The New Medical Frontier

       Can the change in breath rate during sound or mantra meditation result in significant improvements in brain performance and innate immunity? To answer this question doctors Sonia Sequeira, PhD, and Mahiuddin Ahmed, PhD, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have launched a randomized, controlled study of the effects of sound meditation on gene, brain, heart, immune and autonomic activity. The research team is randomly assigning 30 subjects of varied meditation experiences to 3 different mantra designs. To put the practice into perspective, a normal person breathes at a rate of 10-14 breaths/minute; the vagus nerve, which is responsible for replenishing our energetic and immune resources after a stressful event, is activated when breath is reduced to 7-5 breaths/minute and these mantras (Dr. Levry’s Sat Nam Wahe Guru, Guru Ram Das and Ra Ma compositions) reduce the breath to 3.5-2 breaths/min. We hypothesize that this significant change in breath rate will not only induce the relaxation response responsible for significant changes in heart, brain and gene expression (Jacobs et al., 1996, Lazar et al, 2000, Benson et al, 1975, Dusek et al, 2008) but cause profound, unique changes to brain connectivity and performance through vagal input with long lasting impact on endocrine and innate immunity. This is to our knowledge, the first study to take an in-depth look at the mechanistic effects of sound meditation.
 

Thus far, 10 subjects have been enrolled into this study, and had their baseline covariance evaluated (factors that may affect outcomes such as age, meditation experience, health, left-handedness). The investigators compared subjective measures of mindfulness, physical and emotional health, human connectedness, before and after a 40 day intervention. They also measured the subject’s ability to solve problems, and make decisions. At start of study, subjects were connected to EEG and EKG systems for real-time measure of brain, heart and autonomic activities for the duration of 20 min, while meditating. Subjects were then asked to practice at home and maintain a diary of their completed assignments. After 40 days, they returned for a final session, recorded by EEG and EKG. Saliva samples were collected at baseline and follow-up, for RNA, DNA and immune modulator analysis. The data is still being processed, however, we are already able to observe interesting trends. Those subjects that have a long-standing practice of meditation, scored highest in mindfulness and problem-solving measures compared to novices. They also had the highest vagal tone at baseline suggesting that they acquired resilience over the years with long-lasting effects. This also suggests heart dominance over brain processing. Brain activities in the different bands are remarkably synchronized during mantra meditation, and we are able to see very different signatures during pranayama, mantra and prayer. Next, this data will be compared with novice practitioners, and the differences in novices before and after a single session of sound meditation will be observed, as well as before and after 40 days of practice. This will reveal how sound meditation builds physical and emotional health after a 20 min/day, 40 day practice. Brain and heart activity will be correlated to significant immune molecules, specifically those molecules that are impaired in chronic disease such as cancer and cardiovascular risk. The research team will use these measures in their pediatric project at MSKCC. This project has generated interest in the Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Unit and the adult Integrative Medicine department, which have invited the team to collaborate in other populations.

In the summer of 2015 the meditation research team was invited to teach sound meditation to the pediatric nursing staff at one of their wellness meetings. It was so well received that a monthly morning meditation program was immediately implemented. Based on this program, there will be a study to investigate the effects of sound meditation on nurse burnout and quality of life. Fundamental to the overarching goal of providing the best platform for recovery and healing to patients, there are now plans to study the effects of this practice on pediatric surgeon burnout, quality of life and patient trust in physician measures.

Establishing the Institute for Meditation Sciences:
Creating a healthier future through medical research on
the effects of mantra meditation practices in clinical settings

       To provide an entity and framework to these research programs, the Institute for Meditation Sciences was formed as a 501c3 not for profit organization. To fulfill an unmet need in the scientific community, the Advances in Meditation Research Conference Series was created in 2013, inclusive of different meditation traditions. In September 2015, we received 20 speakers from the US, Canada and India, 155 participants from 5 continents at Memorial Sloan Kettering. The conference has become known for its scientific rigor and open-minded approach to ancient teachings. 20 papers are being written for publication in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences that report findings that impact our understanding of aging, pain, social well-being and predictors of disease.

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