The effect of meditation on regulation of internal body states.
Sahib S. Khalsa, David Rudrauf, Richard J. Davidson, Daniel Tranel
Frontiers in Psychology July 7, 2015 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00924 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental within-subject infusion study with matched comparison group Randomized Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | 15 formally trained meditators and 15 non-meditators individually matched on age, sex, and body mass index |
| Interventions | Meditation Isoproterenol Saline |
| Dose | moderate intravenous doses of isoproterenol |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Adrenergic Regulation Isoproterenol Body Parasympathetic |
| Key findings | Meditation did not reduce the cardiovascular response to isoproterenol in formally trained meditators. Across all derived measures of heart rate, there was no evidence at the group or individual level that meditation increased regulation of elevated cardiac adrenergic tone, contrary to the earlier case report. |
Abstract
Meditation is commonly thought to induce physiologically quiescent states, as evidenced by decreased autonomic parameters during the meditation practice including reduced heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, skin conductance, and increased alpha activity in the electroencephalogram. Preliminary empirical support for this idea was provided in a case report by Dimsdale and Mills (2002), where it was found that meditation seemed to regulate increased levels of cardiovascular arousal induced by bolus isoproterenol infusions. In that study, while meditating, a self-taught meditator exhibited unexpected decreases in heart rate while receiving moderate intravenous doses of the beta adrenergic agonist isoproterenol. This effect was no longer observed when the individual received isoproterenol infusions while not meditating. The current study was designed to explore this phenomenon empirically in a group of formally trained meditators. A total of 15 meditators and 15 non-meditators individually matched on age, sex, and body mass index were recruited. Participants received four series of infusions in a pseudorandomized order: isoproterenol while meditating (or during a relaxation condition for the non-meditators), isoproterenol while resting, saline while meditating (or during a relaxation condition for the non-meditators), and saline while resting. Heart rate was continuously measured throughout all infusions, and several measures of heart rate were derived from the instantaneous cardiac waveform. There was no evidence at the group or individual level suggesting that meditation reduced the cardiovascular response to isoproterenol, across all measures. These results suggest that meditation is not associated with increased regulation of elevated cardiac adrenergic tone.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Integrative Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: Improving Outcomes Through Evidence-based Practice of Yoga-derived Breathwork and Meditation. Journal of Addiction Medicine
- Necessity and Significance of Meditation in Life Journal of Advanced Research in Ayurveda Yoga Unani Sidhha & Homeopathy October 8, 2020
- Guided mindfulness meditation as a priming strategy for reducing anxiety and facilitating motor skill learning. Frontiers in Psychology 2026
Cites 18
- Neural correlates of attentional expertise in long-term meditation practitioners Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences June 28, 2007
- Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being Current Directions in Psychological Science April 1, 2005
- Interoceptive awareness in experienced meditators Psychophysiology May 22, 2008
- Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Reduces Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation in Veterans Medical Care November 13, 2014
- Meditation's impact on chronic illness. Holistic Nursing Practice 2003
and 13 more in the library