Influence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and catechol O-methyl transferase polymorphisms on effects of meditation on plasma catecholamines and stress.
Ye-Ha Jung, Do‐hyung Kang, Min Soo Byun, Geumsook Shim, Soo Jin Kwon, Go-Eun Jang, Ul Soon Lee, Seung Chan An, Joon Hwan Jang, Jun Soo Kwon
Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands) January 2012 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2011.592880 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 137 |
| Population | Adults who practiced meditation regularly and healthy control adults |
| Measures | modified Stress Response Inventory |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Meditation's effects on plasma catecholamines and stress vary by BDNF and COMT polymorphisms. Meditators with COMT Met allele had higher norepinephrine than Val/Val meditators. Stress levels were lower in meditators than controls for BDNF Val/Met and Met/Met, but not Val/Val. |
Abstract
Meditation may show differential effects on stress and plasma catecholamines based on genetic polymorphisms in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and catechol O-methyl transferase (COMT). Eighty adults (40 men, 40 women; mean age 26 years) who practiced meditation regularly and 57 healthy control adults (35 men, 22 women; mean age 26 years) participated. Plasma catecholamines (norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), and dopamine (DA)) concentrations were measured, and a modified form of the Stress Response Inventory was administered. The results were analyzed using two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with control and meditation subjects, gene polymorphism as factors, and meditation duration as the covariate. Two-way ANCOVA showed a significant interaction between control and meditation subjects, and BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on DA/NE+DA/E (p = 0.042) and NE/E+NE/DA (p = 0.046) ratios. A significant interaction was found for control and meditation subjects with COMT Val158Met polymorphism and plasma NE concentrations (p = 0.009). Post hoc ANCOVA in the meditation group, adjusted for meditation duration, showed significantly higher plasma NE concentrations for COMT Met carriers than COMT Val/Val subjects (p = 0.025). Significant differences of stress levels were found between the control and meditation subjects in BDNF Val/Met (p < 0.001) and BDNF Met/Met (p = 0.003), whereas stress levels in the BDNF Val/Val genotype did not differ between the control and meditation groups. This is the first evidence that meditation produces different effects on plasma catecholamines according to BDNF or COMT polymorphisms.