Enhanced psychosocial well-being following participation in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program is associated with increased natural killer cell activity.
Carolyn Y. Fang, Diane K. Reibel, Margaret L Longacre, Steven Rosenzweig, Donald E Campbell, Steven D Douglas
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 2010 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2009.0018 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Single-group pretest/post-test pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Heterogeneous patients aged 28-72 years, English-speaking, without known autoimmune disorder |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week MBSR program, assessments within 2 weeks post-MBSR |
| Measures | Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form Health Survey, natural killer cell cytolytic activity, C-reactive protein |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | MBSR participation was associated with significant improvements in anxiety and overall distress, and reductions in these measures correlated with decreased CRP. Improved mental well-being was linked to increased NK cytolytic activity, whereas no improvement showed no change in NK activity. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs have consistently been shown to enhance the psychosocial well-being of participants. Given the well-established association between psychosocial factors and immunologic functioning, it has been hypothesized that enhanced psychosocial well-being among MBSR participants would be associated with corresponding changes in markers of immune activity. The objectives of this study were to examine changes in psychosocial and immunologic measures in a heterogeneous patient sample following participation in a MBSR program. A single-group, pretest/post-test design was utilized. The intervention was conducted at an academic health center. This pilot study involved 24 participants (aged 28-72 years). Inclusion criteria were as follows: > or =18 years of age, English-speaking, and no known autoimmune disorder. The intervention was an 8-week MBSR program. Distress and quality of life (QOL) measures included the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and the Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form Health Survey, respectively. Immunologic measures included natural killer (NK) cell cytolytic activity and C-reactive protein (CRP). Patients completed psychosocial assessments and provided a blood sample at baseline (pre-MBSR) and within 2 weeks post-MBSR. Significant improvements in anxiety and overall distress as well as across multiple domains of QOL were observed from baseline to post-MBSR. Reductions in anxiety and overall distress were associated with reductions in CRP. Patients who reported improvement in overall mental well-being also showed increased NK cytolytic activity from pre- to post-MBSR, whereas patients who reported no improvement in mental well-being showed no change in NK cytolytic activity. Positive improvement in psychologic well-being following MBSR was associated with increased NK cytolytic activity and decreased levels of CRP.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 22
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Zen Meditation for Depression, Anxiety, Pain, and Psychological Distress Journal of Psychiatric Practice July 1, 2012
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Mindfulness training alters emotional memory recall compared to active controls: support for an emotional information processing model of mindfulness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Mindfulness instruction for HIV-infected youth: a randomized controlled trial AIDS Care October 25, 2017
- Effect of mindfulness-based interventions on people with prehypertension or hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC cardiovascular disorders February 14, 2024
and 17 more in the library
Cites 14
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Mindfulness meditation: a primer for rheumatologists. Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America February 2011
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cancer: a meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology June 2009
- Effect of mindfulness based stress reduction on immune function, quality of life and coping in women newly diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity August 2008
- Mindfulness, spirituality, and health-related symptoms. Journal of Psychosomatic Research April 2008
and 9 more in the library