In this research project we examined whether an 8-week Mindfulness training induces measurable changes effects of spatial atention on the orienting towards and the processing of nocicpetive stimuli as measured with EEG and SDT measures.We examined whether sustained vs. transient spatial attention differentially affect the processing of electrical nociceptive stimuli. Cued nociceptive stimuli of a relevant intensity (low or high) on the left or right forearm required a foot pedal press. The cued side varied trial wise in the transient attention condition, while it remained constant during a series of trials in the sustained attention condition. The orienting phase preceding the nociceptive stimuliwas examined by focusing on lateralized EEG activity. ERPswere computed to examine the influence of spatial attention on the processing of the nociceptive stimuli. Results for the orienting phase showed increased ipsilateral alpha and beta power above somatosensory areas in both the transient and the sustained attention conditions, which may reflect inhibition of ipsilateral and/or disinhibition of contralateral somatosensory areas. Cued nociceptive stimuli evoked a largerN130 than uncued stimuli, both in the transient and the sustained attention conditions. Support for increased efficiency of spatial attention in the sustained attention conditionwas obtained for the N180 and the P540 component. We concluded that spatial attention is more efficient in the case of sustained than in the case of transient spatial attention

Date Accepted: 2016-11-21

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