Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
Volume 115, Issue 10, Pages 1397-1413Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/00207450590956459
Keywords
cortisol; dopamine; massage therapy; serotonin
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Funding
- NIMH NIH HHS [MH46586] Funding Source: Medline
- PHS HHS [M1-100331] Funding Source: Medline
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In this article the positive effects of massage therapy on biochemistry are reviewed including decreased levels of cortisol and increased levels of scrotonin and dopamine. The research reviewed includes studies on depression (including sex abuse,aid eating disorder studies), pain syndrome studies, research on autoimmune conditions (including asthma and chronic fatigue), immune studies (including HIV and breast cancer), and Studies on the reduction of stress on the job, the stress of aging, and Pregnancy stress. In studies in which cortisol was assayed either in saliva or in urine, significant decreases were noted in cortisol levels (averaging decreases 31%). In studies in which the activating neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) were assayed in urine, an average increase of 28% was noted for serotonin and an average increase of 31% was noted for dopamine. These studies combined suggest the stress-alleviating effects (decreased cortisol) and the activating effects (increased serotonin and dopamine) of massage therapy on a variety of medical conditions and stressful experiences.
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