Objective: The underlying changes in biological processes that are associated with reported changes in mental and physical health
in response to meditation have not been systematically explored. We performed a randomized, controlled study on the effects on
brain and immune function of a well-known and widely used 8-week clinical training program in mindfulness meditation applied
in a work environment with healthy employees. Methods: We measured brain electrical activity before and immediately after, and
then 4 months after an 8-week training program in mindfulness meditation. Twenty-five subjects were tested in the meditation
group. A wait-list control group (N 16) was tested at the same points in time as the meditators. At the end of the 8-week period,
subjects in both groups were vaccinated with influenza vaccine. Results: We report for the first time significant increases in
left-sided anterior activation, a pattern previously associated with positive affect, in the meditators compared with the nonmeditators.
We also found significant increases in antibody titers to influenza vaccine among subjects in the meditation compared with
those in the wait-list control group. Finally, the magnitude of increase in left-sided activation predicted the magnitude of antibody
titer rise to the vaccine. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that a short program in mindfulness meditation produces
demonstrable effects on brain and immune function. These findings suggest that meditation may change brain and immune function
in positive ways and underscore the need for additional research.
Objective: The underlying changes in biological processes that are associated with reported changes in mental and physical healthin response to meditation have not been systematically explored. We performed a randomized, controlled study on the effects onbrain and immune function of a well-known and widely used 8-week clinical training program in mindfulness meditation appliedin a work environment with healthy employees. Methods: We measured brain electrical activity before and immediately after, andthen 4 months after an 8-week training program in mindfulness meditation. Twenty-five subjects were tested in the meditationgroup. A wait-list control group (N 16) was tested at the same points in time as the meditators. At the end of the 8-week period,subjects in both groups were vaccinated with influenza vaccine. Results: We report for the first time significant increases inleft-sided anterior activation, a pattern previously associated with positive affect, in the meditators compared with the nonmeditators.We also found significant increases in antibody titers to influenza vaccine among subjects in the meditation compared withthose in the wait-list control group. Finally, the magnitude of increase in left-sided activation predicted the magnitude of antibodytiter rise to the vaccine. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that a short program in mindfulness meditation producesdemonstrable effects on brain and immune function. These findings suggest that meditation may change brain and immune functionin positive ways and underscore the need for additional research.
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