International Journal of the Addictions
January 1, 1991
Paul Gelderloos, Kenneth G Walton, David W. Orme-Johnson et al.
81 citations
A review of 24 studies on Transcendental Meditation (TM) for treating and preventing substance misuse found positive effects across all studies, including those with noninstitutionalized users, treatment program participants, and prisoners with heavy use histories. While some survey studies could not exclude self-selection or responder biases, longitudinal random-assignment studies with objective measures also showed positive results. The evidence indicates TM addresses multiple factors underlying chemical dependence, offering immediate distress relief and long-term improvements in well-being, self-esteem, personal empowerment, and psychophysiological health.
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
December 12, 2024
David W. Orme-Johnson, Vernon A Barnes, Brian Rees et al.
5 citations
All categories of meditation helped reduce PTSD symptoms, with Transcendental Meditation (TM) producing significantly larger reductions than other types. A meta-analysis of 61 studies with 3,440 subjects compared four meditation approaches: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, other mindfulness techniques, Transcendental Meditation, and other non-mindfulness, non-TM methods. TM's effect size (Hedges's g = -1.13) was significantly larger than the others, which ranged from -0.52 to -0.66 and did not differ from each other. Trauma populations included war veterans, refugees, earthquake and tsunami victims, survivors of interpersonal violence, nurses, and prison inmates. No serious side effects were reported. A Phase 3 clinical trial testing TM against standard treatment was recommended.
Biomolecules
February 20, 2025
Supaya Wenuganen, Kenneth G Walton, Frederick Travis et al.
2 citations
Long-term Transcendental Meditation practice is associated with reduced biomarkers of chronic stress and biological aging. In a comparison of older long-term meditators (average 40 years of practice) with age-matched non-meditators, 7 of 13 genes that were more highly expressed in older controls showed lower expression in the older meditators. Older meditators also scored higher on a brain integration scale and had shorter event-related potential latencies—indicating faster cognitive processing—than age-matched controls, with latencies no longer than those of young non-meditators. Hair cortisol levels were lower in meditators than in matched controls, suggesting lower cumulative stress exposure.
Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health
October 1, 2023
Kenneth G Walton, Supaya Wenuganen, Steven W Cole
Long-term practitioners of Transcendental Meditation (TM) showed reduced expression of genes linked to inflammation and increased activity of antiviral genes, compared to matched controls. The analysis focused on a specific pattern of gene activity called the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity (CTRA), which is typically elevated during chronic stress. In the TM group, inflammation-related transcription factors (NF-κB, AP-1) were less active, while interferon response factors were more active. These findings suggest a potential biological mechanism through which long-term meditation practice might improve health, though further research is needed to confirm causality.