Immunological Functioning

Multiple studies have shown the effectiveness of mindfulness in reducing anxiety and depression and increasing positive affecti ii.  Similarly, studies have demonstrated left-sided activation in anterior regions of the brain under certain forms of positive and negative emotional stimuli.iii iv Moreover, it has been established that greater relative left-brained anterior activation is associated with enhanced immune functioningv vi.  Therefore, a group of researchers hypothesized that mindfulness, while decreasing anxiety and depression, and stimulating positive mood, would stimulate the left-brained anterior portion of the brain resulting in enhanced immunological functioning.  In a 2003 study, 41 participants completed a study in which group participants were randomly assigned to a treatment or control group.  The treatment group underwent an 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention. Anxiety and negative affect were measured at Time 1 – when baseline assessments were taken, Time 2 – upon completion of the 8-week course, and Time 3 – four months following the completion of the course intervention.  There was a significant decrease in anxiety and negative affect, and significantly greater left-sided brain activation, in the treatment group.  An influenza vaccine was given to both the treatment and the control group at the beginning of the 8-week intervention.  Blood was drawn from both groups approximately mid-way through the intervention and then again shortly after completion of the 8-week course.  The treatment group, which exhibited lower anxiety/negative affect and increased left-sided brain activation, also displayed a significantly greater rise in antibody titers in response to the influenza vaccination.  There was no significant increase in left-sided activation, or increase in antibody titers, in the control group.vii

i Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, A.O., Kristeller, J., Peterson, L.G., Fletcher, K.E., Pbert, L., Lenderking, W.R., & Santorelli, S.F. (1992) Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Am J Psych, 149:936-43.
ii Miller, J.J., Fletcher, K., & Kabat-Zinn, J. (1995) Three-year follow-up and clinical implications of a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction intervention in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Gen Hosp Psych, 17:192-200.
iii Davidson, R.J., Irwin W. (1993) The functional neuroanatomy of emotion and affective style. Trens Cogn Sci, 3:11-21.
iv Davidson, R.J., Ekman, P., Saron, C., Senulis, J. & Friesen, W.V. (1992) Emotional and affective style: hemispheric substrates. Psychol Sci, 3:39-43.
v Kang, D.H., Davidson, R.J., Coe, C.L., Wheeler, R.W., Tomarken, A.J., & Ershler, W.B. (1991) Frontal brain asymmetry and immune function. Behav Neurosci, 105:860-869.
vi Davidson, R.J., Coe, C.C., Dolski, I., & Donzella, B. (1999) Individual differences in prefrontal activation asymmetry predict natural killer cell activity at rest and in response to challenge. Brain Behav Immun, 13:93-108.
vii Davidson, R.J., Kabat-Zinn, J., Schumacher, J., Rosenkranz, M., Muller, D., Santorelli, S., Urbanowski, F., Harrington, A., Bonus, K., & Sheridan, J.F. (2003) Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic Medicine, 65:564-570.