Follow your breath: Respiratory interoceptive accuracy in experienced meditators

Daubenmier, Jennifer; Sze, Jocelyn; Kerr, Catherine E.; Kemeny, Margaret E.; Mehling, Wolf

doi:10.1111/psyp.12057

Cited by 127 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 86 publications

(103 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In line with our findings here, effect sizes for changes on this aspect observed in previous studies have been modest. This holds for studies using subjective measures (e.g., Impett et al, 2006) as well as studies using objective measures such as breathing sensitivity (e.g., Daubenmier et al, 2013). We do, however, find significant moderate to large changes (Cohen's d = 0.40 to 0.72) for the IA sub-components of "Self-Regulation," "Attention Regulation," and"Body Listening."…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 46%

Differential changes in self-reported aspects of interoceptive awareness through 3 months of contemplative training

Bornemann¹,

Herbert²,

Singer³

2017

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Interoceptive body awareness (IA) is crucial for psychological well-being and plays an important role in many contemplative traditions. However, until recently, standardized selfreport measures of IA were scarce, not comprehensive, and the effects of interoceptive training on such measures were largely unknown. The Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) questionnaire measures IA with eight different scales. In the current study, we investigated whether and how these different aspects of IA are influenced by a 3-months contemplative intervention in the context of the ReSource project, in which 148 subjects engaged in daily practices of "Body Scan" and "Breath Meditation." We developed a German version of the MAIA and tested it in a large and diverse sample (n = 1,076). Internal consistencies were similar to the English version (0.56-0.89), retest reliability was high (r s: 0.66-0.79), and the MAIA showed good convergent and discriminant validity. Importantly, interoceptive training improved five out of eight aspects of IA, compared to a retest control group. Participants with low IA scores at baseline showed the biggest changes. Whereas practice duration only weakly predicted individual differences in change, self-reported liking of the practices and degree of integration into daily life predicted changes on most scales. Interestingly, the magnitude of observed changes varied across scales. The strongest changes were observed for the regulatory aspects of IA, that is, how the body is used for self-regulation in daily life. No significant changes were observed for the Noticing aspect (becoming aware of bodily changes), which is the aspect that is predominantly assessed in other IA measures. This differential pattern underscores the importance to assess IA multi-dimensionally, particularly when interested in enhancement of IA through contemplative practice or other mind-body interventions.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 46%

Differential changes in self-reported aspects of interoceptive awareness through 3 months of contemplative training

Bornemann¹,

Herbert²,

Singer³

2017

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In terms of predictive coding, this latter observation is interesting because there is much greater capacity for volitional control of breathing when compared with cardiac regulation. Meditative practices, such as mindfulness, potentially enhance respiratory accuracy [21], while meditation-based therapies reduce anxiety [79]. In addition, physical exercise has been used to treat anxiety disorders [80].…”

Section: (C) Dissociated Dimensions Of Interoception: Clinical Implicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interoceptive dimensions across cardiac and respiratory axes

Garfinkel

Manassei

Hamilton-Fletcher

et al. 2016

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

250

242

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Interoception refers to the sensing of signals concerning the internal state of the body. Individual differences in interoceptive sensitivity are proposed to account for differences in affective processing, including the expression of anxiety. The majority of investigations of interoceptive accuracy focus on cardiac signals, typically using heartbeat detection tests and self-report measures. Consequently, little is known about how different organ-specific axes of interoception relate to each other or to symptoms of anxiety. Here, we compare interoception for cardiac and respiratory signals. We demonstrate a dissociation between cardiac and respiratory measures of interoceptive accuracy (i.e. task performance), yet a positive relationship between cardiac and respiratory measures of interoceptive awareness (i.e. metacognitive insight into own interoceptive ability). Neither interoceptive accuracy nor metacognitive awareness for cardiac and respiratory measures was related to touch acuity, an exteroceptive sense. Specific measures of interoception were found to be predictive of anxiety symptoms. Poor respiratory accuracy was associated with heightened anxiety score, while good metacognitive awareness for cardiac interoception was associated with reduced anxiety. These findings highlight that detection accuracies across different sensory modalities are dissociable and future work can better delineate their relationship to affective and cognitive constructs. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Interoception beyond homeostasis: affect, cognition and mental health’.

show abstract

“…tests that are independent of how good or bad the person thinks they are at estimating their interoceptive signals) [97,98]. Attempts at identifying groups of people who might be specifically interoceptively aware have largely proved unsuccessful [96,99,100]. Notably, however, artists such as musicians and dancers have been found to have an enhanced objective awareness of their interoceptive states [101,102], suggesting an interesting route to heightened interoceptive awareness through the arts.…”

Section: The Arts Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been suggested that activities that might engage the insular and somatosensory systems could help to reverse the adverse effects of addictions (insula hypo-activation), by enabling access to the frontal control networks of the brain (I-system supporting meaning and awareness of long-term implications, through the insula) [96]. Two pathways provide the rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org Proc.…”

Section: Meaningful Activities: Triggering a 'Me Factor'mentioning

confidence: 99%

Pleasure junkies all around! Why it matters and why ‘the arts’ might be the answer: a biopsychological perspective

Christensen

2017

Proc. R. Soc. B.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Today's society is pleasure seeking. We expect to obtain pleasurable experiences fast and easily. We are used to hyper-palatable foods and drinks, and we can get pornography, games and gadgets whenever we want them. The problem: with this type of pleasure-maximizing choice behaviour we may be turning ourselves into mindless pleasure junkies, handing over our free will for the next dopamine shoot. Pleasure-only activities are fun. In excess, however, such activities might have negative effects on our biopsychological health: they provoke a change in the neural mechanisms underlying choice behaviour. Choice behaviour becomes biased towards short-term pleasure-maximizing goals, just as in the addicted brain (modulated by the amygdala, posterior ventromedial prefrontal cortex' (VMPFC), striatum, nucleus accumbens; ‘A-system’) and away from long-term prosperity and general well-being maximizing objectives (normally ensured by the insula, anterior VMPFC, hippocampus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); ‘I-system‘). This paper outlines, first, what ‘pleasure’ is and what ‘pleasure-only’ activities are (e.g. social media engagement, hyper-palatable eating). Second, an account is given of the type of action that might aid to maintain the neural systems underlying choice behaviour balanced. Finally, it is proposed that engagement with the arts might be an activity with the potential to foster healthy choice behaviour—and not be just for pleasure. The evidence in this rather new field of research is still piecemeal and inconclusive. This review aims to motivate targeted research in this domain.

show abstract

Follow your breath: Respiratory interoceptive accuracy in experienced meditators

Cited by 127 publications

References 86 publications

Differential changes in self-reported aspects of interoceptive awareness through 3 months of contemplative training

Differential changes in self-reported aspects of interoceptive awareness through 3 months of contemplative training

Interoceptive dimensions across cardiac and respiratory axes

Pleasure junkies all around! Why it matters and why ‘the arts’ might be the answer: a biopsychological perspective

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About