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Enhanced Psychosocial Well-Being Following Participation in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program Is Associated with Increased Natural Killer Cell Activity
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs have consistently been shown to enhance the psychosocial well-being of participants. Given the well-established association between psychosocial factors and immunologic functioning, it has been hypothesized that enhanced psychosocial well-being among MBSR participants would be associated with corresponding changes in markers of immune activity. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to examine changes in psychosocial and immunologic measures in a heterogeneous patient sample following participation in a MBSR program. DESIGN: A single-group, pretest/post-test design was utilized. SETTING: The intervention was conducted at an academic health center. SUBJECTS: This pilot study involved 24 participants (aged 28-72 years). Inclusion criteria were as follows: > or =18 years of age, English-speaking, and no known autoimmune disorder. INTERVENTION: The intervention was an 8-week MBSR program. OUTCOME MEASURES: Distress and quality of life (QOL) measures included the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and the Medical Outcomes Survey Short-Form Health Survey, respectively. Immunologic measures included natural killer (NK) cell cytolytic activity and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: Patients completed psychosocial assessments and provided a blood sample at baseline (pre-MBSR) and within 2 weeks post-MBSR. Significant improvements in anxiety and overall distress as well as across multiple domains of QOL were observed from baseline to post-MBSR. Reductions in anxiety and overall distress were associated with reductions in CRP. Patients who reported improvement in overall mental well-being also showed increased NK cytolytic activity from pre- to post-MBSR, whereas patients who reported no improvement in mental well-being showed no change in NK cytolytic activity. CONCLUSIONS: Positive improvement in psychologic well-being following MBSR was associated with increased NK cytolytic activity and decreased levels of CRP.
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Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Fang, C. Y., Reibel, D. K., Longacre, M. L., Rosenzweig, S., Campbell, D. E., & Douglas, S. D.
- Affiliations
- Fox Chase Cancer Center (US)
- Thomas Jefferson University (US)
- Drexel University (US)
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fang, Carolyn Y.
- Venue
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2010-05
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 531-538
- ISSN
- 1075-5535 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-7708
- PMC
- PMC2921566
- OpenAlex
- W2004305363
- Cited by
- 130
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 10.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- The Medicine Forum (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- Fox Chase Cancer Center
- National Cancer Institute (R01CA125069, P30 CA000697, K22CA107115, P30CA006927)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health, psychology, and well-being
- Keywords
- mindfulness-based stress reduction, psychosocial well-being, natural killer cells, C-reactive protein, anxiety, distress, quality of life, mind-body problem, immune function
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Anxiety, C-Reactive Protein, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Killer Cells, Natural, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Psychophysiology, Quality of Life, Stress, Psychological, Meditation
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