The Experts below are selected from a list of 14925 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Peter Malinowski - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
meditation mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility
Consciousness and Cognition, 2009Co-Authors: Adam W Moore, Peter MalinowskiAbstract:This study investigated the link between meditation, self-reported mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility as well as other attentional functions. It compared a group of meditators experienced in mindfulness meditation with a meditation-naive control group on measures of Stroop interference and the ‘‘d2-concentration and endurance test”. Overall the results suggest that attentional performance and Cognitive Flexibility are positively related to meditation practice and levels of mindfulness. Meditators performed significantly better than non-meditators on all measures of attention. Furthermore, self-reported mindfulness was higher in meditators than non-meditators and correlations with all attention measures were of moderate to high strength. This pattern of results suggests that mindfulness is intimately linked to improvements of attentional functions and Cognitive Flexibility. The relevance of these findings for mental balance and well-being are discussed.
-
Meditation, mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility
Consciousness and Cognition, 2009Co-Authors: Adam Moore, Peter MalinowskiAbstract:This study investigated the link between meditation, self-reported mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility as well as other attentional functions. It compared a group of meditators experienced in mindfulness meditation with a meditation-naïve control group on measures of Stroop interference and the "d2-concentration and endurance test". Overall the results suggest that attentional performance and Cognitive Flexibility are positively related to meditation practice and levels of mindfulness. Meditators performed significantly better than non-meditators on all measures of attention. Furthermore, self-reported mindfulness was higher in meditators than non-meditators and correlations with all attention measures were of moderate to high strength. This pattern of results suggests that mindfulness is intimately linked to improvements of attentional functions and Cognitive Flexibility. The relevance of these findings for mental balance and well-being are discussed. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Adam W Moore - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
meditation mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility
Consciousness and Cognition, 2009Co-Authors: Adam W Moore, Peter MalinowskiAbstract:This study investigated the link between meditation, self-reported mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility as well as other attentional functions. It compared a group of meditators experienced in mindfulness meditation with a meditation-naive control group on measures of Stroop interference and the ‘‘d2-concentration and endurance test”. Overall the results suggest that attentional performance and Cognitive Flexibility are positively related to meditation practice and levels of mindfulness. Meditators performed significantly better than non-meditators on all measures of attention. Furthermore, self-reported mindfulness was higher in meditators than non-meditators and correlations with all attention measures were of moderate to high strength. This pattern of results suggests that mindfulness is intimately linked to improvements of attentional functions and Cognitive Flexibility. The relevance of these findings for mental balance and well-being are discussed.
Adam Moore - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Meditation, mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility
Consciousness and Cognition, 2009Co-Authors: Adam Moore, Peter MalinowskiAbstract:This study investigated the link between meditation, self-reported mindfulness and Cognitive Flexibility as well as other attentional functions. It compared a group of meditators experienced in mindfulness meditation with a meditation-naïve control group on measures of Stroop interference and the "d2-concentration and endurance test". Overall the results suggest that attentional performance and Cognitive Flexibility are positively related to meditation practice and levels of mindfulness. Meditators performed significantly better than non-meditators on all measures of attention. Furthermore, self-reported mindfulness was higher in meditators than non-meditators and correlations with all attention measures were of moderate to high strength. This pattern of results suggests that mindfulness is intimately linked to improvements of attentional functions and Cognitive Flexibility. The relevance of these findings for mental balance and well-being are discussed. © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
David Q. Beversdorf - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Lack of Dopaminergic Modulation of Cognitive Flexibility
Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 2007Co-Authors: Shawn F. Smyth, David Q. BeversdorfAbstract:Objective: To evaluate performance on a Cognitive Flexibility task after administration of a dopaminergic agonist. Background: L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, which is converted into dopamine and norepinephrine, results in a restriction of the semantic network in priming experiments. Recent evidence suggests that Flexibility of access to semantic networks in problem solving is mediated by the noradrenergic system. We wished to determine if dopaminergic agonists also affect this type of Cognitive Flexibility. Methods: Eighty-four subjects were tested twice on an anagram task, once 1 hour after bromocriptine (dopamine agonist) and once 1 hour after placebo administration. Results: No difference was detected between placebo and bromocriptine on anagram performance. Conclusions: Therefore, modulation of this type of Cognitive Flexibility does not seem to be mediated by the dopaminergic system. This suggests that the noradrenergic modulation of Cognitive Flexibility previously reported does not seem to extend to the dopaminergic system among catecholamines.
-
Effect of the Cold Pressor Test on Memory and Cognitive Flexibility
Neurocase, 2007Co-Authors: Kelly Ishizuka, Ashleigh Hillier, David Q. BeversdorfAbstract:Cognitive Flexibility is affected by stress. The cold pressor test is a known adrenergic stressor that impairs memory, but the effect on Cognitive Flexibility is unknown. Sixteen subjects were given Cognitive Flexibility and memory tasks with and without one hand immersed in cold water. Memory was impaired in the cold pressor condition but there was no effect on Cognitive Flexibility. The lack of a cold pressor effect on Cognitive Flexibility may result from an isolated effect on the peripheral noradrenergic system, whereas indirect effects due to nociception on memory may occur.
-
Beta-adrenergic Modulation of Cognitive Flexibility during Stress
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 2007Co-Authors: Jessica K. Alexander, Ashleigh Hillier, Ryan M. Smith, Madalina E. Tivarus, David Q. BeversdorfAbstract:Stress-induced activation of the locus ceruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system produces significant Cognitive and behavioral effects, including enhanced arousal and attention. Improvements in discrimination task performance and memory have been attributed to this stress response. In contrast, for other Cognitive functions that require Cognitive Flexibility, increased activity of the LC-NE system may produce deleterious effects. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of pharmacological modulation of the LC-NE system on stress-induced impairments in Cognitive Flexibility performance in healthy individuals. Cognitive performance, plus psychological and physiological parameters for 16 adults without any history of anxiety disorders, was assessed during four test sessions: stress and no-stress, with each condition tested after administration of propranolol and placebo. The Trier Social Stress Test, a public-speaking and mental arithmetic stressor, was presented to participants for the stress sessions, whereas a similar, but nonstressful, control task (reading, counting) was utilized for the no-stress sessions. Tests of Cognitive Flexibility included lexical-semantic and associative problem-solving tasks (anagrams, Compound Remote Associates Test). Visuo-spatial memory and motor processing speed tests served as control tasks. Results indicate that (1) stress impaired performance on Cognitive Flexibility tasks, but not control tasks; (2) compared to placebo, Cognitive Flexibility improved during stress with propranolol. Therefore, psychological stress, such as public speaking, negatively impacts performance on tasks requiring Cognitive Flexibility in normal individuals, and this effect is reversed by beta-adrenergic antagonism. This may provide support for the hypothesis that stress-related impairments in Cognitive Flexibility are related to the noradrenergic system.
-
The Effect of Auditory Stressors on Cognitive Flexibility
Neurocase, 2006Co-Authors: Ashleigh Hillier, Jessica K. Alexander, David Q. BeversdorfAbstract:Stress is known to activate the noradrenergic system which may have a modulatory influence on Cognitive Flexibility. We investigated whether an auditory stressor would thus affect performance on Cognitive Flexibility. A task utilizing Cognitive Flexibility and two memory tasks were presented in both stressful and non-stressful condition. In the stressful condition performance was impaired for the Cognitive Flexibility task but not for the memory tasks, arguing against the stressor serving as a general distracter. These findings suggest that stress caused by an auditory stressor may negatively impact performance on more complex tasks requiring a rapid search of the semantic and lexical associative networks.
-
Effect of anxiolytics on Cognitive Flexibility in problem solving.
Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, 2004Co-Authors: Jennifer A Silver, Robert A. Bornstein, John D. Hughes, David Q. BeversdorfAbstract:OBJECTIVE: Our purpose is to examine the effect of different classes of anxiolytics on Cognitive Flexibility. BACKGROUND: Situational stressors and anxiety impede performance on "creativity" tests requiring Cognitive Flexibility. Noradrenergic agents have been shown to modulate Cognitive Flexibility as assessed by performance on anagrams. To determine whether these findings on noradrenergic modulation of Cognitive Flexibility are specific to the noradrenergic system or are a nonspecific anxiety effect, we compared the effects of propranolol, lorazepam, and placebo on the anagram task. METHODS: Subjects attended 3 test sessions. Prior to each session, subjects were given 1 of the 3 drugs. As in previous research, the natural log of the solution latency of each test item was summed for each test session and compared across drug conditions. RESULTS: For subjects able to solve the anagrams, solution times after propranolol, but not lorazepam, were significantly lower than after placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, this suggests that the phenomenon of noradrenergic modulation of Cognitive Flexibility does not result from a nonspecific anxiolytic effect, but rather is specific to the noradrenergic system. Language: en
Ilse Noens - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Cognitive Flexibility in autism spectrum disorder explaining the inconsistencies
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2011Co-Authors: Lien Van Eylen, Bart Boets, Jean Steyaert, Kris Evers, Johan Wagemans, Ilse NoensAbstract:Abstract The Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) is the only Cognitive Flexibility task that has consistently shown deficits in individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As this is the only task characterized by limited explicit task instructions and a high degree of disengagement required to perform the switch, we hypothesized that Cognitive Flexibility deficits of individuals with ASD might only become apparent in situations fulfilling these requirements. However, the WCST involves various additional Cognitive processes besides switching, making it uncertain whether difficulties are indeed due to Cognitive Flexibility impairments. The aim of this study was to investigate whether individuals with ASD show Cognitive Flexibility impairments on a more controlled task-switching variant of the WCST, still fulfilling both requirements. We therefore developed such a task and administered it to 40 high-functioning children with ASD and 40 age- and IQ- matched typically developing controls. As predicted, individuals with ASD made more perseveration errors and had a significantly higher switch cost than typically developing controls, but they performed equally well on the control measures.