What Is the Molecular Signature of Mind-Body Interventions? A Systematic Review of Gene Expression Changes Induced by Meditation and Related Practices.
Ivana Buric, Miguel Farias, Jonathan Jong, Christopher Mee, Inti A. Brazil
Frontiers in Immunology June 16, 2017 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00670 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Clinical and non-clinical samples across the 18 included studies |
| Interventions | Mindfulness yoga Tai Chi Qigong relaxation response breath regulation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Stress Inflammation Gene expression Yoga Mind–body |
| Key findings | The authors report that mind-body practices are associated with downregulation of the nuclear factor kappa B pathway, which they describe as opposite to the effects of chronic stress on gene expression, suggesting these practices may reduce risk of inflammation-related diseases. They caution that the small number of available studies makes it unclear how these effects compare with other healthy interventions such as exercise or nutrition. |
Abstract
There is considerable evidence for the effectiveness of mind-body interventions (MBIs) in improving mental and physical health, but the molecular mechanisms of these benefits remain poorly understood. One hypothesis is that MBIs reverse expression of genes involved in inflammatory reactions that are induced by stress. This systematic review was conducted to examine changes in gene expression that occur after MBIs and to explore how these molecular changes are related to health. We searched PubMed throughout September 2016 to look for studies that have used gene expression analysis in MBIs (i.e., mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, relaxation response, and breath regulation). Due to the limited quantity of studies, we included both clinical and non-clinical samples with any type of research design. Eighteen relevant studies were retrieved and analyzed. Overall, the studies indicate that these practices are associated with a downregulation of nuclear factor kappa B pathway; this is the opposite of the effects of chronic stress on gene expression and suggests that MBI practices may lead to a reduced risk of inflammation-related diseases. However, it is unclear how the effects of MBIs compare to other healthy interventions such as exercise or nutrition due to the small number of available studies. More research is required to be able to understand the effects of MBIs at the molecular level.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
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- Randomized controlled trials of mind-body interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
- SEARCHING FOR THE TRUE SELF: THE WAY OF NONDUAL WISDOM Anthropological Measurements of Philosophical Research December 21, 2017
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Therapy on Clinical Symptoms and DNA Methylation in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and High Metabolic Risk Current Issues in Molecular Biology March 24, 2023
- Psychedelic Experience October 26, 2023
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Cites 10
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Meditation and vacation effects have an impact on disease-associated molecular phenotypes. Translational Psychiatry August 30, 2016
- Mindfulness-based interventions for people diagnosed with a current episode of an anxiety or depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. PLoS One June 15, 2016
- Biomarkers of Resilience in Stress Reduction for Caregivers of Alzheimer's Patients. Neuromolecular medicine June 2016
and 5 more in the library