Abstract
Meditation is associated with positive health behaviors and improved cognitive control. One mechanism for the relationship between meditation and cognitive control is changes in activity of the anterior cingulate cortex-mediated neural pathways. The error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe) components of the scalp-recorded event-related potential (ERP) represent cingulate-mediated functions of performance monitoring that may be modulated by mindfulness meditation. We utilized a flanker task, an experimental design, and a brief mindfulness intervention in a sample of 55 healthy non-meditators (n = 28 randomly assigned to the mindfulness group and n = 27 randomly assigned to the control group) to examine autonomic nervous system functions as measured by blood pressure and indices of cognitive control as measured by response times, error rates, post-error slowing, and the ERN and Pe components of the ERP. Systolic blood pressure significantly differentiated groups following the mindfulness intervention and following the flanker task. There were non-significant differences between the mindfulness and control groups for response times, post-error slowing, and error rates on the flanker task. Amplitude and latency of the ERN did not differ between groups; however, amplitude of the Pe was significantly smaller in individuals in the mindfulness group than in the control group. Findings suggest that a brief mindfulness intervention is associated with reduced autonomic arousal and decreased amplitude of the Pe, an ERP associated with error awareness, attention, and motivational salience, but does not alter amplitude of the ERN or behavioral performance. Implications for brief mindfulness interventions and state vs. trait affect theories of the ERN are discussed. Future research examining graded levels of mindfulness and tracking error awareness will clarify relationship between mindfulness and performance monitoring.
Highlights
The practice of meditation and its effect on cognition and health is receiving increased attention in the mainstream science literature
Results for systolic blood pressure suggest the mindfulness manipulation was successful in disproportionately decreasing blood pressure relative to the control condition and that this effect remained present through the end of the flanker task
Previous research has documented a variety of meditation interventions and the effects such interventions have on cognitive performance and cardiovascular functioning
Summary
The practice of meditation and its effect on cognition and health is receiving increased attention in the mainstream science literature. Mindfulness meditation involves bringing one’s complete attention to the experiences occurring in the present moment, in a non-judgmental and accepting way This cultivation of conscious attention and awareness by the regular practice of mindfulness meditation is related to increased ability to focus attention, to changes in regional cerebral blood flow and white matter connectivity in areas such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and to changes in electroencephalogram (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs; Cahn and Polich, 2006; Manna et al, 2010; Xue et al, 2011; Yu et al, 2011; Froeliger et al., 2012; Brown et al, 2013; Teper and Inzlicht, 2013). The purpose of the current study was to examine the influence of brief mindfulness meditation on systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the neural correlates of cognitive control and error-related performance monitoring
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
