Remodeling the Epigenome Through Meditation: Effects on Brain, Body, and Well-being.

Epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene activity in response to environmental stimuli without altering DNA sequences, enabling real-time adaptation. Both favorable and unfavorable lifestyles leave epigenetic marks that can be reversed or persist across generations. Meditation activates inner resources to cope with adverse experiences, while unhealthy habits, stress, and early-life trauma may promote inflammation and neuroendocrine dysregulation. Mindfulness-based techniques alleviate such symptoms. Meditation induces structural brain changes, modulates circulating factors, and alters expression of genes linked to the HPA axis and immune systems. This chapter reviews pioneering research on how meditation promotes health by reshaping DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Epigenetic mechanisms are key processes that constantly reshape genome activity carrying out physiological responses to environmental stimuli. Such mechanisms regulate gene activity without modifying the DNA sequence, providing real-time adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Both favorable and unfavorable lifestyles have been shown to influence body and brain by means of epigenetics, leaving marks on the genome that can either be rapidly reversed or persist in time and even be transmitted trans-generationally. Among virtuous habits, meditation seemingly represents a valuable way of activating inner resources to cope with adverse experiences. While unhealthy habits, stress, and traumatic early-life events may favor the onset of diseases linked to inflammation, neuroinflammation, and neuroendocrine dysregulation, the practice of mindfulness-based techniques was associated with the alleviation of many of the above symptoms, underlying the importance of lifestyles for health and well-being. Meditation influences brain and body systemwide, eliciting structural/morphological changes as well as modulating the levels of circulating factors and the expression of genes linked to the HPA axis and the immune and neuroimmune systems. The current chapter intends to give an overview of pioneering research showing how meditation can promote health through epigenetics, by reshaping the profiles of the three main epigenetic markers, namely DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs.