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SEATTLE, Aug 14, 2003 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A new study shows people who underwent meditation training produced more antibodies to a flu vaccine than people who did not meditate.
Those who took part in the meditation study also showed signs of increased activity in areas of the brain related to positive emotion, as compared to people who did not meditate.
The data comes from a study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
Richard Cavisdson of the University of Washington, the principal author of the study, says it is the first to link meditation to changes in brain activity associated with positive feeling and the first to demonstrate mediation can affect immune function.
"Our findings indicate that a short training program in mindful meditation has demonstrable effects on brain and immune function and underscores the need for additional research on the biological consequences of this intervention," Davidson said.
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
