Immunomodulatory Effects in Healthy Individuals Following a 4-Week Taoist Qigong Intervention: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND Qigong, an ancient health preservation technique forming part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, combines slow body movements, breathing, and meditation. While this meditative movement system has been reported to offer various physical and psychological benefits, studies on the Taoist school of qigong are sparse. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the effects of Taoist qigong on white blood cells and other immune parameters in healthy individuals. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-eight participants were recruited for the study, with 21 assigned to the experimental group and 17 to the control group. Participants in the experimental group engaged in a four-week Taoist qigong program. Blood samples for immune parameter quantification, including leukocyte count, neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil, lymphocyte, and large unstained cell (LUC) counts, as well as concentrations of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, and C4, were collected one day before the experiment started and one day after it ended. RESULTS Post-program, the experimental group exhibited significantly lower total leukocyte counts, and reduced numbers of lymphocytes and LUCs. Additionally, a higher percentage of monocytes was noted in this group. CONCLUSIONS Taoist qigong practice induced a distinct immunomodulatory profile, characterized by decreased counts of several white blood cell parameters and increased percentages of certain agranulocytes. This outcome presents intriguing implications from a psychobiological perspective and highlights the need for further research into the immune effects of Taoist mind-body practice.

Assessment of hormonal parameters and psychological well-being in healthy subjects after a Taoist qigong program: An exploratory study.

Qigong is an ancient form of health maintenance, which is part of Traditional China Medicine. Numerous beneficial mental and physical effects have been classically ascribed to this traditional psychosomatic method. The purpose of this work has been to assess the effects of Taoist qigong practice on several hormonal parameters of the Hipotalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis and specific measures of psychological well-being in healthy subjects. Forty-three healthy volunteers participated in the study, of whom 22 were randomly allocated to the experimental group, and 21 were assigned to the control group. Experimental participants underwent a qigong training program for one month. Blood samples for the quantification of hormonal parameters, and several instruments to assess anxiety and depression symptoms as well as subjective sleep quality, were obtained before and after the program. Statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups, with the experimental group showing lower blood levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This study shows that Taoist qigong is a psychosomatic method able to exert a modulatory action on ACTH levels in healthy subjects. We consider the need to continue exploring the psychobiological modulation of this qigong method and its possible repercussion for human health care.

Endocrine Modulation in Long-Term Karate Practitioners.

PURPOSE: Karate is a martial arts discipline which is widely practiced in the Western world as a form of self-defense, as well as a discipline to achieve physical and mental balance. However, little is known with respect to its specific psychobiological effects, particularly in relation to the influence that it may exert on the endocrine system. Thus, in the present study, we examined the effects of karate on several hormonal parameters of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid axes in long-time practitioners. METHODS: Twenty-two healthy volunteer subjects (12 experimental and 10 controls) participated in the study. Experimental subjects were karate players with a minimum of 3 years of practice in this discipline. Blood samples for the quantification of hormonal parameters were taken in both groups. The Mann-Whitney U test was performed for each variable in order to analyze the differences between groups. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found in cortisol and thyroid hormones, with the karate group showing lower levels of these hormones as compared to control. CONCLUSIONS: These findings, therefore, reveal that long-term karate practice is associated with a significant endocrine modulation, which suggests interesting psychobiological and clinical implications. Further research is needed to verify these preliminary results, as well as properly assessing its possible use as a psychosomatic intervention tool.

Immunological Modulation in Long-Term Karate Practitioners.

Karate is a Japanese martial arts system with potential physical and psychological benefits. However, karate has been scarcely investigated from a psychobiological perspective, and its effects on the immune system remain virtually unknown. We designed the present study with the aim of analyzing the effects of karate practice on immunological parameters. 27 healthy male volunteer subjects participated in the study, 15 in the experimental group and 12 in the control. Experimental subjects were all karate players who had practiced this martial art for a minimum of three years attending regular lessons at a karate training center, in the evening, two to three days per week. Blood samples for the quantification of immunological parameters (total leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, IgG, IgA, and IgM) were taken in both groups. A t-test for independent groups was performed in each dependent variable; a value of p<0.05 was considered to be significant. Karate practitioners exhibited a significantly higher number of total leukocytes (p<0.02), monocytes (p<0.01), and lymphocytes (p<0.01), a higher percentage of monocytes (p<0.01), and greater serum concentrations of IgG (p<0.02) and IgM (p<0.01). Our findings show that long-term karate practice is related to a broad modulation of immune parameters, including total and specific leukocyte counts, as well as immunoglobulin concentrations. This peculiar immunomodulatory profile, apart from its psychobiological relevance, may have noteworthy clinical implications.

Acute Effects on the Counts of Innate and Adaptive Immune Response Cells After 1 Month of Taoist Qigong Practice.

BACKGROUND: Qigong is an ancient form of health maintenance, dating back thousands of years, which is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Numerous physical as well as mental benefits have been classically ascribed to this traditional mind-body method which integrates slow body movements, breathing, and meditation. Albeit we have already reported an immunomodulatory action of qigong in other investigations, measures were then assessed 1 day after the qigong program ended. PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to assess the acute effects of Taoist qigong practice on immune cell counts in healthy subjects 1 h after training. METHOD: Forty-three healthy subjects participated in the study of whom 25 were randomly allocated to the experimental group and 18 to the control group. The experimental subjects underwent daily qigong training for 1 month. Blood samples for the quantification of immune parameters (number and percentage of monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, total lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells) were taken the day before the experiment commenced and 1 h after the last session of the training program ended. As statistical analysis, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups, with the experimental group showing higher values in the number (p = 0.006) and the percentage (p = 0.04) of B lymphocytes, as well as lower values in the percentage of NK cells (p = 0.05), as compared to control. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that Taoist qigong is able to exert acute immunomodulatory effects on components of both innate as well as adaptive immune response.

Subjective Sleep Quality and hormonal modulation in long-term yoga practitioners.

Yoga represents a fascinating mind-body approach, wherein body movements (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation are integrated into a single multidimensional practice. Numerous beneficial mental and physical effects have been classically ascribed to this holistic ancient method. The purpose of the present study has been to examine the effects of long-term yoga practice on Subjective Sleep Quality (SSQ) and on several hormonal parameters of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Twenty-six subjects (16 experimental and 10 controls) were recruited to be part of the study. Experimental subjects were regular yoga practitioners with a minimum of 3 years of practice. Blood samples for the quantification of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) were drawn from all subjects. Likewise, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was employed to assess SSQ. As statistical analysis, Mann-Whitney U-test was performed. The yoga group displayed lower PSQI scores and higher blood cortisol levels than control subjects. Therefore, it can be concluded that long-term yoga practice is associated with significant psycho-biological differences, including better sleep quality as well as a modulatory action on the levels of cortisol. These preliminary results suggest interesting clinical implications which should be further researched.

Serum cytokines, mood and sleep after a qigong program: is qigong an effective psychobiological tool?

Qigong is an ancient Chinese psychosomatic exercise that integrates movement, breathing and meditation into a single multifaceted practice. The present study was designed to assess the effects of qigong practice on serum cytokines, mood and subjective sleep quality. Experimental participants underwent a qigong training program for one month. Blood samples for the quantification of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma, and several instruments to assess anxiety and depression symptoms as well as SSQ, were obtained before and after the program. Our findings revealed that while the practice of qigong for one month did not alter serum cytokines, it enhanced psychological well-being, including sleep duration.

Biochemical changes after a qigong program: lipids, serum enzymes, urea, and creatinine in healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of a qigong training program on blood biochemical parameters. MATERIAL/METHODS: Twenty-nine healthy subjects participated in the study of whom 16 were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 13 to the control. The experimental subjects underwent daily qigong training for one month. Blood samples for the quantification of biochemical parameters (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, phospholipids, GOT, GPT, GGT, urea, creatinine) were taken before and after the training program. As statistical analysis, ANCOVA was performed. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found showing that the experimental group had lower serum levels of GOT (glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase), GPT (glutamic-pyruvic transaminase), and urea and that there was a trend towards significance in GGT (gamma-glutamyltransferase). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that after practicing qigong for the short period of one month, noteworthy changes in several blood biochemical parameters were induced. While it is tempting to speculate on the relevance and implications of these biochemical variations, further investigation is needed to elucidate the scope of these findings.

Assessment of immunological parameters following a qigong training program.

BACKGROUND: Qigong is a type of Chinese psychosomatic exercise that integrates meditation, slow physical movements, and breathing, and to which numerous physical as well as mental benefits have been classically ascribed. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of a qigong program on various immunological parameters. MATERIAL/METHODS: 29 naive subjects participated in the study, of whom 16 were allocated to the experimental group and the rest to the control group. The experimental subjects underwent a qigong training program, conducted by a qualified instructor, consisting of half an hour of daily practice for one month. The day before the experiment commenced and the day after it finished, blood samples were drawn from all subjects for the quantification of immunological parameters (leukocytes, immunoglobulins, and complement). As statistical analysis, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was carried out. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found between the control and experimental groups, with the experimental group showing lower numbers of total leukocytes and eosinophils, number and percentage of monocytes, as well as complement C3 concentration. In addition, a similar result with a trend towards significance was observed in the number of eosinophils. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that after one month of practicing qigong, significant immunological changes occurred between the experimental and control groups, with a consistently lower and broadly significant profile of these measures within the qigong practitioner group.

Effect of low doses of clozapine on behaviour of isolated and group-housed male mice in the elevated plus-maze test.

Clozapine is effective over a low and narrow dose range in the treatment of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Its efficacy is said to reflect an anxiolytic property of the neuroleptic. This study examined the effects of a low dose range of clozapine (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg) administered to isolated (7 days) and group-housed male mice on their behaviour in the elevated plus-maze. The results using this model of anxiety showed no dose-dependent effect on behaviour after treatment with low doses of clozapine. Some doses (0.1 and 0.4 mg/kg), however, reduced the duration and frequency of open arm entries compared to control-treated mice in the group-housed animals. This might indicate a slight anxiogenic effect. Support for this view is provided by some of the ethological measures, particularly head-dipping (HD). Seven days of isolation did not alter the main anxiety indices in controls. Nevertheless, some measures (e.g. closed entries and duration in the closed arm) were modified by the clozapine treatment (0.2 mg/kg) in a manner suggesting a mild anxiogenic action. The effects of the drug in individually and group-housed male mice were certainly different.