Keywords
Depression
Stress
Spirituality
Epigenetic repression
How to Cite
Copyright © | All rights reserved.
The journal holds the exclusive copyright for the publication of this article under the terms of Brazilian law 9610/98.
Partial reproduction
The use of parts of the texts, figures and questionnaire of the article is free, being mandatory the citation of the authors and journal.
Total reproduction
It is expressly prohibited and must be authorized by the journal.
Abstract
Objective: To analyze the physiological effects of spirituality-related practices on individuals' mental health. Literature review: Spirituality can be defined as a personal quest for answers regarding life and purpose, involving beliefs, practices, and experiences that influence the individual's overall well-being, as well as existential and transcendental aspects, extending beyond traditional religious boundaries. Spiritual practices are described as playing a significant role in mental health. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how these practices affect the body, promoting both physical and mental well-being. Psychoneuroimmunology and epigenetics are fields of study that aid in this understanding by revealing the physiological mechanisms involved in processes of illness and healing. Psychoneuroimmunology investigates the complex, bidirectional interactions between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Epigenetics explores the mechanisms controlling and expressing an individual's genetic material through external agents. Final considerations: Although there is scientific evidence linking spirituality to mental health, highlighting the physiological changes resulting from these practices, they remain underutilized in clinical settings. This study aims to stimulate discussion on the topic, encourage more rigorous clinical trials, and promote practices that foster individuals' physical and mental harmony.
References
AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION. Manual Diagnóstico e Estatístico de Transtornos Mentais - DSM-5-TR: Texto Revisado.
ANDREWS G, et al. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and generalised anxiety disorder. Aust N Z J Psychiatry, 2018; 52(12): 1109-1172.
ASHER A, et al. A 6-Week Program to Strengthen Resiliency Among Women With Metastatic Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Oncologist, 2023; 28(8).
BONADIMAN CSC, et al. Depressive disorders in Brazil: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Popul Health Metr, 2020; 18(1): 1-13.
BOTTACCIOLI AG, et al. Stress and the psyche–brain–immune network in psychiatric diseases based on psychoneuroendocrineimmunology: A concise review. Ann N Y Acad Sci, 2019; 1437(1): 31-42.
DE BRITO SENA MAB, et al. Defining Spirituality in Healthcare: A Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework. Front Psychol, 2021; 12: 756080.
DE DIEGO-CORDERO R, et al. The efficacy of religious and spiritual interventions in nursing care to promote mental, physical and spiritual health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Appl Nurs Res, 2022; 67: 151618.
DE MENEZES GALVÃO AC, et al. Pathophysiology of Major Depression by Clinical Stages. Front Psychol. 2021; 12.
DENHAM J. Exercise and epigenetic inheritance of disease risk. Acta Physiol. 2018; 222(1).
GABRIEL FC, et al. Pharmacological treatment of depression: A systematic review comparing clinical practice guideline recommendations. PLoS One, 2020; 15(4).
HUTCHINSON MR. Science convergence applied to psychoneuroimmunology: The future of measurement and imaging. Brain Behav Immun, 2020; 88: 262-9.
IMRAN MH, et al. The role of religious coping to overcome mental distress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic: An integrative review. Anal Soc Issues Public Policy, 2022; 22(3): 817-835.
JESULOLA E, et al. Understanding the pathophysiology of depression: From monoamines to the neurogenesis hypothesis model - are we there yet? Behav Brain Res, 2018; 341: 79-90.
JORDÁN APW, et al. Espiritualidade e saúde. Rev Eletrônica Acervo Saúde, 2024; 24(9): 17394.
KAPOOR A. Imaging Phenotypes of Stress Based on Functional MRI. J Clin Med Res, 2023.
KARIN O, et al. A new model for the HPA axis explains dysregulation of stress hormones on the timescale of weeks. Mol Syst Biol, 2020; 16(7): 9510.
KIM A, et al. Epigenetic Regulation in Breast Cancer: Insights on Epidrugs. Epigenomes, 2023; 7(1).
KOENIG HG, et al. Handbook of Religion and Health. Oxford University Press, 2024.
KUMAR DV. Role of Spirituality in the Mental Health. J Res Soc Sci Humanit, 2023; 2(4): 1-6.
KUPCOVA I, et al. Anxiety and Depression: What Do We Know of Neuropeptides? Behav Sci (Basel), 2022; 12(8).
LIN E e TSAI SJ. Epigenetics and depression: An update. Psychiatry Investig, 2019; 16(9): 654-661.
LIU Q, et al. Changes in the global burden of depression from 1990 to 2017: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease study. J Psychiatr Res, 2020; 126: 134-40.
LIU Y, et al. Emotional roles of mono-aminergic neurotransmitters in major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders. Front Psychol, 2018; 9(11): 412042.
LORCA MBF. Religiosity, physical and functional health in older people in Chile. Colomb Med, 2022; 53(2): 2004846.
MANCUSO EK e LORONA RT. The Scientific Study of Life Satisfaction and Religion/Spirituality. In: Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. Springer, 2022; 299-313.
MCLOUTH LE, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of effects of psychosocial interventions on spiritual well-being in adults with cancer. Psychooncology, 2021; 30(2): 147-158.
NOVAES LIPP ME, et al. Stress in Brazil. Int J Psychiatry Res, 2020; 3(4): 2020.
PARK CL, et al. Positive and negative religious coping styles as prospective predictors of well-being in African Americans. Psycholog Relig Spiritual, 2018; 10(4): 318-326.
PELLICANO GR, et al. Epigenetic correlates of the psychological interventions outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord Rep, 2022; 7: 100310.
PORTO AA, et al. Association between religiosity, satisfaction with life and mental health: a study of Brazilian adults. Debates Psiquiatr, 2022; 12: 1-16.
SALARI N, et al. Prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Glob Health, 2020; 16(1): 1-11.
SERAFIM AP, et al. Exploratory study on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on the general Brazilian population. PLoS One, 2021; 16(2).
SHATTUCK EC e MUEHLENBEIN MP. Religiosity/Spirituality and Physiological Markers of Health. J Relig Health, 2020; 59(2): 1035-54.
SILVA CALDEIRA D. Immune system and epigenomics under the light of spirituality/religiosity. MedNEXT J Med Health Sci, 2023; 4(1).
SLAVICH GM. Psychoneuroimmunology of Stress and Mental Health. In: The Oxford Handbook of Stress and Mental Health. Oxford University Press, 2020; 518-46.
SZCZEŚNIAK M, et al. The mediating effect of coping strategies on religious/spiritual struggles and life satisfaction. Religions, 2020; 11(4): 195.
WON E e KIM YK. Neuroinflammation-associated alterations of the brain as potential neural biomarkers in anxiety disorders. Int J Mol Sci. 2020; 21(18): 1-19.
ZAIB S, et al. Histone Modifications and their Role in Epigenetics of Cancer. Curr Med Chem, 2021; 29(14): 2399-411.
ZHANG FF, et al. Brain structure alterations in depression: Psychoradiological evidence. CNS Neurosci Ther, 2018; 24(11): 994-1003.