EFFECTS OF TIME PRESSURE ON VISUAL SEARCH AND THE MODULATORY ROLE OF SHORT-TERM GUIDED MEDITATION ON STRESS-RELATED BRAIN REGIONS
Radha Jajal, Badri Patel, Hiya Jani
International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research July 11, 2025 DOI: 10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.50772 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Ten individuals with normal or corrected vision |
| Interventions | Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) yogic postures (Vrikshasana Paschimottanasana Sarvangasana) Trataka mindfulness meditation Bhramari (humming breath) |
| Duration | 5-day meditation intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | After a 5-day guided meditation intervention, participants showed faster or more stable reaction times under time pressure compared with pre-test, when stress slowed reaction times. The authors interpret this as increased attentional control, emotional control, and cognitive flexibility, and propose the INLM concept to explain how internal regulation may improve cognitive function under limitations. |
Abstract
This study used a visual search task created in PsychoPy to examine the effects of brief guided meditation on cognitive function under time constraints. The test was done in two phases, before and after a 5-day meditation intervention, by ten individuals with normal or corrected vision, both with and without a time-based stressor. In order to target the brain regions involved in stress regulation and attention—specifically, the hypothalamus, thalamus, and hippocampus—the meditation routine combined Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), yogic postures (Vrikshasana, Paschimottanasana, Sarvangasana), Trataka, or mindfulness meditation, and Bhramari (humming breath). According to pre-test data, during stress, reaction times were slower, which may indicate cognitive strain and attentional overload. Even under pressure, participants' reaction times were faster or more stable, according to post-intervention data, indicating increased attentional control, emotional control, and cognitive flexibility. These modifications are consistent with the INLM concept (Information, Need, Limitations, Mechanisms), which describes how adaptive mechanisms and internal regulation might improve cognitive function in the face of limitations. In order to enhance mental effectiveness and stress resilience in cognitively taxing circumstances, this study advocates the incorporation of holistic, not pharmaceutical in nature practices such as yoga and mindfulness.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |