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Using mindfulness-based intervention to promote executive function in young children: a multivariable and multiscale sample entropy study.

Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. : 1991)
January 1, 1970
Sha Xie et al. (5 authors)
Journal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to explore the impact of mindfulness-based training on executive function in young children using brain imaging techniques.

Results Summary

The study found that mindfulness-based intervention reduced brain complexity, indicating more efficient neural processing, and showed significant differences in relevant brain regions during cognitive shifting and working memory tasks, correlating with improved behavioral results.

Population

68 children (41 boys, aged 61.8 ± 10.7 months).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (5)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
mindfulness-based training
decrease
brain complexity
68 children (41 boys, aged 61.8 ± 10.7 months)
-
was reduced
#1
mindfulness-based intervention
increase
activity in relevant brain regions during cognitive shifting
intervention group (N = 37, aged 60.03 ± 11.14 months)
Z = -3.674, P < 0.001
showed significant differences
#2
mindfulness-based intervention
increase
activity in relevant brain regions during working memory tasks
intervention group (N = 37, aged 60.03 ± 11.14 months)
Z = 2.594, P < 0.01
showed significant differences
#3
mindfulness-based intervention
increase
cognitive shifting
intervention group (N = 37, aged 60.03 ± 11.14 months)
-
corroborates with improved behavioral results
#4
mindfulness-based intervention
increase
working memory
intervention group (N = 37, aged 60.03 ± 11.14 months)
-
corroborates with improved behavioral results
#5
Abstract

Early childhood marks a pivotal period in the maturation of executive function, the cognitive ability to consciously regulate actions and thoughts. Mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in bolstering executive function in children. This study used the functional near-infrared spectroscopy technique to explore the impact of mindfulness-based training on young children. Brain imaging data were collected from 68 children (41 boys, aged 61.8 ± 10.7 months) who were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (N = 37, aged 60.03 ± 11.14 months) or a control group (N = 31, aged 59.99 ± 10.89 months). Multivariate and multiscale sample entropy analyses were used. The results showed that: (1) brain complexity was reduced in the intervention group after receiving the mindfulness-based intervention in all three executive function tasks (ps < 0.05), indicating a more efficient neural processing mechanism after the intervention; (2) difference comparisons between the intervention and control groups showed significant differences in relevant brain regions during cognitive shifting (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and medial prefrontal cortex) and working memory tasks (left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex), which corroborates with improved behavioral results in the intervention group (Z = -3.674, P < 0.001 for cognitive shifting; Z = 2.594, P < 0.01 for working memory). These findings improve our understanding of early brain development in young children and highlight the neural mechanisms by which mindfulness-based interventions affect executive function. Implications for early intervention to promote young children's brain development are also addressed.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansMindfulnessMaleFemaleExecutive FunctionChild, PreschoolSpectroscopy, Near-InfraredBrainEntropyMemory, Short-TermMultivariate AnalysisNeuropsychological Tests
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality90/10
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score1.44
Normalized Score0.72
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