Author: Converse AK1, Ahlers EO1, Travers BG1, Davidson RJ2.
Affiliation: 1Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA. 2Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA ; Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA.
Conference/Journal: Front Hum Neurosci.
Date published: 2014 Jan 27
Other:
Volume ID: 8 , Pages: 13 , Special Notes: doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00013 , Word Count: 201
It is important to identify effective non-pharmacological alternatives to stimulant medications that reduce symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study of healthy young adults, we measured the effects of training in tai chi, which involves mindful attention to the body during movement. Using a non-randomized, controlled, parallel design, students in a 15-week introductory tai chi course (n = 28) and control participants (n = 44) were tested for ADHD indicators and cognitive function at three points over the course of the 15-weeks. The tai chi students' self-report of attention, but not hyperactivity-impulsivity, improved compared to controls. At baseline, inattention correlated positively with reaction time variability in an affective go/no-go task across all participants, and improvements in attention correlated with reductions in reaction time variability across the tai chi students. Affective bias changed in the tai chi students, as reaction times to positive- and negative-valenced words equalized over time. These results converge to suggest that tai chi training may help improve attention in healthy young adults. Further studies are needed to confirm these results and to evaluate tai chi as therapy for individuals with ADHD.
KEYWORDS:
Tai chi, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, college students, meditation, mindfulness, non-pharmacological intervention, young adults
PMID: 24478679