Azam Muhammad Abid, Katz Joel, Mohabir Vina, Ritvo Paul
Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3.
Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3; School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3.
Int J Psychophysiol. 2016 Dec;110:66-74. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2016.10.011. Epub 2016 Oct 18.
Current research suggests that associations between headache conditions (migraine, tension) and imbalances in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are due to stress-related dysregulation in the activity of the parasympathetic-sympathetic branches. Mindfulness meditation has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing pain-related distress, and in enhancing heart rate variability-a vagal-mediated marker of ANS balance. This study examined HRV during cognitive stress and mindfulness meditation in individuals with migraine and tension headaches.
Undergraduate students with tension and migraine headaches (n=36) and headache-free students (n=39) were recruited for an experiment involving HRV measurement during baseline, cognitive stress-induction, and after randomization to post-stress conditions of audio-guided mindfulness meditation practice (MMP) or mindfulness meditation description (MMD). HRV was derived using electrocardiograms as the absolute power in the high frequency bandwidth (ms). A three-way ANOVA tested the effects of Group (headache vs. headache-free), Phase (baseline, stress, & post-stress), and Condition (MMP vs. MMD) on HRV.
ANOVA revealed a significant three-way interaction. Simple effects tests indicated: 1) HRV increased significantly from stress to MMP for headache and headache-free groups (p<0.001), 2) significantly greater HRV for headache (p<0.001) and headache-free (p<0.05) groups during MMP compared to MMD, and 3) significantly lower HRV in the headache vs. headache-free group during the post-stress MMD condition (p<0.05).
Results suggest mindfulness practice can promote effective heart rate regulation, and thereby promote effective recovery after a stressful event for individuals with headache conditions. Moreover, headache conditions may be associated with dysregulated stress recovery, thus more research is needed on the cardiovascular health and stress resilience of headache sufferers.
当前研究表明，头痛病症（偏头痛、紧张性头痛）与自主神经系统（ANS）失衡之间的关联是由于副交感神经 - 交感神经分支活动中与压力相关的调节异常所致。正念冥想已被证明在减轻疼痛相关困扰以及提高心率变异性方面有效，心率变异性是ANS平衡的一种由迷走神经介导的指标。本研究考察了偏头痛和紧张性头痛患者在认知应激和正念冥想过程中的心率变异性。
招募患有紧张性和偏头痛的本科生（n = 36）以及无头痛的学生（n = 39）参与一项实验，该实验涉及在基线、认知应激诱导期间以及随机分配到音频引导的正念冥想练习（MMP）或正念冥想描述（MMD）的应激后条件下测量心率变异性。使用心电图得出心率变异性，以高频带宽中的绝对功率（毫秒）表示。采用三因素方差分析来检验组别（有头痛与无头痛）、阶段（基线、应激、应激后）和条件（MMP与MMD）对心率变异性的影响。
方差分析显示存在显著的三因素交互作用。简单效应检验表明：1）对于有头痛和无头痛组，从应激到MMP期间心率变异性显著增加（p < 0.001）；2）与MMD相比，在MMP期间，有头痛组（p < 0.001）和无头痛组（p < 0.05）的心率变异性显著更高；3）在应激后MMD条件下，有头痛组的心率变异性显著低于无头痛组（p < 0.05）。
结果表明正念练习可促进有效的心率调节，从而促进有头痛病症的个体在应激事件后有效恢复。此外，头痛病症可能与应激恢复失调有关，因此需要对头痛患者的心血管健康和应激恢复能力进行更多研究。
