Differential Effect of Four Mindfulness Exercises

Differential Effect of Four Mindfulness Exercises on Mindfulness, Cerebral Cartography and Heart Ratio Variability

Mindfulness can be considered as a family of complex attentional and emotional regulation strategies that promote the cultivation of well-being and emotional balance. The practice of mindfulness produces the development of a consciousness that unfolds moment to moment, open and unprejudiced in the present moment, here and now. Despite its extensive benefits, the practice of mindfulness requires a significant commitment in time and effort, which limits the potential for its dissemination. The studies to narrow the differential effects of the various exercises based on mindfulness, will further enhance their effectiveness and they can guide the practice sequence according to user needs. In this paper we will research mindfulness electroencephalographic correlates of as four different exercise programs included in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and stress reduction program based on mindfulness (MBSR) as well as its effect on several psychological variables.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Depression; Anxiety; Well-being
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Control group relaxation techniques; Behavioral: Loving-kindness meditation; Behavioral: Body scan; Behavioral: Sitting practice

Detailed Description

Mindfulness is a way of using attention intentionally, repeatedly reactivating the attentional focus, so that it enhances the ability of sustained attention. It involves a complex process of self-regulation and inhibition of internal and external stimuli interferences.

Although the overall effects of meditation on brain bioelectrical signals are still being characterized, there is some consensus on the fact that meditation helps alter brain activity in both state and trait.

The specific aim of this study is to assess the differential effect of four different practices of mindfulness in psychological well-being and their corresponding neurophysiological correlates.

The hypothesis is that different exercises within the range of mindfulness practices exert different effects in terms of electroencephalographic activity, expecting different band increases in alpha (activity 7-to 2 Hz), beta (activity more than 13 Hz), theta (activity 4-6 Hz) and delta (activity less than 3 Hz) respectively, as well as changes in the lateralization of the activity (left or right hemisphere). We also expect an improvement in the variables such as mindfulness, self-compassion, positive affect, anxiety, depression and sleep quality.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Zaragoza, Spain, 50009
    • Arrabal Health Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• sign of informed consent
• no previous meditation training experience

Exclusion Criteria:

• mental or neurologic disorder
• respiratory disease
• previous brain damage history
• medication intake that could interfere in the electroencephalographic results

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Control Group: Relaxation Techniques; Relaxation techniques which do not involve either formal or informal mindfulness training. Subjects in this group practice Jacobson's progressive muscular relaxation, emotional imagining and Schultz's autogenic training.	Behavioral: Control group relaxation techniques; Jacobson's progressive muscular relaxation, emotional imagining and Schultz's autogenic training.
Experimental: Loving Kindness Meditation (Metta); Loving-kindness meditation following Kristin Neff protocol	Behavioral: Loving-kindness meditation; Following Kristin Neff protocol
Experimental: Body Scan; Body scan as described in standard MBSR protocol	Behavioral: Body scan; Body scan: Attention being directed with detailed awareness to every part of the body for a sustained period of time.
Experimental: Sitting Practice; Sitting practice as mindfulness meditation described in standard MBSR protocols.	Behavioral: Sitting practice; In the sitting exercise, participants are guided to pay attention to a certain range of still points, starting with attention to breathing. In this exercise attention is fully concentrated on a single object: the sensation attached to breathing. If the mind wanders or is distracted by an external stimulus, attention is gently returned to sensations derived from breathing.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Different facets of Mindfulness	The Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) will be used: It assesses the following facets of mindfulness: Observing, describing, acting with awareness, non judging of inner experience and non-reactivity to inner experience	3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Brain function	We will use cerebral cartography	3 months
Positive and negative affectivity	It will be measured with PANAS questionnaire	3 months
anxiety and depression	Measured with Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale	3 months
Insomnia	Measured with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)	3 months
Self-compassion	Measured with Self-Compassion Scale	3 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
heart function and heart variability rate	The investigators will use electrocardiogram	3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hospital Miguel Servet
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Javier García Campayo, Dr, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS)

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Soler J, Cebolla A, Feliu-Soler A, Demarzo MM, Pascual JC, Banos R, Garcia-Campayo J. Relationship between meditative practice and self-reported mindfulness: the MINDSENS composite index. PLoS One. 2014 Jan 22;9(1):e86622. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086622. eCollection 2014.
• Fayed N, Lopez Del Hoyo Y, Andres E, Serrano-Blanco A, Bellon J, Aguilar K, Cebolla A, Garcia-Campayo J. Brain changes in long-term zen meditators using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging: a controlled study. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58476. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058476. Epub 2013 Mar 25.

Helpful Links

• Description of the research & teaching activities on mindfulness of REDIAPP research network

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): April 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 9, 2014
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2014
• First Posted (Estimate): July 16, 2014

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 25, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 21, 2019
• Last Verified: February 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: EEG; emotion; mindfulness meditation; attention; brain mapping; alpha rhythm
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Depression
• Other Study ID Numbers: PI13/0129