Browsing by Author "Ives-Deliperi, Victoria"

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    In every given moment : the affective, cognitive and physiological concomitants of mindfulness
    (2005) Ives-Deliperi, Victoria; Louw, Johann; Gibson, Alan St Clair
    An impressive collection of research has shown that mindfulness - described as a heightened awareness of the present moment - nurtures inner resources for reducing stress, and improving well-being. The aim of this study was to further validate, and add to these findings by illustrating the relationship between mindfulness and affect, cognition and physiological reactivity to stress.
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    The matter of mindfulness : investigations into the mechanisms of mindfulness
    (2008) Ives-Deliperi, Victoria; Solms, Mark; Thomas, Kevin
    Mindfulness may be described as a state of heightened present-moment awareness that we all experience to a greater of lesser extent. Enhancing this quality of awareness through training has shown to alleviate stress and promote mental and physical well-being and, as a consequence, the clinical application of mindfulness is gaining in popularity. Because of this, there is a growing need to understand how mindfulness were investigaged in a series of research studies in this thesis, by means of literature analysis, clinical intervention, functional brain imaging and brain-lesion methods. In Study One a total of 10 commonly proposed mechanisms of mindfulness were identified through a qualitive systematic analysis of the literature: self-regulation, exposure, cognitive flexibility, acceptance, disidentification, awareness/insight, reattribution, attention, metacognition, and relaxation. Mediation analyses in Study Two confirmed that acceptance and cognitive flexibility significantly mediated the relationship between mindfulness and reduced symptoms of stress and the acceptance significantly mediated the relationship between mindfulness and mood disturbance. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was employed in Study Three to further test these findings and state mindfulness shown to mediate midline cortical regions associated with interoception. The findings of Study Three suggest that mindfulness may be associated with positive outcomes through a process of disidentification; a process described as removing the 'self' in the experiencing of passing events. Damage to the midline cortical brain regions identified in Study Three, however, showed to have no significant effect on naturally-occurring mindfulness, according the results of a pilot brain-lesion investigation in Study Four. Based on the findings of the studies in this thesis, it is suggested that mindfulness may reduce vulnerability to stress and emotional distress through a meta-mechanism of disidentification and through more direct mechanisms: acceptance and cognitive flexibility. The collected evidence supports the application of mindfulness training as an intervention to advance affective and cognitive well-being. At a broader level, the findings also establish a firmer relationship between mental control and optimal mental functioning.
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    Mindfulness based cognitive therapy improves frontal control in bipolar disorder: a pilot EEG study
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2012) Howells, Fleur; Ives-Deliperi, Victoria; Horn, Neil; Stein, Dan
    BACKGROUND: Cognitive processing in Bipolar Disorder is characterized by a number of attentional abnormalities. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy combines mindfulness meditation, a form of attentional training, along with aspects of cognitive therapy, and may improve attentional dysfunction in bipolar disorder patients. METHODS: 12 euthymic BD patients and 9 control participants underwent record of electroencephalography (EEG, band frequency analysis) during resting states (eyes open, eyes closed) and during the completion of a continuous performance task (A-X version, EEG event-related potential (ERP) wave component analysis). The individuals with BD completed an 8-week MBCT intervention and record of EEG was repeated. RESULTS: (1) Brain activity, individuals with BD showed significantly decreased theta band power, increased beta band power, and decreased theta/beta ratios during the resting state, eyes closed, for frontal and cingulate cortices. Post MBCT intervention improvement over the right frontal cortex was seen in the individuals with BD, as beta band power decreased. (2) Brain activation, individuals with BD showed a significant P300-like wave form over the frontal cortex during the cue. Post MBCT intervention the P300-like waveform was significantly attenuated over the frontal cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with BD show decreased attentional readiness and activation of non-relevant information processing during attentional processes. These data are the first that show, MBCT in BD improved attentional readiness, and attenuated activation of non-relevant information processing during attentional processes.