Program for Stress Management. The meditation practice initially emphasized attention to a single focus. For most concentrative exercises, this focus was the breath. The sensations of breathing were to be examined closely, and when attention wandered it was to be redirected back to the breath. In other exercises, the focus of attention was to be directed to sensations within specific body parts (body scan exercise) and sensations of walking (walking meditation). During the 5th week of classes, the mindfulness training was expanded to include some explicit training in receptive attention.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Mindfulness Meditation Training (MMT)

2

Active Comparator group

Description:

Nutrition education group An active comparison condition involving nutrition education was offered. This course matched the mindfulness course in all dimensions including course duration, homework, psychosocial support, and teacher expertise. The course was taught by a nurse who had expertise in nutrition and offered a program described in the book, Nutrition for Life by Lisa Hark.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nutrition Education course