P01.46. Assessment of autonomic tone at rest and during meditation in a longitudinal study of an eight-week meditation intervention
Gaelle Desbordes, Riccardo Barbieri, Luca Citi, Sara W. Lazar, Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Charles L. Raison, Eli Schwartz
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine June 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-12-s1-p46 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 8 |
| Population | Healthy adults without prior meditation experience |
| Duration | Eight-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Rest music Tone literature Intervention counseling Audiology Alternative medicine Physical therapy Clinical psychology Traditional medicine Pathology Theology |
| Key findings | An eight-week mindful-attention meditation intervention increased HRV and decreased LF/HF ratio, consistent with improved autonomic function, in the meditation group but not in the control group. |
Abstract
We collected electrocardiogram recordings as part of a larger randomized controlled trial of the effects of an eight-week meditation training intervention on healthy adults without prior meditation experience. Here we report data from eight subjects before and after the “mindful-attention” meditation intervention and the control intervention. The recordings were performed while the subjects were lying supine, at rest (for both groups) and in a meditative state (for the meditation group only). We computed measures of HRV and RSA across a 3-minute epoch using a point-process model of heart beat dynamics. We found a longitudinal increase in HRV and a longitudinal decrease in LF/HF ratio (i.e., a more predominant vagal tone), both consistent with improved autonomic function, in the meditation group but not in the control group. We also found a marked increase in RSA during meditation compared to rest. These preliminary outcomes, although derived from a small sample, support our hypotheses. They suggest that measures of RSA might be useful markers of the meditative state, and encourage further investigation on the efficacy of HRV measures to indicate a general improvement of autonomic health after meditation interventions.
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 |