The effects of intensive mindfulness interventions on athletes’ psychological states and cognitive performance: an fNIRS study

This randomized controlled trial examined whether short-term intensive mindfulness training is associated with changes in executive task performance and prefrontal hemodynamic responses in elite athletes. Twenty-eight elite badminton athletes were randomly assigned to a 10-day mindfulness intervention or an active control (regular training plus neutral video viewing). Before and after the intervention, athletes completed the Tower of London (TOL) task while prefrontal responses were recorded using fNIRS; task accuracy (ACC) and reaction time (RT) were assessed. Neural responses were quantified using Hbdiff (HbO–HbR) and a neural efficiency (NE) index, and mindfulness was assessed with the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). The intervention group showed increased FFMQ scores, but no significant Group × Time interaction was observed for TOL-related ACC or RT. Under low cognitive load, CH15 (right vlPFC) showed a lower hemodynamic response, and the CH15 NE index showed a higher NE index than the control group; the CH15 (right vlPFC) response was positively associated with RT. These findings add to evidence on mindfulness-related modulation of vlPFC (CH15) responses under low cognitive load during executive task performance, although the absence of robust behavioral changes warrants cautious interpretation.