Differential Effects of Focused Attention and Open Monitoring Meditation on Autonomic Cardiac Modulation and Cortisol Secretion.

Yuuki Ooishi,Vimala Inoue,Masahiro Fujino,Michio Nomura,Norimichi Kitagawa

doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.675899

Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been used widely as a useful tool for the alleviation of various stress-related symptoms. However, the effects of MBIs on stress-related physiological activity have not yet been ascertained. MBIs primarily consist of focused-attention (FA) and open-monitoring (OM) meditation. Since differing effects of FA and OM meditation on brain activities and cognitive tasks have been mentioned, we hypothesized that FA and OM meditation have also differing effects on stress-related physiological activity. In this study, we examined the effects of FA and OM meditation on autonomic cardiac modulation and cortisol secretion. Forty-one healthy adults (aged 20–46 years) who were meditation novices experienced 30-min FA and OM meditation tasks by listening to instructions. During resting- and meditation-states, electrocardiogram transducers were attached to participants to measure the R-R interval, which were used to evaluate heart rate (HR) and perform heart rate variability (HRV) analyses. Saliva samples were obtained from participants pre- and post-meditation to measure salivary cortisol levels. Results showed that FA meditation induced a decrease in HR and an increase in the root mean square of successive differences (rMSDD). In contrast, OM meditation induced an increase in the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal interval (SDNN) to rMSSD ratio (SDNN/rMSSD) and a decrease in salivary cortisol levels. These results suggest that FA meditation elevates physiological relaxation, whereas OM meditation elevates physiological arousal and reduces stress.

Highlights

Mindfulness is the awareness that arises from paying attention to the present moment with intention, without judgment (KabatZinn, 2017)
To determine the effects of mindfulness meditation and mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on physiological activity, we focused on the differences in the proportion of FA and OM meditation in MBIs (Lutz et al, 2008)
After removing the data of participants who exhibited mean respiration rates less than 9 cycles per minute (CPM) at least once, the frequency-domain heart rate variability (HRV) indices did not show any significant or trend of meditation × time interaction that could be observed in the time-domain HRV indices

Summary

Introduction

Mindfulness is the awareness that arises from paying attention to the present moment with intention, without judgment (KabatZinn, 2017). Since the introduction of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) by Kabat-Zinn (Kabat-Zinn, 1982), a large body of studies have reported that mindfulness meditation and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), which typically consist of focused-attention (FA) and open-monitoring (OM) meditation, can induce beneficial effects on various stressrelated symptoms. To understand the mechanisms underlying the positive and negative effects of mindfulness meditation, it is crucial to determine how mindfulness meditation modulates physiological activity, autonomic nerve activity, respiration and cortisol secretion because these have been consistently linked to stress-related symptoms (Grossman, 1983; McEwen, 1998, 2008). Numerous studies have reported the effects of mindfulness meditation and MBIs on autonomic nerve activity and cortisol secretion, they remain poorly understood and require further exploration

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