HealthyNCT00082160
Brain Imaging Technology to Examine the Effects of Meditation
An observational study of Healthy, run by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to identify the parts of the brain that are activated during meditation and to compare these parts to those activated during other activities. This study will also determine the effects of meditation on involuntary functions, such as breathing. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 50 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy
- What is being tested?
- Meditation and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jul 2001to Jun 2005
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 50 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Daily practice of Vipassana or Kundalini meditation for at least 1 year and participation in at least one 1-week meditation retreat
Who cannot join
- Current medical or psychological illness
- Use of antidepressants, antianxiolytics, or compounds that alter cerebral blood flow
- Claustrophobia
- Pregnancy
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02129
About this study
Official title: fMRI Investigation of Meditation
The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to identify the parts of the brain that are activated during meditation and to compare these parts to those activated during other activities. This study will also determine the effects of meditation on involuntary functions, such as breathing.
Read the detailed description
Meditation and relaxation-based interventions are becoming more widely accepted in clinical settings because of their low cost, low risk, and proven effectiveness as a complementary intervention in a wide range of diseases. Despite the success and growing use of relaxation-based treatments, few studies have addressed the basic mechanism by which these treatments work. This study will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to define the brain mechanisms underlying the meditative state, to differentiate this state from other states, and to determine how meditation-induced brain changes affect autonomic function.
Participants in this study will have an fMRI brain scan. Brain activity, breathing rate, and heart rate will be measured while the participant engages in three different activities: lying quietly, meditating, and mentally generating numbers.
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Being tested
- Meditation, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Keywords
- Meditation, Relaxation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
MeditationBehavioural
Functional Magnetic Resonance ImagingProcedure or surgery
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 May 2004 (estimated)
- Study startJul 2001
- Study completionJun 2005
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for HealthyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Defined population
- Time perspective
- Other
- Enrolment
- 60 participants
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- Sponsor type
- US National Institutes of Health
- Investigators
- Sara Lazar, PhD, Principal investigator, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00082160
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- K01AT000694-01
- Status last verified
- Aug 2006
- First submitted
- 30 Apr 2004
- Last updated
- 4 Aug 2006
- Results posted
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Aug 2006. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- fMRI Investigation of Meditation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00082160
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- K01AT000694-01
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Keywords
- Meditation, Relaxation
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 60 participants
- Lead sponsor
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)US National Institutes of Health
- Study start
- Jul 2001
- Study completion
- Jun 2005
- First posted
- 4 May 2004 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to identify the parts of the brain that are activated during meditation and to compare these parts to those activated during other activities. This study will also determine the effects of meditation on involuntary functions, such as breathing.
Detailed description
Meditation and relaxation-based interventions are becoming more widely accepted in clinical settings because of their low cost, low risk, and proven effectiveness as a complementary intervention in a wide range of diseases. Despite the success and growing use of relaxation-based treatments, few studies have addressed the basic mechanism by which these treatments work. This study will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to define the brain mechanisms underlying the meditative state, to differentiate this state from other states, and to determine how meditation-induced brain changes affect autonomic function.
Participants in this study will have an fMRI brain scan. Brain activity, breathing rate, and heart rate will be measured while the participant engages in three different activities: lying quietly, meditating, and mentally generating numbers.
Study design
- Observational model
- Defined population
- Time perspective
- Other
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 50 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Daily practice of Vipassana or Kundalini meditation for at least 1 year and participation in at least one 1-week meditation retreat
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Current medical or psychological illness
- Use of antidepressants, antianxiolytics, or compounds that alter cerebral blood flow
- Claustrophobia
- Pregnancy
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Meditation | Behavioural | – |
| Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging | Procedure or surgery | – |
Primary outcome
Not reported in the source record.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Aug 2006.
Related trials for Healthy
Recruiting
THE EFFECTS OF GAME-BASED EXERCISE PROGRAMS
Physical Activity, Body Image
Not yet recruitingPhase 1
A Phase I Study of GLR2053 Tablets in Chinese Healthy Adult Participants
Atopic Dermatitis
Recruiting
Colon-delivered Riboflavin and Gut Microbiota Composition
Microbiome Dysbiosis, Gut Health
Not yet recruiting
Neuroergonomic Analysis of a Brain-Computer Interface Device (BCI)
Healthy Volunteers - Male and Female
RecruitingPhase 1
First-in-Human Trial to Assess REGN20423 in Healthy Adult Participants and Adult Participants With Atopic Dermatitis
Healthy Volunteer, Atopic Dermatitis
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Sara Lazar, PhD principal investigator
Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Healthy, run by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Aug 2006. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Aug 2006.