Torkamani Fatemeh, Aghayousefi Alireza, Alipour Ahmad, Nami Mohammad
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.
Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
Explore (NY). 2018 Mar-Apr;14(2):114-121. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2017.10.010. Epub 2017 Dec 21.
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.
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.
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).
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.
基于现有的心理神经免疫学见解，本研究旨在调查单次团体曼陀罗冥想对唾液免疫球蛋白A（s-IgA）和情感状态的可能影响。
一项对照的前测-后测研究通过多阶段随机抽样方法，从设拉子的瑜伽俱乐部招募了30名健康女性（平均年龄44±3岁）（2016年2月至12月）。受试者被随机分为实验组（n = 15）和对照组（n = 15）。两组参与者都参加了关于曼陀罗冥想的结构化入门讲座，之后实验组的参与者进行了20分钟的冥想。干预后收集唾液样本，并由一位对干预不知情的合格临床心理学家，在基线、冥想后和一小时后等连续时间点，使用积极和消极情感量表问卷对参与者的情感状态进行检查。对对照组受试者进行了类似的评估。采用酶联免疫吸附测定法检测唾液样本中的IgA滴度。使用方差分析对s-IgA以及积极和消极情感量表（PANAS）测试结果进行统计学评估。
发现实验组在“冥想后”和“1小时后”时间点的平均s-IgA滴度与对照组有统计学差异（P <.05）。此外，结果表明与对照组相比，实验组受试者的情感有显著变化（P <.05）。
我们的研究结果表明，即使是单次的“团体曼陀罗冥想”训练也可能对某些免疫成分产生积极影响，并改善情感状态。作为一种简单且低成本的心理神经行为干预方法，这种方法可能在养老院以及团体治疗中带来心理健康益处。
