Changes in Multisensory Integration Following Brief State Induction and Longer-Term Training with Body Scan Meditation

A brief body scan meditation makes people more susceptible to a bodily illusion (the rubber hand illusion), suggesting that a short mindfulness induction increases attention to ambiguous bodily signals. However, 14 days of daily body scan training reduces the illusion more than a control activity, indicating that longer-term mindfulness practice dampens the integration of conflicting sensory information. The findings suggest that state and trait mindfulness cultivated through body scan meditation have opposite effects on how the brain combines signals from different senses, with initial heightened attention giving way to acceptance over time.

Study at a glance

Abstract

AbstractObjectivesThe objective was to examine the impact of state and trait mindfulness cultivated through body scan meditation, on bodily multisensory integration, in order to explore effects of increased non-judgmental/accepting attention to ambiguous bodily sensations.MethodsMultisensory integration was operationalised through the rubber hand illusion, which was measured through subjective questionnaires, proprioceptive drift and skin conductance to perceived threat. State mindfulness was induced through a 20-min body scan meditation. Trait mindfulness was enhanced through a 14-day training programme of 10–15-min body scan meditation each day. An active control group engaged in relaxed listening. Trait mindfulness and trait bodily awareness were measured through questionnaires.ResultsThe state mindfulness induction was associated with a stronger reported rubber hand illusion than relaxed listening. In contrast, both 14 days of mindfulness training and of relaxed listening were associated with a decrease in reported rubber hand illusion, with a larger decrease after mindfulness training compared to relaxed listening.ConclusionsA state mindfulness induction increased participants’ experience of the bodily illusion, while longer-term mindfulness training dampened the illusion, suggesting state and trait mindfulness via body scan meditation may have differential relationships with bodily multisensory integration. We discuss this finding in terms of initial attention-mediated salience of ambiguous somatosensory signals, followed by acceptance.