Effects of Single-Session Group Mantra-meditation on Salivary Immunoglobulin A and Affective State: A Psychoneuroimmunology Viewpoint.
Explore (New York, N.Y.) January 1, 2018 Fatemeh Torkamani, Alireza Aghayousefi, Ahmad Alipour et al.
A single 20-minute session of group mantra-meditation increased salivary immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) and improved positive affect in healthy women. In a controlled pretest-posttest study, 30 women (mean age 44 ± 3 years) from yoga clubs in Shiraz were randomly assigned to meditate or attend a lecture only. Saliva samples and affective state questionnaires were collected at baseline, post-meditation, and one hour later. The meditation group showed significantly higher s-IgA levels and greater positive affect changes than controls. The findings suggest that even brief group mantra-meditation may positively influence immune components and emotional states, offering a low-cost mental-health intervention for settings like nursing homes.