The Cumulative Effect of a 12-Week Online Mindfulness-Based Meditation Intervention Programme on Autonomic Nerve Functions by Pupillary Light Reflex: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.
Stress and Health August 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1002/smi.70083 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 94 |
| Population | Healthy university students |
| Intervention | online-guided mindfulness-based interventions |
| Duration | 12-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Internet intervention Pupillary light reflex Pupillometry |
| Key findings | Online-guided mindfulness-based interventions over 12 weeks decreased state anxiety and marginally reduced sympathetic nervous system activation and perceived stress in healthy university students. |
Abstract
This study aimed to determine whether online-guided mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in daily life improve autonomic nervous system function as measured by the pupillary light reflex (PLR) in healthy subjects. A total of 94 university students were randomly allocated to either an intervention group or a waitlist control group. Participants practiced single-session meditation in a laboratory. During the intervention period, the participants practiced brief online mindfulness meditation for 12 weeks. PLR and psychological indices were measured before and after single and multiple mindfulness sessions. Using a multiple-regression analysis controlling for the baseline values, participants in the intervention group showed significantly decreased emotional fluctuations and significantly increased relaxation compared to those in the control group in a single session, whereas no significant differences in physiological indices were detected. In 12-week multiple sessions, participants in the intervention group showed significantly decreased state anxiety (p = 0.05), and marginally significantly decreased sympathetic nervous system activation (VD, p = 0.08) and perceived stress (p = 0.07) compared to those in the control group. These results suggest that the effects of mindfulness meditation on autonomic nerve function may be cumulative. These findings highlight the preventive effects of continuing online-guided MBIs in a healthy population and the potential usefulness of pupilometers in monitoring intervention effects. The applicability of pupillometry is further supported by the finding that MBIs improved psychological indices. Trial Registration: This study was not pre-registered.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 17
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Efficacy and Moderation of Mobile App–Based Programs for Mindfulness-Based Training, Self-Compassion Training, and Cognitive Behavioral Psychoeducation on Mental Health: Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial JMIR Mental Health July 29, 2018
- Mindful Self-Compassion Smartphone Intervention for Worker Mental Health in Japan: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research Protocols July 15, 2024
- The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Objective Physiological Measures of Autonomic Function for Individuals With Medical Conditions: A Review of the Evidence. Psychosomatic Medicine 2024
and 12 more in the library