Effects of Single-Session Group Mantra-meditation on Salivary Immunoglobulin A and Affective State: A Psychoneuroimmunology Viewpoint

Fatemeh Torkamani; Alireza Aghayousefi; Ahmad Alipour; Mohammad Nami

doi:10.1016/j.explore.2017.10.010

Effects of Single-Session Group Mantra-meditation on Salivary Immunoglobulin A and Affective State: A Psychoneuroimmunology Viewpoint

Explore (NY). 2018 Mar-Apr;14(2):114-121. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2017.10.010. Epub 2017 Dec 21.

Authors

Fatemeh Torkamani¹, Alireza Aghayousefi², Ahmad Alipour², Mohammad Nami³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran; Neuroscience Laboratory (Brain, Cognition and Behavior), Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
² Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
³ Neuroscience Laboratory (Brain, Cognition and Behavior), Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Clinical Neurology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Electronic address: torabinami@sums.ac.ir.

PMID: 29650130
DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2017.10.010

Abstract

Objectives: Based on existing psychoneuroimmunological insights, the present study aimed at investigating possible effects of a single-session group mantra-meditation on salivary immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) and affective states.

Materials and methods: A controlled pretest-posttest study enrolled 30 healthy women (mean age 44 ± 3 years) through a multi-stage random sampling method from yoga clubs in Shiraz (Feb-Dec, 2016). Subjects were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups. Participants in both the groups attended a structured introductory lecture about mantra-meditation after which those in the experimental group meditated for 20min. Saliva samples were collected after the intervention, and the participants' affective states were examined by a qualified clinical psychologist blinded to the intervention using the positive and negative affect schedule questionnaire at sequential time-points, i.e., baseline, post-meditation, and one hour later. Similar assessments were done for the control group subjects. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to test saliva samples for the IgA titer. The s-IgA and the positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS) test results were statistically evaluated using an analysis of variance.

Result: The mean s-IgA titer in the experimental group at 'post-meditation' and '1-hour later' time-points were found to be statistically different from those of the control group (P < .05). In addition, results indicated a significant change in affect among experimental group subjects as compared to controls (P < .05).

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that "group mantra-meditation" training even for a single session may positively influence some immunological components and improve affective states. As a simple and low-cost psychoneurobehavioral intervention, this method may offer mental-health benefits at nursing homes as well as group-therapies.

Keywords: Affects; mantra-meditation; psychoneuroimmunology; salivary immunoglobulin A.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Affect / physiology*
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin A / analysis*
Iran
Meditation*
Middle Aged
Psychoneuroimmunology*
Saliva / metabolism
Surveys and Questionnaires

Substances

Immunoglobulin A