Mucosal Immunity Modulated by Integrative Meditation in a Dose-Dependent Fashion

Examining the Mechanisms behind Exercise's Multifaceted Impacts on Body Composition, Cognition, and the Gut Microbiome in Cancer Survivors: Exploring the Links to Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

This review focuses on the effects of exercise on various health-related outcomes in cancer survivors, encompassing body composition, cognitive function (including sleep), and gut microbiome health. By analyzing multiple studies, we aimed to summarize the existing evidence and shed light on underlying mechanisms. The findings strongly suggest that exercise serves as a multifaceted non-pharmacological strategy, playing a significant role in improving the overall health of cancer survivors by effectively reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Exercise plays a crucial role in preventing muscle wasting, diminishing the presence of reactive oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and enhancing antioxidant systems. Furthermore, exercise displays notable benefits in terms of executive cognitive functioning and fatigue alleviation, largely attributed to its anti-inflammatory impact on the central nervous system and its ability to induce neurogenesis via growth factors. Additionally, exercise positively influences microbial diversity, reduces gut inflammation, and enhances neurogenesis through the gut-brain axis. Our key findings underscore the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation as primary mechanisms by which exercise effectively enhances health outcomes in cancer survivors. By delving deeper into these candidate mechanisms, we aim to provide valuable guidance for future research and interventions targeting the symptoms experienced by cancer survivors.

National Internet-Based Survey of the Use, Barriers, Reasons and Beliefs of Mind-Body Practices During the Early Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this study was to learn about the use, barriers, reasons and beliefs regarding mind-body practices among adults living in the United States during the beginning months of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. An on-line survey was developed following the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet e-Surveys (CHERRIES) guidelines and using the online survey software program, Qualtrics_®^XM, platform. Pilot testing of the survey was conducted for usability and functionality. The final 24-item survey was distributed via email and social media. A total of 338 adults responded to the survey, with 68.8% indicating that they participated in mind-body activities since the start of the pandemic. Physical activity was the most frequently (61.5%, n = 227) used mind-body practice. Further, 2 of the common barriers to engaging in mind-body practices were lack of motivation and wandering mind. Frequently listed reasons for using mind-body practices were to promote health, reduce stress and relaxation. Respondents believed that mind-body practices resulted in less stress. These findings may be applicable for reducing psychological stress related to the pandemic, as the pandemic continues to impact many areas of the United States.

Long-Term Physical Exercise and Mindfulness Practice in an Aging Population

Previous studies have shown that physical exercise and mindfulness meditation can both lead to improvement in physical and mental health. However, it is unclear whether these two forms of training share the same underlying mechanisms. We compared two groups of older adults with 10 years of mindfulness meditation (integrative body-mind training, IBMT) or physical exercise (PE) experience to demonstrate their effects on brain, physiology and behavior. Healthy older adults were randomly selected from a large community health project and the groups were compared on measures of quality of life, autonomic activity (heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance response, respiratory amplitude/rate), immune function (secretory Immunoglobulin A, sIgA), stress hormone (cortisol) and brain imaging (resting state functional connectivity, structural differences). In comparison with PE, we found significantly higher ratings for the IBMT group on dimensions of life quality. Parasympathetic activity indexed by skin conductance response and high-frequency heart rate variability also showed more favorable outcomes in the IBMT group. However, the PE group showed lower basal heart rate and greater chest respiratory amplitude. Basal sIgA level was significantly higher and cortisol concentration was lower in the IBMT group. Lastly, the IBMT group had stronger brain connectivity between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the striatum at resting state, as well as greater volume of gray matter in the striatum. Our results indicate that mindfulness meditation and physical exercise function in part by different mechanisms, with PE increasing physical fitness and IBMT inducing plasticity in the central nervous systems. These findings suggest combining physical and mental training may achieve better health and quality of life results for an aging population.

Mindfulness mediates the physiological markers of stress: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Meditation is a popular form of stress management, argued to mediate stress reactivity. However, many studies in this field commonly fail to include an active control group. Given the frequency with which people are selecting meditation as a form of self-management, it is important to validate if the practice is effective in mediating stress-reactivity using well-controlled studies. Thus, we aimed to conduct a meta-analysis investigating the neurobiological effects of meditation, including focused attention, open monitoring and automatic self-transcending subtypes, compared to an active control, on markers of stress. In the current meta-analysis and systematic review, we included randomised controlled trials comparing meditation interventions compared to an active control on physiological markers of stress. Studied outcomes include cortisol, blood pressure, heart-rate, lipids and peripheral cytokine expression. Forty-five studies were included. All meditation subtypes reduced systolic blood pressure. Focused attention meditations also reduced cortisol and open monitoring meditations also reduced heart rate. When all meditation forms were analysed together, meditation reduced cortisol, C - reactive protein, blood pressure, heart rate, triglycerides and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Overall, meditation practice leads to decreased physiological markers of stress in a range of populations.

Mindfulness training attenuates the increase in salivary cortisol concentration associated with competition in highly trained wheelchair-basketball players

This study determined the effect of 8 wk of mindfulness training (MT) on salivary cortisol (sCort) and rate of salivary Immunoglobulin-A (sIgA) secretion in wheelchair-basketball players during a competition period. The mindful group completed 8 weeks of MT in addition to training and competition. sCort and rate of sIgA secretion were measured at baseline, at 2-week intervals, the end and 2 weeks following the intervention. A significant time and group interaction was observed for sCort (F = 3.297, P = 0.040, ES = 0.191); sCort increased in the control group from MT-BL to MT-2wk (P = 0.001) and remained significantly elevated at MT-4wk (P = 0.013) and MT-6wk (P = 0.002). sCort decreased from MT-6wk to MT-8wk (P < 0.001) and concentrations were not different at MT-8wk and Post-2wk to MT-BL (P > 0.05). Mindful group sCort increased from MT-BL to MT-2wk (P = 0.042) but decreased to concentrations no different to MT-BL for the rest of the intervention period (P > 0.05). There were no group differences in rate of sIgA secretion during the intervention (P = 0.810). It was concluded that 8 weeks of MT attenuated the increase in sCort associated with the competition period.

The effects of mind-body therapies on the immune system: meta-analysis

Importance

Psychological and health-restorative benefits of mind-body therapies have been investigated, but their impact on the immune system remain less defined.

Objective

To conduct the first comprehensive review of available controlled trial evidence to evaluate the effects of mind-body therapies on the immune system, focusing on markers of inflammation and anti-viral related immune responses.

Methods

Data sources included MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and PsycINFO through September 1, 2013. Randomized controlled trials published in English evaluating at least four weeks of Tai Chi, Qi Gong, meditation, or Yoga that reported immune outcome measures were selected. Studies were synthesized separately by inflammatory (n = 18), anti-viral related immunity (n = 7), and enumerative (n = 14) outcomes measures. We performed random-effects meta-analyses using standardized mean difference when appropriate.

Results

Thirty-four studies published in 39 articles (total 2, 219 participants) met inclusion criteria. For inflammatory measures, after 7 to 16 weeks of mind-body intervention, there was a moderate effect on reduction of C-reactive protein (effect size [ES], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 1.12), a small but not statistically significant reduction of interleukin-6 (ES, 0.35; 95% CI, −0.04 to 0.75), and negligible effect on tumor necrosis factor-α (ES, 0.21; 95% CI, −0.15 to 0.58). For anti-viral related immune and enumerative measures, there were negligible effects on CD4 counts (ES, 0.15; 95% CI, −0.04 to 0.34) and natural killer cell counts (ES, 0.12, 95% CI −0.21 to 0.45). Some evidence indicated mind-body therapies increase immune responses to vaccination.

Conclusions

Mind-body therapies reduce markers of inflammation and influence virus-specific immune responses to vaccination despite minimal evidence suggesting effects on resting anti-viral or enumerative measures. These immunomodulatory effects, albeit incomplete, warrant further methodologically rigorous studies to determine the clinical implications of these findings for inflammatory and infectious disease outcomes.

Cortisol level modulated by integrative meditation in a dose-dependent fashion

Prior research has shown that an additional training session immediately after acute stress decreases release of salivary cortisol in a college student group trained with 5-day integrative body-mind training (IBMT) in comparison with a control group given the same amount of relaxation training. However, 5 days of training does not influence the basal secretion of cortisol. The current study seeks to extend this finding and determine whether increasing amounts of IBMT will decrease the basal cortisol level, suggesting reduced stress to daily activities. Thirty-four Chinese undergraduates were randomly assigned either to 4 weeks of IBMT or a relaxation control. Salivary cortisol levels at baseline before training and the three stages of a stress intervention test (i.e. rest, stress and additional 20-min practice) after 2 and 4 weeks of training were assessed. The basal cortisol level decreased significantly in the IBMT but not in relaxation group after 2 and 4 weeks of training. An additional IBMT practice session immediately after acute stress produced significantly lower cortisol release for the IBMT group in comparison with relaxation at weeks 2 and 4. The results indicate that IBMT produces a change in the basal endocrine system and larger acute effects as the dose of training increases.

Reorganization of the brain and heart rhythm during autogenic meditation

The underlying changes in heart coherence that are associated with reported EEG changes in response to meditation have been explored. We measured EEG and heart rate variability (HRV) before and during autogenic meditation. Fourteen subjects participated in the study. Heart coherence scores were significantly increased during meditation compared to the baseline. We found near significant decrease in high beta absolute power, increase in alpha relative power and significant increases in lower (alpha) and higher (above beta) band coherence during 3~min epochs of heart coherent meditation compared to 3~min epochs of heart non-coherence at baseline. The coherence and relative power increase in alpha band and absolute power decrease in high beta band could reflect relaxation state during the heart coherent meditation. The coherence increase in the higher (above beta) band could reflect cortico-cortical local integration and thereby affect cognitive reorganization, simultaneously with relaxation. Further research is still needed for a confirmation of heart coherence as a simple window for the meditative state.

Meditation improves self-regulation over the life span

The use of meditation to improve emotion and attention regulation has a long history in Asia and there are many practitioners in Western countries. Much of the evidence on the effectiveness of meditation is either anecdotal or a comparison of long-term meditators with controls matched in age and health. Recently, it has been possible to establish changes in self-regulation in undergraduate students after only 5 days of meditation practice, allowing randomized trials comparing effects of meditation with other self-control methods such as relaxation training. Early studies took place in Chinese universities; however, similar effects have been obtained with U.S. undergraduates, and with Chinese children aged 4.5 years and older Chinese participants aged 65 years. Studies using neuroimaging techniques have shown that meditation improves activation and connectivity in brain areas related to self-regulation, and these findings may provide an opportunity to examine remediation of mental disorders in a new light.

Improving Executive Function and its Neurobiological Mechanisms through a Mindfulness-Based Intervention: Advances within the Field of Developmental Neuroscience

Poor executive function (EF) has been associated with a host of short- and long-term problems across the lifespan, including elevated rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, drug abuse, and antisocial behavior. Mindfulness-based interventions that focus on increasing awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, and actions have been shown to improve specific aspects of EF, including attention, cognitive control, and emotion regulation. In this article, we apply a developmental neuroscience perspective to review research relevant to one specific mindfulness-based intervention, Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT). Randomized controlled trials of IBMT indicate improvements in specific EF components, and uniquely highlight the role of neural circuitry specific to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) as two brain-based mechanisms that underlie IBMT-related improvements. The relevance of improving specific dimensions of EF through short-term IBMT to prevent a cascade of risk behaviors for children and adolescents is described and future research directions are proposed.

Mechanism of integrative body-mind training

Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) originates from ancient Eastern tradition. The method stresses no effort to control thoughts, but instead a state of restful alertness that allows a high degree of awareness of the body, breathing, and external instructions. A series of studies indicates that IBMT improves attention and self-regulation through interaction between the central (brain) and the autonomic (body) nervous systems. The present review mainly summarizes the recent results of IBMT studies and proposes how it changes the state of brain and body to lead to positive outcomes. Future directions in this field are also discussed.

Barriers to meditation by gender and age among cancer family caregivers

BACKGROUND

Despite solid basic science research supporting meditation's physiologic benefits, meditation remains a marginalized practice for many Westerners; observational and descriptive studies indicate a spectrum of barriers to meditation practice.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine differences in barriers to meditation by gender and age.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey study of 150 family caregivers to adults with cancer visiting an outpatient chemotherapy center in Connecticut was conducted. The primary outcome was the Determinants of Meditation Practice Inventory. Explanatory variables included demographic characteristics, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, Big Five Inventory, and Caregiver Reaction Assessment.

RESULTS

Participants included 98 women and 52 men. Age range was 18-84 years (M = 52.3 years). The highest frequency of barriers for both genders related to misconceptions about meditation. The total number of barriers to meditation did not significantly vary by gender (p = .10) nor age (p = .27). After adjusting for personality trait, reactions to caregiving, and emotional distress, gender (adjusted β = 0.81, SE = 1.70, p = .63) and age (adjusted β = 0.02, SE = 0.05, p = .67) still did not predict the number of barriers to meditation. Backward elimination in model building showed that personality trait and reactions to caregiving account for 32% of the variability in barriers.

DISCUSSION

The total number of barriers to meditation was examined, and a difference was not found by age or gender. It is possible that differences by age and gender exist at the item level of evaluation but were not evident when evaluating total scores. Further study is needed with samples large enough to have statistical power for item-level analysis.

Short-term meditation increases network efficiency of the anterior cingulate cortex

Previous studies have found that short-term integrative body-mind training (IBMT) has positive effects on the brain structure and function in the anterior cingulate cortex. Here, we determined whether 11 h of IBMT alters topological properties of the anterior cingulate cortex in brain functional networks. We applied network analysis to resting-state functional connectivity between 90 cortical and subcortical regions before and after IBMT and relaxation training. The results demonstrated a significant increase in the network efficiency and connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex after IBMT, but not after relaxation training. These findings indicated that the change in network topology might occur by altering the brain or psychological state. IBMT might be an intervention tool for improvement of self-regulation.

Short-term meditation induces white matter changes in the anterior cingulate

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is part of a network implicated in the development of self-regulation and whose connectivity changes dramatically in development. In previous studies we showed that 3 h of mental training, based on traditional Chinese medicine (integrative body-mind training, IBMT), increases ACC activity and improves self-regulation. However, it is not known whether changes in white matter connectivity can result from small amounts of mental training. We here report that 11 h of IBMT increases fractional anisotropy (FA), an index indicating the integrity and efficiency of white matter in the corona radiata, an important white-matter tract connecting the ACC to other structures. Thus IBMT could provide a means for improving self-regulation and perhaps reducing or preventing various mental disorders.