Effects of Integrated Amrita Meditation Technique on Anxiety, Depression, and Plasma Neurotransmitters on a Healthy Population: A Randomized Controlled Trial Followed by a Case–Control Study
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 25, 2021 Laura Lozano Montes, Vandana Balakrishnan, S. Gopalakrishnan
A week of Integrated Amrita Meditation (IAM) practice significantly reduced anxiety and depression in healthy people new to meditation, compared to non-meditating controls. However, no changes were observed in heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, or plasma dopamine and GABA levels over that short period. Long-term IAM practitioners (more than four years of regular practice) had higher GABA plasma levels than matched controls, suggesting that sustained meditation may influence GABAergic modulation. The findings indicate that short-term IAM can improve mood states, while long-term practice may produce underlying physiological changes.