Neural Effects of Mindfulness Training on Attention

NCT ID: NCT00379210

Last Updated: 2012-01-26

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 60 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2006-09-30
• Study Completion Date: 2009-08-31

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.

Conditions

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

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

1

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.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Mindfulness Meditation Training (MMT)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

8-week training course in mindfulness meditation

2

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.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Nutrition Education course

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

8-week course in nutrition

Interventions

Mindfulness Meditation Training (MMT)

8-week training course in mindfulness meditation

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Nutrition Education course

8-week course in nutrition

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

MBSR, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Eligibility Criteria

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

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Pennsylvania

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Amishi P Jha, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Pennsylvania

Locations

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Countries

United States

Related Links

http://amishi.com

Laboratory of Dr. Amishi Jha

Other Identifiers

R21AT002761-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

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10012037

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: secondary_id

R21AT002761-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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