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Adrenocortical activity during meditation.

R Jevning, A F Wilson, J M Davidson

Hormones and Behavior February 1978 DOI: 10.1016/0018-506x(78)90024-7 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational study Peer reviewed
Population Normal, young adult volunteers: controls, the same controls restudied after 3 to 4 months of TM practice, and long-term regular TM practitioners with 3 to 5 years of practice
Duration 3 to 4 months of TM practice for restudied controls; 3 to 5 years of practice for long-term practitioners
Topics Meditation
Key findings Cortisol decreased significantly in long-term TM practitioners during meditation and remained somewhat low afterward, while the decline in restudied controls was not significant and controls showed no change during rest. Testosterone did not change during rest or TM. The authors propose that TM practice becomes associated with psychophysiologic responses that acutely inhibit pituitary-adrenal activity.

Abstract

We studied acute plasma cortisol and testosterone concentration changes during the practice known as "transcendental meditation" (TM) and during control rest. Three groups of normal, young adult volunteers were studied: a group of controls, these same controls restudied as practitioners after 3 to 4 months of TM practice, and a group of long-term, regular TM practitioners (3 to 5 years of practice). No change was found in controls during rest. Cortisol declined, but not significantly, in restudied controls, while cortisol decreased significantly in long-term practitioners during meditation and remained somewhat low afterward. No change in testerone concentration was noted during either rest or TM. Apparently, the practice of TM becomes associated with psychophysiologic response(s) which acutely inhibit pituitary-adrenal activity.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students 2006 Observational cohort
Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia 1992 Observational cohort n = 22
Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls 2005 Observational cohort n = 20
Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls 2011 Observational cohort
Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls 2004 Observational cohort

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