Modulating stress hormones..

[Pat Quigley]

…..thru meditation

Effect of compassion meditation on neuroendocrine, innate immune and behavioral responses to psychosocial stress
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Thaddeus W.W. Pacea, Lobsang Tenzin Negib, Daniel D. Adamec, Steven P. Coled, Teresa I. Sivillie, Timothy D. Brownf, Michael J. Issae and Charles L. Raisona, Corresponding Author Contact Information, E-mail The Corresponding Author

aDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute, 1365C Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States

bEmory-Tibet Partnership, Department of Religion, Emory College, Callaway Center S306A, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States

cDepartment of Health, Physical Education & Dance, Emory College, Woodruff Physical Education Center 314F, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States

dResearch Design Associates Inc., 1315 Baptist Church Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, United States

eEmory Collaborative for Contemplative Studies, 1599 Clifton Road, Room 607, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States

fWeill Cornell Medical College, 525 East 68th Street, New York, NY 10065, United States

Received 13 April 2008;
revised 21 August 2008;
accepted 22 August 2008.
Available online 4 October 2008.

Summary

Meditation practices may impact physiological pathways that are modulated by stress and relevant to disease. While much attention has been paid to meditation practices that emphasize calming the mind, improving focused attention, or developing mindfulness, less is known about meditation practices that foster compassion. Accordingly, the current study examined the effect of compassion meditation on innate immune, neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to psychosocial stress and evaluated the degree to which engagement in meditation practice influenced stress reactivity. Sixty-one healthy adults were randomized to 6 weeks of training in compassion meditation (n = 33) or participation in a health discussion control group (n = 28) followed by exposure to a standardized laboratory stressor (Trier social stress test [TSST]). Physiologic and behavioral responses to the TSST were determined by repeated assessments of plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and cortisol as well as total distress scores on the Profile of Mood States (POMS). No main effect of group assignment on TSST responses was found for IL-6, cortisol or POMS scores. However, within the meditation group, increased meditation practice was correlated with decreased TSST-induced IL-6 (rp = −0.46, p = 0.008) and POMS distress scores (rp = −0.43, p = 0.014). Moreover, individuals with meditation practice times above the median exhibited lower TSST-induced IL-6 and POMS distress scores compared to individuals below the median, who did not differ from controls. These data suggest that engagement in compassion meditation may reduce stress-induced immune and behavioral responses, although future studies are required to determine whether individuals who engage in compassion meditation techniques are more likely to exhibit reduced stress reactivity.

Keywords: Meditation; Compassion; Mindfulness; Trier social stress test; Cortisol; Interleukin-6
Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Methods

2.1. Participants
2.2. Overview of study procedures
2.3. Recruitment, randomization and allocation concealment
2.4. Compassion meditation and health education discussion groups
2.5. Trier social stress test (TSST)
2.6. Assessment of physiological measures
2.7. Assessment of behavioral symptoms
2.8. Statistical analysis

3. Results
4. Discussion

4.1. Summary of study findings
4.2. Study implications
4.3. Study limitations

Role of funding sources
Conflicts of interest
Acknowledgements
References

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Figure 1. Flowchart for participant progress through the stages of the randomized trial (based on the consolidated standards of reporting trials [CONSORT] recommendations).

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Figure 2. Distribution of the mean number of meditation practice minutes per week (in class + at-home practice) and mean number of meditation practice sessions per week (in class + at-home practice) in the 33 participants randomized to compassion meditation training who completed the study. In-class practice sessions lasted 20 min. Average time for at-home practice sessions was 20.08 min (S.D. 4.54).

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Figure 3. The Trier social stress test (TSST) increased plasma concentrations of cortisol, interleukin (IL)-6, as well as Profile of Mood States (POMS) emotional distress scores in the study sample as a whole (a–c). No main effect of group (compassion meditation vs. control) and no group x time interaction were found for cortisol (a), IL-6 (b) or POMS emotional distress (c) responses to the TSST.

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Figure 4. In participants randomized to compassion meditation training (n = 33), the mean number of meditation practice sessions engaged in per week (in class + at-home) during the study was inversely correlated with maximal interleukin (IL)-6 responses to the Trier social stress test (TSST) (rp = −0.46, p = 0.008; rp = −0.51, p = 0.004 when adjusted for baseline IL-6).

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Figure 5. In participants randomized to compassion meditation training (n = 33), the mean number of meditation practice sessions engaged in per week (in class + at-home) during the study was inversely correlated with Profile of Mood States (POMS) emotional distress scores immediately after completion of the Trier social stress test (TSST) public speaking/mental arithmetic stressor (rp = −.42, p = 0.014). A trend for an inverse correlation between post-stressor POMS distress scores and amount of meditation practice was observed when baseline POMS scores were included as a covariate (rp = −0.3–1, p = 0.09).

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Figure 6. Maximal interleukin (IL)-6 responses to the Trier social stress test (TSST) were reduced in participants in the high practice meditation group when compared to the low practice meditation group (*p < 0.05 vs. low practice group) (a). Neither practice group differed significantly from control participants (a). For Profile of Mood States (POMS) emotional distress responses to the TSST, no differences were found between the low practice meditation group and either the high practice or control groups. The high practice group demonstrated a trend (p = 0.07) toward reduced emotional distress following the TSST when compared to the control group (b). View Within Article Table 1. Elements and schedule of compassion meditation training program
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Table 2.

Characteristics of the 61 subject randomized to compassion meditation or a health discussion control group who completed the Trier social stress test (TSST)
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*p < 0.05 compassion meditation vs. health discussion control group; NA = not applicable. View Within Article
Corresponding Author Contact InformationCorresponding author at: Mind-Body Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 1365C Clifton Road, Room 5004, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States. Tel.: +1 404 712 8800; fax: +1 404 727 3233.

Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume 34, Issue 1, January 2009, Pages 87-98

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