Temporal Changes in the State Effect of Meditation on Response Inhibition Processes
Noriki Yamaya, Shigeyuki Ikeda, Yuichi Hoshino, Hikaru Takeuchi, Ryuta Kawashima
Mindfulness January 10, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-022-02064-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 39 |
| Population | Healthy participants |
| Interventions | Focused attention meditation Sham meditation |
| Duration | 10-minute meditation, with Stroop task performance measured immediately before and after, and at 20, 40, and 60 minutes after meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Stroop effect Analysis of variance Cognition Clinical psychology Audiology |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Focused attention meditation improved Stroop task performance 60 minutes after meditation, and higher subjective effort was linked to better performance. |
Abstract
Abstract Objectives A single session of brief focused attention meditation (FAM) has a state effect, which temporarily enhances response inhibition processes. However, previous research has two unanswered questions: (i) How long does the state effect last? (ii) How does effort toward FAM relate to the resulting state effect?
Method: Thirty-nine healthy participants participated in two sessions: FAM and sham meditation (SHAM). The participants conducted each meditation for 10 min. The state effect on response inhibition processes was observed as Stroop task performance immediately before and after each meditation, and 20, 40, and 60 min after each meditation. In addition, the subjective effort toward meditation was evaluated using a questionnaire immediately after each meditation.
Results: An analysis of variance revealed a significant interaction between session and time. In the post-hoc analysis, FAM showed significantly better Stroop task performance than the SHAM 60 min after meditation. Furthermore, using correlational analysis, we found that at 60 min, the higher the subjective effort, the better Stroop task performance.
Conclusions: In contrast to previous findings, the state effect was not found immediately after FAM but instead 60 min after. The results can be partially explained by cognitive fatigue; that is, the FAM may have the state effect of preventing cognitive fatigue. This state effect is greater when the subjective effort is greater.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- The Influence of Focused Attention and Open Monitoring Mindfulness Meditation States on True and False Memory Journal of Cognitive Enhancement March 30, 2023
- Preventive effect of one-session brief focused attention meditation on state fatigue: Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Neuroimage August 15, 2024
Cites 22
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience 2013
- Effects of Brief and Sham Mindfulness Meditation on Mood and Cardiovascular Variables The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine July 28, 2010
- Meditation leads to reduced default mode network activity beyond an active task Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience April 22, 2015
- Boredom, sustained attention and the default mode network Experimental Brain Research March 15, 2016
and 17 more in the library