not been adequately studied. We quantitatively analyzed changes in psychophysiological
parameters during Zen meditation in 20 normal adults, and evaluated the results in association
with personality traits assessed by Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI).
During meditation, increases were observed in fast theta power and slow alpha power on EEG
predominantly in the frontal area, whereas an increase in the normalized unit of high-frequency
(nuHF) power (as a parasympathetic index) and decreases in the normalized unit of low-
frequency (nuLF) power and LF/HF (as sympathetic indices) were observed through analyses of
heart rate variability. We analyzed the possible correlations among these changes in terms of the
percent change during meditation using the control condition as the baseline. The percent change
in slow alpha EEG power in the frontal area, reflecting enhanced internalized attention, was
negatively correlated with that in nuLF as well as in LF/HF and was positively correlated with the
novelty seeking score (which has been suggested to be associated with dopaminergic activity).
The percent change in fast theta power in the frontal area, reflecting enhanced mindfulness, was
positively correlated with that in nuHF and also with the harm avoidance score (which has been
suggested to be associated with serotonergic activity). These results suggest that internalized
attention and mindfulness as two major core factors of behaviors of mind during meditation are
characterized by different combinations of psychophysiological properties and personality traits.
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http://www.noetic.org/Ions/publications/review_archives/08/issue08_14.html.
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Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z., and J. M. Williams. How does cognitive therapy prevent depressive
relapse and why should attentional control (mindfulness) training help? Behaviour Research and
Therapy, 1995, 33:25-39. PMID: 7872934.
Abstract: There is encouraging evidence that structured psychological treatments for depression,
in particular cognitive therapy, can reduce subsequent relapse after the period of initial treatment
has been completed. However, there is a continuing need for prophylactic psychological
approaches that can be administered to recovered patients in euthymic mood. An information-
processing analysis of depressive maintenance and relapse is used to define the requirements for
effective prevention, and to propose mechanisms through which cognitive therapy achieves its
prophylactic effects. This analysis suggests that similar effects can be achieved using techniques
of stress-reduction based on the skills of attentional control taught in mindfulness meditation. An
information-processing analysis is presented of mindfulness and mindlessness, and of their
relevance to preventing depressive relapse. This analysis provides the basis for the development
of Attentional Control Training, a new approach to preventing relapse that integrates features of