Elisa Harumi Kozasa

Meditation training increases brain efficiency in an attention task

Meditation is a mental training, which involves attention and the ability to maintain focus on a particular object. In this study we have applied a specific attentional task to simply measure the performance of the participants with different levels of meditation experience, rather than evaluating meditation practice per se or task performance during meditation. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of regular meditators and non-meditators during an fMRI adapted Stroop Word-Colour Task (SWCT), which requires attention and impulse control, using a block design paradigm. We selected 20 right-handed regular meditators and 19 non-meditators matched for age, years of education and gender. Participants had to choose the colour (red, blue or green) of single words presented visually in three conditions: congruent, neutral and incongruent. Non-meditators showed greater activity than meditators in the right medial frontal, middle temporal, precentral and postcentral gyri and the lentiform nucleus during the incongruent conditions. No regions were more activated in meditators relative to non-meditators in the same comparison. Non-meditators showed an increased pattern of brain activation relative to regular meditators under the same behavioural performance level. This suggests that meditation training improves efficiency, possibly via improved sustained attention and impulse control.

Yoga decreases insomnia in postmenopausal women: a randomized clinical trial.

ObjectiveThe practice of yoga has been proven to have positive effects on reducing insomnia. Studies have also shown its effects on reducing climacteric symptoms. To date, however, no studies that evaluate the effects of yoga on postmenopausal women with a diagnosis of insomnia in a randomized clinical trial have been conducted. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of yoga practice on the physical and mental health and climacteric symptoms of postmenopausal women with a diagnosis of insomnia. MethodsPostmenopausal women not undergoing hormone therapy, who were 50 to 65 years old, who had an apnea-hypopnea index less than 15, and who had a diagnosis of insomnia were randomly assigned to one of three groups, as follows: control, passive stretching, and yoga. Questionnaires were administered before and 4 months after the intervention to evaluate quality of life, anxiety and depression symptoms, climacteric symptoms, insomnia severity, daytime sleepiness, and stress. The volunteers also underwent polysomnography. The study lasted 4 months. ResultsThere were 44 volunteers at the end of the study. When compared with the control group, the yoga group had significantly lower posttreatment scores for climacteric symptoms and insomnia severity and higher scores for quality of life and resistance phase of stress. The reduction in insomnia severity in the yoga group was significantly higher than that in the control and passive-stretching groups. ConclusionsThis study showed that a specific sequence of yoga might be effective in reducing insomnia and menopausal symptoms as well as improving quality of life in postmenopausal women with insomnia.

Evaluation of Siddha Samadhi Yoga for Anxiety and Depression Symptoms: A Preliminary Study:

Siddha Samadhi Yoga is a program in which meditation is associated with pranayama (breathing exercises). 22 volunteers with anxiety complaints (M age = 42.8 yr., SD = 10.3) were assigned to two groups: 14 attended the yoga group, and 8 attended a waiting-list or control group. They were evaluated before the intervention and 1 month after it on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory, Tension Feelings Self-evaluation Scales, and the Well-being Self-evaluation Scales. A significant reduction in scores on anxiety, depression, and tension was found in yoga group, as well as an increase in well-being in comparison with the control group.

Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Changes during Yoga Sessions: The Effects of Respiratory Exercises and Meditation Practices

The novelty of this study was to investigate the changes in cardiorespiratory and metabolic intensity brought about by the practice of pranayamas (breathing exercises of yoga) and meditation during the same hatha-yoga session. The technique applied was the one advocated by the hatha-yoga system. Nine yoga instructors—five females and four males, mean age of 44xa0±xa011, 6, were subjected to analysis of the gases expired during three distinct periods of 30xa0min: rest, respiratory exercises and meditative practice. A metabolic open circuit computerized system was applied (VO2000, MedGraphics—USA). The oxygen uptake (VO2) and the carbon dioxide output (VCO2) were statistically different (Pxa0≤xa00.05) during meditation and pranayama practices when compared with rest. The heart rate also suffered relevant reductions when results at rest were compared with those during meditation. A smaller proportion of lipids was metabolized during meditation practice compared with rest. The results suggest that the meditation used in this study reduces the metabolic rate whereas the specific pranayama technique in this study increases it when compared with the rest state.

Mind-body interventions for the treatment of insomnia: a review

OBJECTIVEnAs insomnia is highly prevalent, and side effects of medication are well-known, mind-body interventions are increasingly being sought. The objective of this study is to present a narrative review regarding the effects of mind-body interventions for the treatment of insomnia.nnnMETHODnA PubMed search was conducted including only randomized, controlled trials in which the main objective was to treat insomnia.nnnDISCUSSIONnTwelve studies were selected. In three of the studies, objective parameters (polysomnography) were analyzed. Mind-body interventions were able to improve sleep efficiency and total sleep time. Most can ameliorate sleep quality; some can reduce the use of hypnotic drugs in those who are dependent on these drugs.nnnCONCLUSIONnAccording to the studies we selected, self-reported sleep was improved by all mind-body treatments, among them yoga, relaxation, Tai Chi Chih and music. Cognitive behavioral therapy seems to be the most effective mind-body intervention. Cognitive behavioral therapy was the only intervention that showed better results than medication. However, considering that only five of the twelve studies chosen reached a score of 3 in the Jadad scale, new studies with a higher methodological quality have to be conducted especially in mind-body interventions that belong to the complementary or alternative medicine field.

A yoga and compassion meditation program reduces stress in familial caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients.

Familial caregivers of patients with Alzheimers disease exhibit reduced quality of life and increased stress levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week yoga and compassion meditation program on the perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and salivary cortisol levels in familial caregivers. A total of 46 volunteers were randomly assigned to participate in a stress-reduction program for a 2-month period (yoga and compassion meditation program—YCMP group) (n = 25) or an untreated group for the same period of time (control group) (n = 21). The levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and morning salivary cortisol of the participants were measured before and after intervention. The groups were initially homogeneous; however, after intervention, the groups diverged significantly. The YCMP group exhibited a reduction of the stress (P < 0.05), anxiety (P < 0.000001), and depression (P < 0.00001) levels, as well as a reduction in the concentration of salivary cortisol (P < 0.05). Our study suggests that an 8-week yoga and compassion meditation program may offer an effective intervention for reducing perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and salivary cortisol in familial caregivers.

The Effects of Meditation-Based Interventions on the Treatment of Fibromyalgia

Meditation is the third most commonly requested complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapy reported in a US survey. Those who suffer from chronic pain are those who most frequently use CAM therapies. This review aims to evaluate whether meditation-based interventions can help the treatment of fibromyalgia. A PubMed search was conducted using the terms “fibromyalgia” and “meditation”, or “mindfulness”, or “mantra” or “relaxation response”. We selected articles which clearly described a meditation intervention being used in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Only four articles were classified with score 3 in the Jadad scale. Another seven articles were included in this review. Most of the results indicate improvement in fibromyalgia-related symptoms in patients who participated in a meditation-based intervention. Considering only 4 of the 13 studies achieved a score of 3 on the Jadad scale, researchers of meditation interventions should discuss the best methodologic control for these studies.

Effect of Progressive Self-Focus Meditation on Attention, Anxiety, and Depression Scores

This study evaluated the effects of Progressive Self-focus Meditation with 42 volunteers (M age = 46.0 yr., SD = 14.1) allocated to two groups: one that had weekly 1-hr. training sessions in the practice for 5 wk. and one waiting-list group. Participants were evaluated before and after 5 wk. on the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, the Digit Symbol subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, and the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale. After 5 wk., a significant reduction in scores on depression was found in the Meditation group as well as an increase in attention in comparison with the waiting-list Control group.

Preliminary functional magnetic resonance imaging Stroop task results before and after a Zen meditation retreat

FOR MANY CENTURIES, Asian philosophers have affirmed that there are different states of awareness to be developed through meditation. Meditation results in changes in cognition, sensory perception, affect, hormones, and autonomic activity. Until today, there have been very few imaging studies of the neural correlates of meditation. Most of them study the act of meditation by experienced meditators during image acquisition. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has the ability to collect anatomical and functional data and has better resolution compared to positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography. The intense noise of the machine and the obligatory prone position are not the best environment for the study of meditation practice in the MR machine. Meditation involves sustained focused attention that can be developed by training. Instead of evaluating the meditation practice itself, our approach is to evaluate the neural correlates of performance modulation on an attention paradigm (the Stroop word–color task; SWCT) before and after a meditation retreat. The SWCT relies on the inhibition of reading colored words, a process that tends to dominate and occur earlier than the color recognition process. Color naming can be slowed by the concomitant presence of an incongruent word color. For example, naming ‘blue’ as the color of the word ‘red’ is slower than naming the word ‘blue’ displayed in blue color. In this study we examined the short-term effects of an 8-day long Zen Buddhist meditation retreat (‘Sesshin’) on the performance in the SWCT with fMRI as a feasibility study with a well-known neuropsychological paradigm using a 1.5-T magnet (Signa Twin; Excite V. 10, GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee and EUA, gradient 40 mT/m, and an eight channel head coil). Silicon earplugs and earphones were provided to attenuate acoustic noise. One Zen Buddhist nun and four other regular meditators with at least 6 months of meditation practice were scanned before and after ‘Sesshin’, twice in each session (test–retest design). The subjects gave their written consent, according to the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein Ethics Committee. The fMRI results of subject C00040 (as a representative of the entire group) shows enhanced activation of the anterior cingulate, right dorsolateral prefrontal, insular, occipital and parietal cortices after meditation practice. According to the literature these areas represent functional activation related to attentional circuitry and reinforce the idea that meditation can further develop attentional abilities that have lasting effects. The small number of subjects does not allow for statistical validation of the results, but the change in each subject compared to the individual’s baseline and the improved performance does encourage us to pursue this experiment design. This new model of investigation is based on studying the effects of meditation while subjects perform neuropsychological paradigms, instead of having them practice meditation within the MR magnet.

Mindfulness Meditation Improves Mood, Quality of Life, and Attention in Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective. Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) display affective problems and impaired attention. Mood in ADHD can be improved by mindful awareness practices (MAP), but results are mixed regarding the enhancement of attentional performance. Here we evaluated MAP-induced changes in quality of life (QoL), mood, and attention in adult ADHD patients and controls using more measures of attention than prior studies. Methods. Twenty-one ADHD patients and 8 healthy controls underwent 8 weekly MAP sessions; 22 similar patients and 9 controls did not undergo the intervention. Mood and QoL were assessed using validated questionnaires, and attention was evaluated using the Attentional Network Test (ANT) and the Conners Continuous Performance Test (CPT II), before and after intervention. Results. MAP enhanced sustained attention (ANT) and detectability (CPT II) and improved mood and QoL of patients and controls. Conclusion. MAP is a complementary intervention that improves affect and attention of adults with ADHD and controls.