Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators.
Psychoneuroendocrinology June 1, 2011 Tonya L Jacobs, Elissa S Epel, Jue Lin et al. 435 citations
After a 3-month meditation retreat with about 6 hours of daily practice, retreat participants showed greater telomerase activity—an indicator of cellular longevity—compared to a matched wait-list control group. Retreat participants also reported increased Perceived Control, Mindfulness, and Purpose in Life, and decreased Neuroticism. Statistical mediation analyses suggested that the retreat's effect on telomerase activity was explained by increases in Perceived Control and decreases in Neuroticism. These changes in perceived control and neuroticism were themselves partially explained by increased Mindfulness and Purpose in Life. Purpose in Life also directly mediated the group difference in telomerase activity, whereas Mindfulness did not. The findings suggest that meditation may influence cellular health through psychological changes.