The Effect of a Mind-body Exercise Program on Aspects of Attention in Individuals With Anxiety

Mind-body exercises is a non-pharmacological intervention to mental health and can improve interoceptive capacity. Interoceptive is linked to the process of sensory information within the body playing an important role in behavior. Consequently, interoceptive can be modulated by mind-body training through sustained attention to breathing signals, certainty of movements, and also related to activation of brain processes. The present study aimed to evaluation the effect of mind-body in interoceptive capacity in individuals with anxiety. An anamnesis will be performed with demographic data, as well as questions about medications and physical and mental health history. After that, subjects will be randomized into an intervention (one session of mind-body exercises) where they will be asked to sit in a comfortable armchair and remain in a comfortable posture with their eyes closed. A meditation will be guided by an audio through headphones. The audio will last 15 minutes with an initial invitation to centering (full attention to the state of the body and the breath, bringing the attention to the present moment), followed by a body scan considering the seven dimensions of interoceptive capacity (noticing, not being distracted, not worrying, attentional regulation, emotional awareness, self-regulation, and trust) and the passive control group (waiting room), after the intervention the same cognitive tests will be reapplied. Then, the groups will be switched for a crossover analysis.