Recent neuroimaging studies state that meditation increases regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The present study employed functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to evaluate the relative hemodynamic changes in PFC during a cognitive task. Twenty-two healthy male volunteers with ages between 18 and 30 years (group mean age ± SD; 22.9 ± 4.6 years) performed a color-word stroop task before and after 20 min of meditation and random thinking. Repeated measures ANOVA was performed followed by a post hoc analysis with Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons between the mean values of “During” and “Post” with “Pre” state. During meditation there was an increased in oxy-hemoglobin (ΔHbO) and total hemoglobin (ΔTHC) concentration with reduced deoxy-hemoglobin (ΔHbR) concentration over the right prefrontal cortex (rPFC), whereas in random thinking there was increased ΔHbR with reduced total hemoglobin concentration on the rPFC. The mean reaction time (RT) was shorter during stroop color word task with concomitant reduction in ΔTHC after meditation, suggestive of improved performance and efficiency in task related to attention. Our findings demonstrated that meditation increased cerebral oxygenation and enhanced performance, which was associated with activation of the PFC.

Medical students confront enormous academic, psychosocial, and existential stress throughout their training, leading to a cascade of consequences both physically and psychologically. The declined cognitive function of these students interferes in their academic performance and excellence. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a yogic meditation technique, mind sound resonance technique (MSRT), on cognitive functions of University Medical students in a randomized, two-way crossover study. In total, 42 healthy volunteers of both genders (5 males and 37 females) with mean age of 19.44 ± 1.31 years were recruited from a medical college in South India, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A 10-day orientation in the technique of MSRT was given to all the recruited subjects after which each subject underwent both MSRT and supine rest (SR) sessions. All participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive a session of either MSRT or SR. After a day of washout, participants crossed over to receive the alternative intervention. The cognitive functions were assessed using 2 paper-pencil tasks called Digit Letter Substitution Test (DLST) and Six-Letter Cancelation Task (SLCT), before and immediately after both sessions. Both the groups showed significant improvement in net attempt of both DLST and SLCT, but the magnitude of change was more in the MSRT group than in the SR group. The MSRT group demonstrated significantly enhanced net scores in both SLCT (p < 0.001) and DLST (p < 0.001). The result of the present study suggests that a single session of MSRT, a Mind-Body Practice, may positively impact the performance in cognitive tasks by the University Medical Students.

A 63-year-old overweight female prediagnosed of stress urinary incontinence presented with exacerbated events of urine leakage. She was advised a residential lifestyle and behavioral program, primarily consisting of a monitored yoga therapy module, apart from her ongoing anticholinergic medicine, for 21 days. Assessments were based on a frequency volume chart, a bladder diary for the entire duration of treatment, and the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form questionnaire on the days of admission and discharge. A total of 1.9 kg of weight loss was observed during her stay. Usage of pad, as reported in her diary, reduced from 3 to 1 per day. Her International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form score reduced from 16 to 9, indicating better continence. She expressed subjective well-being and confidence in her social interactions. This is probably the first case report demonstrating feasibility of integration of yoga therapy in the management of urinary incontinence.

Context:Mindfulness forms an important component of meditation practice and has been increasingly popular around the world. There has been growing interest in studying the mindful component of various meditation techniques. One of the various forms of mindfulness is the practice of a unique technique called cyclic mediation (CM). We aimed at ascertaining the level of mindfulness in experienced practitioners of CM using a Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).Materials and Methods:MAAS was administered anonymously in a classroom setup and two of the project coordinators were present to supervise the administration and to assist the participants where necessary. We executed a cross sectional design. One hundred and thirty-three (n = 133) healthy male volunteers (66 meditators and 67 non-meditators) with ages ranging from 25 to 35 years participated in the study. Meditators had a minimum 3 years experience of meditation.Results:Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 20. The data were checked for normality and an independent samples t-test was employed to compare the means of both the groups. MAAS scores were significantly higher in meditators as compared with the non-meditators (P < 0.001). We found a positive correlation (r = 0.620) between the years of meditation practice and the levels of trait mindfulness.Conclusions:CM can lead to development of higher levels of mindfulness and may have the ability to positively impact mental states and attention, thereby offering the potential for prevention of clinical levels of psychopathology and improving overall psychological well-being in healthy individuals.

Background:Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) is one of the most common gynecological disorders encountered in women during the reproductive age. Yoga therapy has shown promising benefits in several gynecological disorders.Methods:Thirty women between the ages of 20 and 40 years with primary DUB were randomly assigned to a yoga (n = 15) and a waitlist control group (n = 15). Participants in the yoga group received a 3-month yoga module and were assessed for hemoglobin values, endometrial thickness (ET), pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, perceived stress scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) before and after a 3-month follow-up period.Results:At the end of 3 months of intervention, the yoga group, unlike the control group, reported a significant reduction in the anxiety scores (P < 0.05) and perceived stress (P < 0.05). The PSQI scores indicated a reduction in sleep disturbances (P < 0.001) and the need for sleep medications (P < 0.01) and higher global scores (P < 0.001). However, there were no changes in PBAC and ET in both the groups.Conclusion:The results indicate that yoga therapy positively impacts the outcome of DUB by reducing the perceived stress and state anxiety and improving the quality of sleep. This warrants larger clinical trials to validate the findings of this pilot study.