The cumulative effects of Transcendental Meditation on cognitive function--a systematic review of randomised controlled trials.
Wiener klinische Wochenschrift November 28, 2003 DOI: 10.1007/bf03040500 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The review found no consistent evidence that TM improves cognitive function. Positive results in four trials were likely due to expectation effects, as those trials recruited favorably predisposed participants and used passive controls, while the remaining trials were negative or largely negative. |
Abstract
It is claimed that regular practice of Transcendental Meditation (TM) improves cognitive function and increases intelligence. This systematic review assesses the evidence from randomised controlled trials for cumulative effects of TM on cognitive function. Searches were made of electronic databases and the collected papers and official websites of the TM organisation. Only randomised controlled trials with objective outcome measures of the cumulative effects of TM on cognitive function were included. Trials that measured only acute effects of TM, or used only neurophysiological outcome measures were excluded. 107 articles reporting the effects of TM on cognitive function were identified and 10 met the inclusion criteria. Most were excluded because they used no controls or did not randomize subjects between interventions. Of the 10 trials included, 4 reported large positive effects of TM on cognitive function, four were completely negative, and 2 were largely negative in outcome. All 4 positive trials recruited subjects from among people favourably predisposed towards TM, and used passive control procedures. The other 6 trials recruited subjects with no specific interest in TM, and 5 of them used structured control procedures. The association observed between positive outcome, subject selection procedure and control procedure suggests that the large positive effects reported in 4 trials result from an expectation effect. The claim that TM has a specific and cumulative effect on cognitive function is not supported by the evidence from randomised controlled trials.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- The meeting of meditative disciplines and western psychology: A mutually enriching dialogue. American Psychologist 2006
- A pilot study on mindfulness based stress reduction for smokers BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine January 25, 2007
- Insufficient evidence to conclude whether or not Transcendental Meditation decreases blood pressure Journal of Hypertension October 12, 2004
- The emerging role of meditation in addressing psychiatric illness, with a focus on substance use disorders. Harvard Review of Psychiatry 2009
and 7 more in the library
Cites 4
- Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: An experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1989
- Psychiatric Problems Precipitated by Transcendental Meditation Psychological Reports October 1, 1976
- Influence of Transcendental Meditation upon Autokinetic Perception Perceptual and Motor Skills December 1, 1974
- Transcendental meditation verus muscle relaxation: two-year follow-up of a controlled experiment. American Journal of Psychiatry October 1980