Acute and Long-Term Effects of App-Delivered Heartfulness Meditation on Psychological Outcomes and the Endocannabinoid Signaling System in Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome.

A six-week pilot study of heartfulness meditation delivered through a custom app for cyclic vomiting syndrome found significant improvements in state anxiety, total mood disturbance, and other mood states across three time points in 30 participants who completed the treatment. Trait anxiety improved by week 6. Psychological distress, sleep quality (daytime dysfunction), coping using religion or spirituality, and health-related quality of life (mental and physical) also improved. Blood levels of the endocannabinoid N-arachidonylethanolamine and related lipids increased significantly after meditation at week 6. No adverse effects occurred. The findings suggest app-delivered heartfulness meditation is feasible, safe, and effective, and may work by augmenting endocannabinoids.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction often triggered by stress. Interventions such as meditation may improve psychological outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but their efficacy and the underlying mechanism are unknown. We conducted a 6-week single-arm pilot study to assess the effects of heartfulness meditation (HFM) in CVS using a custom-designed meditation app. Primary outcomes included state and trait anxiety and mood state changes pre vs post-meditation, and secondary outcomes were psychological distress, coping, sleep quality, and HRQoL at baseline and at weeks 3 and 6. Serum concentrations of endocannabinoids N -arachidonylethanolamine and 2-arachidonoylglycerol and related lipids were measured pre- and post-HFM at baseline and week 6. In 30 treatment completers, there was a significant improvement in state anxiety ( P < 0.001), total mood disturbance ( P < 0.001), and other mood states (all P values < 0.05) across the 3 time points. Trait anxiety was also improved at week 6. There was a significant improvement in psychological distress (Global Severity Index), sleep quality (daytime dysfunction), coping (using religion/spirituality), and HRQoL (mental and physical) across the 3 time points (all P < 0.05). Significant increases in N -arachidonylethanolamine and related lipids N -oleoylethanolamine and palmitoylethanolamide post vs pre-HFM were observed at week 6 ( P < 0.001, 0.002, 0.003, respectively). No adverse effects were noted. App-delivered HFM is feasible, safe, and effective and improves psychological outcomes and augments endocannabinoids. This provides insight into the mechanism underlying HFM and has potential for widespread use as a digital therapeutic in CVS and other disorder of gut-brain interaction.