Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms and Electroencephalogram

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14410
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Muratsubaki Tomohiko 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (70741007)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 過敏性腸症候群 / マインドフルネス瞑想 / 脳波 / 機械学習 / 消化器症状

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A single session of mindfulness meditation for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) improved abdominal discomfort and abdominal pain, increased mindfulness, and altered EEG beta2 power%. The EEG alterations were localized compared to healthy controls.In the EEG discrimination between IBS and healthy controls based on long short-term memory, the baseline correct response rate was 69%. The possibility of discriminating IBS from healthy controls based on EEG was suggested. The correct response rate during mindfulness meditation was 54%, which was equivalent to a random decision. This result suggests that mindfulness meditation altered the EEG specific to IBS.

Free Research Field

行動医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

過敏性腸症候群（IBS）は一般人口における割合も高く、消化器症状とともに精神症状を伴うため、QOLを著しく阻害し、経済的損失も大きい。IBSに対するマインドフルネス瞑想の有用性を脳波を中心とした基礎研究および人工知能を用いた解析により検討することで，IBSに対する治療法を確立することに寄与する知見を得られたことは，学術的および社会的意義がある。