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

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.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to study the short-term effects of Integrated Amrita Meditation (IAM) technique in anxiety and depression states and to have a better understanding on the underlying physiological changes related to short-term and long-term IAM practice. Design: Short-term IAM practitioners (ST-IAM) and long-term IAM practitioners (LT-IAM) were compared to control groups of the same age and naïve to yoga and meditation (ST-control and LT-control, respectively). Settings/Location: Kerala, India. Subjects: People that did not suffer from any major medical condition. All participants were naïve to yoga and meditation practices, except for the 5 LT-IAM practitioners. Intervention: ST-IAM practitioners underwent 2 community IAM practices and 5 individual IAM practices. LT-IAM practitioners (performing IAM regularly for more than 4 years) underwent a community IAM practice before the study. Outcome measures: Anxiety and depression states and physiological parameters from ST-IAM and ST-control groups were assed in two different visits (before and after the week of IAM practice or control condition). LT-IAM and LT-control subjects' physiological measurements were taken in only one visit. Results: Short-term IAM practice significantly decreased anxiety and depression states; two way ANOVA indicated differences on anxiety and depression scores across visits between ST-IAM and ST-control groups (Group effect: F (1, 25) = 6.083, p = 0.0209; F (1, 25) = 4.449, p = 0.0451). However, no changes were observed on their physiological parameters (heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and dopamine and GABA plasma levels). Interestingly, LT-IAM practitioners showed increased GABA plasma levels than the LT-control group (p = 0.0358, t = 2.521, df = 8). Conclusions: Our study indicates the possible role of IAM technique on modulations of the plasma GABAergic levels and shows that one week of IAM practice is accompanied by a significant decrease of anxiety and depression states in the healthy population.