Short-Term Effects of Meditation on Sustained Attention as Measured by fNIRS
Brain Science September 1, 2020 M. Izzetoglu, P. Shewokis, Kathryn Tsai et al.
A single session of loving-kindness meditation improved sustained attention in first-time meditators. Behavioral performance on the Stroop color word task showed significantly faster response times after meditation. Pulse pressure, a physiological measure, dropped significantly after the session. Functional near infrared spectroscopy revealed significant changes in oxygenated, deoxygenated, and total hemoglobin levels in the brain during task performance before and after meditation. The findings suggest that even a brief meditation practice can enhance cognitive, physiological, and behavioral outcomes in novices.