Research on the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programs

7 papers found

• 1990· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 6
  Walton, K. G.; Gelderloos, P.; Pugh, N.; Macrae, P.; Goddard, P.; MacLean, C.; and Levitsky, D. Stress and serotonin turnover in normal subjects: relation to serotonin deficiencies in mental disorders. Abstract presented at the 5th International Congress of Psychophysiology, Budapest, Hungary, 9-13 July, 1990.

  This study found that participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program showed higher levels of whole body serotonin turnover and less mood disturbance. In general, higher levels of whole body serotonin were correlated with less anxiety, less depression, less aggression, and less impulsiveness.

  • Biochemical: Higher Whole Body Serotonin Turnover
  • Psychological Health: Less Mood Disturbance
  • Biochemical: Higher Levels of Whole Body Serotonin Turnover Correlated with Less Anxiety, Less Depression, Less Aggression, and Less Impulsiveness
• 1994· Psychosomatic Medicine· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 6
  Wenneberg, S. R.; Schneider, R. H.; MacLean, C. R. K.; Levitsky, D. K.; Walton, K. G.; Mandarino, J.; and Waziri, R. The effect of Transcendental Meditation on ambulatory blood pressure and cardiovascular reactivity. Psychosomatic Medicine 56: 168, 1994 (Abstract).

  A randomized longitudinal study of ambulatory blood pressure (monitoring of blood pressure during the day’s activity) found that those who learned the Transcendental Meditation program showed a reduction of mean ambulatory diastolic blood pressure, to lower normal levels, without loss of blood pressure reactivity.

  • Health—Cardiovascular: Decreased Mean Diastolic Ambulatory Blood Pressure
  • Health—Cardiovascular: Maintenance of Blood Pressure Reactivity
• 1994· Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly· Theoretical/Review· Collected Papers Vol. 6
  Walton, K. G., and Levitsky, D. A neuroendocrine mechanism for the reduction of drug use and addictions by Transcendental Meditation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 89–117, 1994.

  This paper outlines a model of the neurochemical and endocrine processes associated with chronic stress and their contribution to the development of drug addiction; it also reviews research on the physiological effects of Transcendental Meditation in light of this model, indicating mechanisms of how this technique creates physiological balance and thereby promotes freedom from addictive behaviors.

  • Review Paper—Physiology: Theoretical and Review Paper—Physiology and Reduced Substance Abuse
• 1997· Psychoneuroendocrinology· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  MacLean, C. R. K.; Walton, K. G.; Wenneberg, S. R.; Levitsky, D. K.; Mandarino, J. P.; Waziri, R.; Hillis, S. L.; and Schneider, R. H. Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on adaptive mechanisms: Changes in hormone levels and responses to stress after 4 months of practice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 22: 277–295, 1997.

  This experimental study found that those who learned the Transcendental Meditation technique, in contrast to controls who took a stress education class, showed after four months of practice a more adaptive response to stress, as measured by increased cortisol responsiveness to stressors together with reduced basal cortisol and reduced average cortisol. Findings on other hormones also differen­tiated the Transcendental Meditation and stress education groups.

  • Response to Stress: More Adaptive Pattern of Cortisol in Relation to Stress: Decreased Basal Cortisol and Average Cortisol, Increased Cortisol Responsiveness to Stressors
  • Response to Stress: Response to Stressors Different than Controls for Other Hormones (Growth Hormone and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone)
• 1997· International Journal of Neuroscience· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Wenneberg, S. R.; Schneider, R. H.; Walton, K. G.; Maclean C. R.; Levitsky, D. K.; Salerno, J. W.; Wallace, R. K.; Mandarino, J. V.; Rainforth, M. V.; and Waziri, R. A controlled study of the effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on cardiovascular reactivity and ambulatory blood pressure. International Journal of Neuroscience 89: 15–28, 1997.

  Individuals randomly assigned to learn the Transcendental Meditation program showed a significant reduction of average ambulatory diastolic blood pressure over a period of four months in contrast to control subjects randomly assigned to participate in a stress education program.

  • Health—Cardiovascular: Reduction in Ambulatory Diastolic Blood Pressure
• 2003· Journal of Offender Rehabilitation· Research Review· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Walton, Kenneth G.; and Levitsky, Debra K. Effects of the Transcendental Meditation program on neuroendocrine abnormalities associated with aggression and crime. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 36: 67–87, 2003.

  The authors review research evidence on the relationship of stress to neuroendocrine abnormalities in aggression and crime, and review research indicating that the beneficial effects of the Transcendental Meditation program in reduction of criminal behavior may in part be through alleviating these stress-induced neuroendocrine abnormalities.

  • Review Paper—Physiology: Research Review—Alleviating Stress-Related Neuroendocrine Abnormalities Associated with Aggression and Crime
• 2004· Annals of the New York Academy of Science· Empirical· Collected Papers Vol. 7
  Walton, K.G.; Fields, J.Z.; Levitsky, D.K.; Harris, D.A.; Pugh, N.D.; and Schneider, R.H. Lowering cortisol and CVD risk in postmenopausal women: A pilot study using the Transcendental Meditation program. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1032: 211–215, 2004.

  Older women participating in the Transcendental Meditation program were found to have reduced cortisol response to a metabolic stressor, in contrast to matched control subjects. Length of time participating in the Transcendental Meditation program was also found to be correlated with lower cardiovascular risk factors among this group.

  • Response to Stress: Lower Cortisol Response to Stress
  • Health—Cardiovascular: Lower Levels of Cardiovascular Risk Factors Correlated with Length of Practice of Transcendental Meditation