This study investigated the effects of active exploratory plantar movement on somatosensory and cognitive functions. Sixteen healthy university students were recruited. They were divided into a plantar perceptual learning training group in which a discrimination task to evaluate the hardness of a mat in the sitting position for 10 days was performed and a control group in which it was not performed, and the results were compared before and after the training. The assessments included the discrimination task, somatosensory function, standing balance, cognitive-task-based attentional function, and mental rotation ability.

In the training group, the results of the discrimination task improved in 5 of 8 subjects, and significant effects were observed in comparison with the control group. In the training group, there was a trend towards decrease in the distance of two-point discrimination and an improvement in selective attention. Subjects who initially scored low on discrimination tasks, two-point discrimination, and selective attention showed greater improvements. There was a correlation between the rate of change in the performance of discrimination task and the rate of change in alternating/divided attention. In 5 subjects with improvements in the results of the discrimination task, a correlation was found between the rate of change in alternating/divided attention and in mental rotation ability. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the approach to the body by training active perceptual learning exercises of plantar movements improves not only somatosensory function but also cognitive function, such as attention, leading to improvements in discriminative function.

This study aimed to determine the effects of mindfulness meditation on psychological and physical health in male adults. The study sample consisted of 28 healthy male adults who were divided into two groups the experimental group (n = 15, “MM group”) performed mindfulness meditation daily and the control group (n= 13)continued their usual lifestyle without meditation. Telomere length of oral mucosal cells was measured before and after the experiments. Stress and subjective well-being were assessed using the Stress Response Scale-18(SRS-18)and the Subjective Well-being Inventory (WHO SUBI).According to the results, the MM group had significantly longer telomeres (p< 0.05), lower total scores on the SRS-18 (p< 0.05), and higher mean difference scores on the WHO SUBI (p< 0.05)after the experiment compared to the control group. Statistical analysis performed using BellCurve for Excel revealed that these differences were statistically significant. The study findings suggest that daily and consistent practice of mindfulness meditation was effective in delaying the shortening rate of telomere length in oral mucosal cells, reducing perceived psychological stress, and improving subjective wellbeing.