All Studies · Mechanism (cross-domain) · Khalsa (2008)

Khalsa (2008)

Low · Mechanism/Methods Study · Mechanism (Neuroimaging/Biomarker) · n = 20
Quality Index (Adjusted QI) 0.593
0 Low < 0.56 Moderate 0.56–0.77 High ≥ 0.78 1
Study Details
ConditionInteroception/meditation
Clinical domainMechanism (cross-domain)
PopulationExperienced meditators
Sample sizen = 20
Country / SettingUSA - psychophysiology laboratory
Protocol clusterGeneral/Varied KY
DurationAcute/Cross-sectional (single testing session; meditators had ≥15 years practice)
Control typeActive Control
ComparatorNonmeditators (age-matched controls)
Outcomes & Effect Sizes
Primary outcomeInteroceptive awareness (heartbeat detection/tracking)
Scales usedHeartbeat tracking task; heartbeat detection task; pulse detection task; interoceptive accuracy
Key resultInteroceptive awareness increased in meditators
Effect sizeMeditators showed comparable interoceptive accuracy to nonmeditators; no significant group difference on heartbeat tracking
RetentionN/A - acute experiment
SafetySafe; no adverse effects
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Methodological Summary

Cross-sectional comparison; mechanism study; N=20 (meditators vs nonmeditators); laboratory setting

KY Protocol Components

Interoceptive Awareness in Kundalini Yoga Meditators: Cross-sectional Study DESIGN: Cross-sectional comparison; experienced meditators vs. nonmeditators (NOT intervention study). POPULATION: Two meditation traditions studied: Tibetan Buddhism and Kundalini yoga. MEDITATOR CRITERIA: (1) minimum 15 years formal meditation practice, (2) strong daily practice, (3) attended ≥1 meditation retreat in past year. NONMEDITATOR CRITERIA: Never attended formal yoga/meditation course, no self-taught meditation. PROTOCOL: NOT a meditation intervention study. Tested interoceptive awareness using: • Heartbeat tracking (silently counting heartbeats during fixed time periods) • Heartbeat detection (judging if tones are simultaneous with heartbeat) • Pulse detection (taking wrist pulse and comparing to tones) NOTE: This compares experienced practitioners to non-practitioners on perceptual tasks. No yoga was taught or practiced during the study. The "Kundalini Meditation" label in the database is misleading — KY is the tradition of the meditators being studied, not an intervention administered.

Quality Item Scores — 1 fail · 2 partial · 3 pass · ★ critical
★A1
2
A2
3
★B1
2
★B2
2
B3
2
B4
2
★B5
1
B6
2
★B7
1
★B8
1
B9
2
★C1
1
JP1
3
Critical fails4
Raw QI0.615
SAF0.965
Adjusted QI0.593
Final ratingLow