The cognitive domains considered were processing speed, attention, sustained attention, verbal learning and memory, non-verbal learning and memory, working memory, verbal fluency and executive functions.
Cognitive functions that were assessed included intelligence, processing speed, attention span, sustained attention, verbal learning and memory, non-verbal learning and memory, working memory, verbal fluency and executive functions.
The test battery included measures of processing speed, attention, conflict resolution, verbal memory, working memory, verbal fluency, and executive function to evaluate multiple cognitive domains affected by schizophrenia.
Cognitive domain scores at each time were then created by averaging z-scores across tests, grouped into domains of episodic memory, attention-working memory, verbal fluency, and executive function.
Whereas motor task results were mildly pathological, all tests of memory, verbal fluency and executive function were within median values.
"What has been shown is that people that meditate have advantages in cognitive domains including attention, memory, verbal fluency and executive function," said Dr Florian Kurth, a brain researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles.
It may be postulated that the impairments reported in attention, sustained attention, non-verbal memory, verbal fluency and other executive functions may result from recurrent episodes (Bora et al. 2009; Bourne et al. 2013; Mann-Wrobel et al. 2011; Torres et al. 2007), as reported deficits in these domains are largely inconsistent in studies in FEM (Daglas et al. 2015).
Multiple studies show that regular meditation can significantly improve attention, memory, verbal fluency and help prevent cognitive decline.
After tracking 662 participants for an average of nearly three years, the KEEPS trial found that for women who enrolled in the trial around age 50, neither oral estrogens-plus-progesterone nor an estradiol patch-plus-progesterones degraded performance on tests of short- and long-term memory, verbal fluency and reasoning skills.
TMT was related to contrast sensitivity, motion direction, orientation discrimination, working memory, verbal fluency, and literacy.
