Journal of Pain Research
2025
Darren K. Cheng, Robert Simpson, Rahim Moineddin et al.
Chronic pain (CP) often co-occurs with depression, but promising scalable interventions have been under-investigated. We assessed the effectiveness of the virtually-delivered Sahaj Samadhi Meditation (SSM) program in reducing depressive symptoms in people with CP and moderate depressive symptoms. We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing SSM to the Health Enhancement Program (HEP),...
The British Journal of Psychiatry
May 25, 2021
Emily Ionson, Jayneel Limbachia, Soham Rej et al.
We, the Editors of BJPsych, have retracted the following article: Effects of Sahaj Samadhi meditation on heart rate variability and depressive symptoms in patients with late-life depression, Ionson, E., Limbachia, J., Rej, S., Puka, K., Newman, R. I., Wetmore, S., Burhan, A. M. and Vasudev, A, The British Journal of Psychiatry (2019), Cambridge University Press, 214(4), pp. 218–224. DOI:...
Trials
January 8, 2020
Abhimanyu Sud, M. Nelson, Darren K. Cheng et al.
Background Despite the high prevalence of comorbid chronic pain and depression, this comorbidity remains understudied. Meditation has demonstrated efficacy for both chronic pain and depression independently, yet there have been few studies examining its effectiveness when both conditions are present concurrently. Furthermore, while meditation is generally accepted as a safe and effective health...
International Journal of Yoga
2020
Kamini Vasudev, Emily Ionson, Samin Inam et al.
Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), a breath-based yoga intervention, has demonstrated safety and efficacy in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients subsequent to natural disaster or war, but has not been explored in civilians with PTSD from a wider range of trauma. We hypothesized that it would be feasible to conduct a clinical trial of SKY in PTSD resulting from a wide range of trauma....
The British Journal of Psychiatry
November 28, 2018
Emily Ionson, Jayneel Limbachia, Soham Rej et al.
Retracted
BACKGROUND Late-life depression (LLD) is a disabling disorder and antidepressants are ineffective in as many as 60% of cases. Converging evidence shows a strong correlation between LLD and subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease. There is a need for new, well-tolerated, non-pharmacological augmentation interventions that can treat depressive symptoms as well as improve heart rate variability...
BJPsych Open
March 1, 2016
Akshya Vasudev, Amanda Arena, A. Burhan et al.
Retracted
Late-life depression affects 2–6% of seniors aged 60 years and above. Patients are increasingly embracing non-pharmacological therapies, many of which have not been scientifically evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate a category of meditation, automatic self-transcending meditation (ASTM), in alleviating symptoms of depression when augmenting treatment as usual (NCT02149810). The preliminary...
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
August 19, 2014
Z. Amtul, Amanda Arena, H. Hirjee et al.
BackgroundThe prevalence and socioeconomic cost of late life depression (LLD) is on the rise, while the response rate to antidepressant trials remains poor. Various mind-body therapies are being embraced by patients as they are considered safe and potentially effective, yet little is known regarding the effectiveness of such therapies to improve LLD symptoms. Among the mind-body therapies...
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
1989
Charles N. Alexander, Ellen J. Langer, Ronnie I. Newman et al.
297 citations
Can direct change in state of consciousness through specific mental techniques extend human life and reverse age-related declines? To address this question, 73 residents of 8 homes for the elderly (mean age = 81 years) were randomly assigned among no treatment and 3 treatments highly similar in external structure and expectations: the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program, mindfulness training...