The Effect of Mindfulness Meditation Training on Biological Acute Stress Responses in Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) lowers stress hormone and inflammatory markers more than an attention control class in adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Seventy participants with GAD were randomly assigned to MBSR or a control class. Before and after the intervention, they completed the Trier Social Stress Test. The MBSR group showed a significantly greater reduction in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and pro-inflammatory cytokine concentrations compared to the control group. These findings provide the first combined hormonal and immunological evidence that MBSR may enhance resilience to stress in people with GAD.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mindfulness-Based interventions have increased in popularity in psychiatry, but the impact of these treatments on disorder-relevant biomarkers would greatly enhance efficacy and mechanistic evidence. If Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is successfully treated, relevant biomarkers should change, supporting the impact of treatment and suggesting improved resilience to stress. Seventy adults with GAD were randomized to receive either Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or an attention control class; before and after, they underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Area-Under-the-Curve (AUC) concentrations were calculated for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and pro-inflammatory cytokines. MBSR participants had a significantly greater reduction in ACTH AUC compared to control participants. Similarly, the MBSR group had a greater reduction in inflammatory cytokines’ AUC concentrations. We found larger reductions in stress markers for patients with GAD in the MBSR class compared to control; this provides the first combined hormonal and immunological evidence that MBSR may enhance resilience to stress.