Adapted from Nani Morgan, Michael R. Irwin, Mei Chung, and Chenchen Wang, “The Effects of Mind-Body Therapies on the Immune System.” ©2014 by Nani Morgan et al.
Over the last two decades, mind-body therapies (MBTs),
including Tai Chi, Qi Gong, meditation, and Yoga have
received increasing awareness and attention from the scientific
community seeking to understand the safety and efficacy of
these widely used practices. According to the 2007 National
Health Interview Survey, 19% of American adults have used at
least one mind-body therapy in the past 12 months. Currently,
the National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine designates MBTs as a top research priority.
Previous work has shown that MBTs offer many
psychological and health functioning benefits including
reductions in disease symptoms, improvements in coping,
behavior regulation, quality of life, and well-being. In light of
these benefits, recent investigations have sought to better
understand the role of MBTs on physiological pathways such
as the immune system. It has been well-established that
psychological stress and depression impair anti-viral immune
responses and activate innate immunity or markers of
inflammation via effector pathways, such as the sympathetic
nervous system and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)
axis. In fact, behavioral interventions targeted at alleviating
stress, promoting heightened states of relaxation, and
encouraging moderate physical activity, have been shown to
bolster anti-viral immune responses and decrease markers of
inflammation, particularly among older adults or adults
experiencing high levels of psychological stress.
The efficacy of such behavioral interventions in modulating
the immune system suggests that MBTs may also confer
immunomodulatory benefits. Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Yoga are
multi-dimensional behavioral therapies that integrate moderate
physical activity, deep breathing, and meditation to promote
stress reduction and relaxation, which could potentially
influence the immune system. Meditation, including more
integrative, mindfulness-based stress-reduction programs, has
also been shown to regulate emotional and affective responses
to stress, and therefore may influence the immune system even
in the absence of physical activity.
To our knowledge, this study is the first comprehensive
review of the best available evidence, summarizing the effects
of MBTs on the immune system while focusing on two aspects
of immunity that are regulated by stress response mechanisms,
namely inflammation and anti-viral related immune responses
…Indeed, evidence accrued from 34 randomly controlled trials
(RCTs) indicates that Tai Chi, Qi Gong, meditation, and Yoga,
both short- and long-term, appear to reduce markers of
inflammation and influence virus-specific immune responses to
vaccinations. Our findings are supported by existing literature
evaluating the immunomodulatory effects of other types of
behavioral interventions including exercise, stress reduction,
and mood modifying approaches. For example, exercise, one of
the most widely-studied behavioral interventions, has been
shown to reduce chronic inflammation, enhance immunological
memory in the context of vaccination, and even reduce sick
days associated with the common cold and other upper
respiratory tract infections.
Apparently, powerful links exist between the brain and the
immune system, and psychosocial factors can directly influence
health through behavior. MBTs may buffer these immune
alterations through relaxation, stress reduction, improved
mood, and moderate physical activity. Behavioral responses
are therefore the key to activating neuroendocrine and
autonomic pathways, which in turn modulate the immune
system and have implications for susceptibility to a variety of
diseases. Thus, behavioral interventions that alter immune
responses provide potent evidence for psychological influences
on immune function.
Over the last two decades, mind-body therapies (MBTs),
including Tai Chi, Qi Gong, meditation, and Yoga have
received increasing awareness and attention from the scientific
community seeking to understand the safety and efficacy of
these widely used practices. According to the 2007 National
Health Interview Survey, 19% of American adults have used at
least one mind-body therapy in the past 12 months. Currently,
the National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine designates MBTs as a top research priority.
Previous work has shown that MBTs offer many
psychological and health functioning benefits including
reductions in disease symptoms, improvements in coping,
behavior regulation, quality of life, and well-being. In light of
these benefits, recent investigations have sought to better
understand the role of MBTs on physiological pathways such
as the immune system. It has been well-established that
psychological stress and depression impair anti-viral immune
responses and activate innate immunity or markers of
inflammation via effector pathways, such as the sympathetic
nervous system and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)
axis. In fact, behavioral interventions targeted at alleviating
stress, promoting heightened states of relaxation, and
encouraging moderate physical activity, have been shown to
bolster anti-viral immune responses and decrease markers of
inflammation, particularly among older adults or adults
experiencing high levels of psychological stress.
The efficacy of such behavioral interventions in modulating
the immune system suggests that MBTs may also confer
immunomodulatory benefits. Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Yoga are
multi-dimensional behavioral therapies that integrate moderate
physical activity, deep breathing, and meditation to promote
stress reduction and relaxation, which could potentially
influence the immune system. Meditation, including more
integrative, mindfulness-based stress-reduction programs, has
also been shown to regulate emotional and affective responses
to stress, and therefore may influence the immune system even
in the absence of physical activity.
To our knowledge, this study is the first comprehensive
review of the best available evidence, summarizing the effects
of MBTs on the immune system while focusing on two aspects
of immunity that are regulated by stress response mechanisms,
namely inflammation and anti-viral related immune responses
…Indeed, evidence accrued from 34 randomly controlled trials
(RCTs) indicates that Tai Chi, Qi Gong, meditation, and Yoga,
both short- and long-term, appear to reduce markers of
inflammation and influence virus-specific immune responses to
vaccinations. Our findings are supported by existing literature
evaluating the immunomodulatory effects of other types of
behavioral interventions including exercise, stress reduction,
and mood modifying approaches. For example, exercise, one of
the most widely-studied behavioral interventions, has been
shown to reduce chronic inflammation, enhance immunological
memory in the context of vaccination, and even reduce sick
days associated with the common cold and other upper
respiratory tract infections.
Apparently, powerful links exist between the brain and the
immune system, and psychosocial factors can directly influence
health through behavior. MBTs may buffer these immune
alterations through relaxation, stress reduction, improved
mood, and moderate physical activity. Behavioral responses
are therefore the key to activating neuroendocrine and
autonomic pathways, which in turn modulate the immune
system and have implications for susceptibility to a variety of
diseases. Thus, behavioral interventions that alter immune
responses provide potent evidence for psychological influences
on immune function.