Magnifying Meditation's Benefits: On Interoceptive Attention among Healthy Older Adults
Adrienne Ione
International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research 2019 DOI: 10.13140/rg.2.2.28358.01603 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4 |
| Population | Healthy older adults who were novice meditators |
| Measures | Mindful Awareness Attention Scale (MAAS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Nasal breathing participants showed higher post-intervention Mindful Awareness Attention Scale total scores than an active control group and reported increased awareness of cognitive functioning and holistic interoception during daily activities. The authors interpret this as indicating that intentional nasal breathing magnifies meditation's effects on dispositional mindfulness, with implications for therapeutic approaches to cognitive impairment. |
Abstract
This study used a sample of novice, older adult meditators to test the significance of interoceptive attention to nasal respiratory sensation on the degree of magnification of the effects of meditation. A randomized controlled study was conducted with healthy older adults (N=4). Compared to an active control condition, nasal breathing participants showed an increase in mindfulness as reported with higher total scores on the post-Mindful Awareness Attention Scale (MAAS). Participants in the intentional nasal breathing group reported an increase in overall awareness of cognitive functioning and holistic interoception during daily activities- indicating the statistical significance of increased dispositional mindfulness when paired with intentional nasal breathing. Now more than ever, as our global population of older adults continues to increase, we need to bridge conversations about working memory and executive decision making as functions of mindfulness, magnifying effects of nasal breathing on limbic neuronic stimulation, as well as demonstrating effects extending to older adults. These three findings have important implications for the development of novel therapeutic approaches with people who experience cognitive impairment and such approaches lend themselves to potential reductions in health care costs.
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
Cites 9
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Neural correlates of attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 28, 2007
- Mindfulness meditation training alters cortical representations of interoceptive attention Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience June 11, 2012
- Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep Disturbances JAMA Internal Medicine February 16, 2015
and 4 more in the library