MBSR and Early Stage HIV
Project 2, Mindfulness, Education, and Stress Arousal, extends the work of Project 1, the clinical trial of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Education, by examining specific stress-related adaptive and maladaptive cognitive and affective mechanisms through which MBSR may influence neuroendocrine and autonomic nervous system activity.
Project 2 includes two studies. Study A will test hypotheses regarding the relationship between perceived stress and basal neuroendocrine activity and the extent to which the effects of MBSR on basal neuroendocrine activity are mediated by adaptive and maladaptive cognitive and affective pathways. Psychological assessments will be made at baseline, post intervention, 6 months, and 12 months. Diurnal catabolic and anabolic hormones will be assayed at baseline, post intervention, and 12 months.
In Study B, these same hypotheses will be tested in a controlled laboratory setting where participants will be exposed to a challenging laboratory task post-intervention, while autonomic reactivity is assessed in additon to neuroendocrine reactivity. Project 2 will also provide data for Project 3 with which it can further explore the links between neuroendocrine response to both naturalistic and laboratory stress and immune system mediation.
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