TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of an internet-based mindfulness meditation intervention on electrophysiological markers of attention
AU - Klee, Daniel
AU - Colgan, Dana Dharmakaya
AU - Hanes, Douglas
AU - Oken, Barry
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Evidence suggests that mindfulness meditation training has the potential to train aspects of attention. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning the attentional benefits from mindfulness remain unclear. This randomized controlled trial examined changes in electrophysiological markers of attention before and after completion of a 6-week internet-based mindfulness intervention. EEG and ERP data were collected from 64 generally healthy, mildly stressed older adults. Participants were randomized to an internet-based mindfulness-based stress reduction course (IMMI), an internet-based health and wellness education course, or a waitlist control condition. Attentional N2 and P3 evoked potentials were derived from active and passive auditory oddball paradigms. Participants in the IMMI group showed significantly greater differences in P3 peak-trough amplitude between the active and passive oddball paradigms at endpoint relative to controls. There were no significant relationships between the intervention and N2 potentials. Our data demonstrate a measurable increase in attentional control when discriminating or directing attention away from auditory stimuli for older adult participants who received mindfulness training. These findings lend support to the use of the P3 as a neurophysiological measure of meditation engagement and intervention efficacy.
AB - Evidence suggests that mindfulness meditation training has the potential to train aspects of attention. However, the neurophysiological mechanisms underpinning the attentional benefits from mindfulness remain unclear. This randomized controlled trial examined changes in electrophysiological markers of attention before and after completion of a 6-week internet-based mindfulness intervention. EEG and ERP data were collected from 64 generally healthy, mildly stressed older adults. Participants were randomized to an internet-based mindfulness-based stress reduction course (IMMI), an internet-based health and wellness education course, or a waitlist control condition. Attentional N2 and P3 evoked potentials were derived from active and passive auditory oddball paradigms. Participants in the IMMI group showed significantly greater differences in P3 peak-trough amplitude between the active and passive oddball paradigms at endpoint relative to controls. There were no significant relationships between the intervention and N2 potentials. Our data demonstrate a measurable increase in attentional control when discriminating or directing attention away from auditory stimuli for older adult participants who received mindfulness training. These findings lend support to the use of the P3 as a neurophysiological measure of meditation engagement and intervention efficacy.
KW - Attention
KW - Electroencephalography
KW - Event-related potentials
KW - Mindfulness meditation
KW - N2
KW - P3
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85093675954&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85093675954&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.10.002
DO - 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.10.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 33080294
AN - SCOPUS:85093675954
SN - 0167-8760
VL - 158
SP - 103
EP - 113
JO - International Journal of Psychophysiology
JF - International Journal of Psychophysiology
ER -