在10月11日的PNAS的网络版上公示了一篇由大连理工大学神经信息研究所所长唐一源教授领导的研究组发表的新论文，论文的题目是“短时间冥想训练提高注意力和自控能力”（Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation）。
注意力无法集中、无法抵御毒品等诱惑是常见的心理精神问题。近期的研究显示，数月到数年的高强度、系统的冥想训练能够改善注意力难集中问题。但是，训练的时间长度使得很难利用随机分配参与者的方式来证实这些发现。
这篇新的文章证实，一组随机指派的5天的冥想训练组（身体和思想合一的训练方法）与进行放松训练的对照组相比，其注意力和压力控制力明显较好。
这种训练方法来源于传统中医方法并整合了其他冥想和注意力训练的一些特点。与对照组相比，试验组中接受了连续5天接受了20分钟综合训练的40名中国大学生在注意力网络测试（Attenion Network Test）、降低焦虑、抑郁、忿怒、中分数提高较明显；心境状态量表(Profile of mood states Scale)活力较高；压力相关皮质(甾)醇明显降低；免疫活性增加。
这些结果为使用与检测药物或其他干扰物相似的试验、对照方法研究冥想训练的影响提供了一种方便可行的方法。该论文英文摘要：http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0707678104v1
唐一源 (Yi-yuan TANG)，1966年2月出生，大连理工大学神经信息研究所所长，中美合作脑智实验室主任，教授，全球人类脑计划/神经信息学工作组中国代表。兼任中国人民解放军总医院神经信息中心客座教授，中国生物物理学会理事、神经生物物理专业委员会委员，中国生理学会神经科学专业委员会委员，美国身心医学会正式会员，Neuroimage, Neuroinformatics审稿人。主要从事脑功能成像(fMRI, PET/SPECT，ERP)、语言认知的脑内信息加工网络及模式、心理精神问题的脑机制及其干预策略、神经信息学等方面研究，得到国家973前期专项、国家自然科学基金、教育部科学技术研究重大项目、美国American Parapsychology Foundation特别项目等资助，发表论文多篇。
原始出处:
Published online before print October 11, 2007
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 10.1073/pnas.0707678104
Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation
Yi-Yuan Tang*,,,,¶, Yinghua Ma*, Junhong Wang*, Yaxin Fan*, Shigang Feng*, Qilin Lu*, Qingbao Yu*, Danni Sui*, Mary K. Rothbart, Ming Fan||, and Michael I. Posner,¶
*Institute of Neuroinformatics and Laboratory for Body and Mind, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023, China; Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403; Key Laboratory for Mental Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Center for Social and Organizational Behavior, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080, China; and ||Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
Contributed by Michael I. Posner, August 16, 2007 (sent for review July 26, 2007)
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that months to years of intensive and systematic meditation training can improve attention. However, the lengthy training required has made it difficult to use random assignment of participants to conditions to confirm these findings. This article shows that a group randomly assigned to 5 days of meditation practice with the integrative body–mind training method shows significantly better attention and control of stress than a similarly chosen control group given relaxation training. The training method comes from traditional Chinese medicine and incorporates aspects of other meditation and mindfulness training. Compared with the control group, the experimental group of 40 undergraduate Chinese students given 5 days of 20-min integrative training showed greater improvement in conflict scores on the Attention Network Test, lower anxiety, depression, anger, and fatigue, and higher vigor on the Profile of Mood States scale, a significant decrease in stress-related cortisol, and an increase in immunoreactivity. These results provide a convenient method for studying the influence of meditation training by using experimental and control methods similar to those used to test drugs or other interventions.
anterior cingulate gyrus | attention training | control | mental training
