Brain, behavior, & immunity - health
July 1, 2025
Ivana Buric
5 citations
Chronic stress is a major risk factor for mental and physical health disorders, and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) show promise in reducing its harmful effects. This review identifies three key gaps in mindfulness research: the lack of a unified theoretical framework (proposing the INSPIRER framework to integrate psychological, neural, and immune mechanisms); individual differences in MBI responses, requiring precision approaches to identify who benefits most; and adaptations to MBIs, such as varying duration or using technology, to improve effectiveness and accessibility. Addressing these gaps could advance personalized, cost-effective interventions to mitigate chronic stress and protect health.
Brain, behavior, & immunity - health
March 1, 2025
Elizabeth Vandenbogaart, Matthew Figueroa, Diana Winston et al.
1 citation
A six-week virtual mindfulness program for women with Long COVID-related dysautonomia did not improve objective measures of autonomic function or most self-reported symptoms, but it did reduce insomnia severity and decreased pro-inflammatory gene expression. Twenty women aged 21-52 years participated. Insomnia scores dropped significantly after the program but returned toward baseline by four weeks. No improvements were seen in autonomic symptoms, anxiety, perceived stress, depression, well-being, or COVID-related distress. Pro-inflammatory conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) gene expression decreased from before to after the program, especially among those with more prior COVID-19 infections. The findings suggest mindfulness may improve sleep and reduce inflammatory biology, but overall symptom burden remained high.
Brain, behavior, & immunity - health
March 1, 2026
Qingying Zheng, Guoyuan Huang, Qian Liu et al.
A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 29 randomized controlled trials involving 2253 adults with neuropsychiatric disorders found that mind-body exercises such as Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction significantly reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), while increasing the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Effects on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) showed a non-significant trend toward benefit. The most effective dosage was between 600 and 1000 MET-minutes per week. Tai Chi and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction ranked best for reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, while Qigong showed the greatest benefits for neurotrophic outcomes. Participant characteristics and exercise parameters moderated the effects, suggesting personalized prescriptions may enhance outcomes.