Effects of stress and mindfulness on epigenetics.
Vitamins and hormones January 1, 2023 Ayman Mukerji Househam
Chronic mental stress can cause harmful epigenetic changes—heritable alterations in gene expression without DNA sequence changes—that may have evolutionary roots but are now maladaptive in modern life. The chapter examines mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) as a potential countermeasure, describing how mindfulness practice influences epigenetic modifications through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, serotonergic transmission, genomic health and aging, and neurological biomarkers.