Shorter telomeres are linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline and age-related diseases. An 18-month meditation training program in adults aged 65 and older did not significantly affect telomere length measures compared to a non-native language training or passive control group. Telomere length generally decreased over time across all groups. However, within the meditation group, greater class attendance and higher responsiveness to the intervention were associated with longer telomeres, and lower openness to experience correlated with fewer critically short telomeres. The findings suggest that while meditation did not show a main effect on telomere preservation, individual factors may influence outcomes.
A month-long silent meditation retreat altered the expression of genes involved in epigenetic modulation and inflammation. In experienced meditators attending an Insight meditation retreat (28 participants) compared to a community control group (34 experienced practitioners living their everyday lives), retreat participants showed differential changes in genes related to chromatin modulation and inflammation. The most substantive finding was downregulation of the TNF pathway in retreat participants, which was not observed in controls. These findings suggest that meditation retreat participation may influence inflammatory mechanisms involved in chronic disease development and may have therapeutic potential, particularly in experienced practitioners.
Intensive meditation during a one-month residential Insight retreat was associated with an apparent increase in telomere length compared to a control group of experienced meditators not on retreat. Personality traits moderated this effect: retreat participants highest in neuroticism and lowest in agreeableness showed the greatest telomere length increases. Changes in telomere-related gene expression suggested improved telomere maintenance, including increases in Gar1 and HnRNPA1. No group-level changes in telomerase activity were observed, but retreat participants' telomerase activity at post-assessment was inversely related to retreat engagement and prior meditation experience. Neuroticism also predicted variation in telomerase activity across the retreat.