Effects Of The Mindfulness Meditation Practices On Cognition

EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF THE MINDFULNESS MEDITATION PRACTICES ON COGNITION OF ADULTS WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have impairments in attentional subsystems of alerting and conflict monitoring. Mindfulness meditation may lead to an improvement of these deficits, and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, the studies that demonstrated these improvements did not use a control group, nor controlled the use of medication. In the present study the investigators will examine the effects of the mindfulness practices (same protocol of 8 weekly sessions used in the study that showed positive effects in this disorder) in the performance of adult patients and healthy people (with ADHD). Cognitive performance, mood, and the quality of life will be assessed by validated questionnaires before and after treatment/standby.

The "active" control group of healthy individuals was subjected to the practice of meditation for eight weeks.

The control group of participants (patients and healthy subjects) who was not practice anything for eight weeks.

In the eight weeks following the first session of cognitive tests, the participants made a practice of weekly meditation group lasting 2 hours. Practices with each group (patients and "active" controls) occurred on different days. With regard to meditation practices were performed in a sitting posture with emphasis on daily life. Each weekly session involved meditation practices with trained professional, practical proposals for home exercise and a discussion group. Meditation compact discs (CDs)were given to participants for practices at home, which proposed activities for 5 minutes to 1 week and 2 weeks for 10 minutes 3-5, and finally 15 minutes for 6-8 weeks. After 8 weeks of treatment the second session of tests was held that involved the same tasks in session 1.

The symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity / impulsivity were evaluated by means the Adult self-report scale (ASRS).

The symptoms of anxiety and depression were evaluated by means of the following scales: Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Trait), and Beck Depression Scale, respectively, and the visual-analog scales of mood (VAMS)and Positive and negative Affect Schedule extended (PANAS-X).

The scores of attention was evaluated by Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and the Attentional Network Test (ANT).

Inclusion Criteria: Portuguese as their first language; minimum of eight years of formal education; normal vision or corrected to normal and normal hearing; no prior experience with meditation; patients should be taking stable doses of methylphenidate (for at least a month) for their disorder as prescribed by their doctors. Exclusion Criteria: patients with neurological and psychiatric disorders such as psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder or Tourette's syndrome.