Effect of compassion meditation on neuroendocrine, innate immune and behavioral responses to psychosocial stress

Abstract

Meditation practices may impact physiological pathways that are modulated by stress and relevant to disease. While much attention has been paid to meditation practices that emphasize calming the mind, improving focused attention, or developing mindfulness, less is known about meditation practices that foster compassion. Accordingly, the current study examined the effect of compassion meditation on innate immune, neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to psychosocial stress and evaluated the degree to which engagement in meditation practice influenced stress reactivity. Sixty-one healthy adults were randomized to 6 weeks of training in compassion meditation (n=33) or participation in a health discussion control group (n=28) followed by exposure to a standardized laboratory stressor (Trier social stress test [TSST]). Physiologic and behavioral responses to the TSST were determined by repeated assessments of plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and cortisol as well as total distress scores on the Profile of Mood States (POMS). No main effect of group assignment on TSST responses was found for IL-6, cortisol or POMS scores. However, within the meditation group, increased meditation practice was correlated with decreased TSST-induced IL-6 (r(p)=-0.46, p=0.008) and POMS distress scores (r(p)=-0.43, p=0.014). Moreover, individuals with meditation practice times above the median exhibited lower TSST-induced IL-6 and POMS distress scores compared to individuals below the median, who did not differ from controls. These data suggest that engagement in compassion meditation may reduce stress-induced immune and behavioral responses, although future studies are required to determine whether individuals who engage in compassion meditation techniques are more likely to exhibit reduced stress reactivity.

Figure 1

Flowchart for participant progress through the stages of the randomized trial (based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials [CONSORT] recommendations).

Figure 2

Distribution of the mean number of meditation practice minutes per week (in class + at home practice) and mean number of meditation practice sessions per week (in class + at home practice) in the 33 participants randomized to compassion meditation training who completed the study. In-class practice sessions lasted 20 minutes. Average time for at-home practice sessions was 20.08 (SD 4.54) minutes.

Figure 3

The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) increased plasma concentrations of cortisol, interleukin (IL)-6, as well as Profile of Mood States (POMS) emotional distress scores in the study sample as a whole (2a-c). No main effect of group (compassion meditation vs. control) and no group × time interaction were found for cortisol (2a), IL-6 (2b) or POMS emotional distress (2c) responses to the TSST.

Figure 4

In participants randomized to compassion meditation training (n=33), the mean number of meditation practice sessions engaged in per week (in class + at home) during the study was inversely correlated with maximal interleukin (IL)-6 responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) (r_p = -0.46, p=.008; r_p = -0.51, p=0.004 when adjusted for baseline IL-6).

Figure 5

In participants randomized to compassion meditation training (n=33), the mean number of meditation practice sessions engaged in per week (in class + at home) during the study was inversely correlated with Profile of Mood States (POMS) emotional distress scores immediately after completion of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) public speaking/mental arithmetic stressor. A trend for an inverse correlation between post-stressor POMS distress scores (r_p = -.43, p=0.014) and amount of meditation practice was observed when baseline POMS scores were included as a covariate (r_p = -0.301, p=0.09).

Figure 6

Maximal interleukin (IL)-6 responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were reduced in participants in the high practice meditation group when compared to the low practice meditation group (* p< 0.05 vs. low practice group) (6a). Neither practice group differed significantly from control participants (6a). For Profile of Mood States (POMS) emotional distress responses to the TSST, no differences were found between the low practice meditation group and either the high practice or control groups. The high practice group demonstrated a trend (p=0.07) toward reduced emotional distress following the TSST when compared to the control group (6b).