A growing body of evidence suggests that meditation training may have a range of salubrious effects, including improved telomere regulation. Telomeres and the enzyme telomerase interact with a variety of molecular components to regulate cell-cycle signaling cascades, and are implicated in pathways linking psychological stress to disease. We investigated the effects of intensive meditation practice on these biomarkers by measuring changes in telomere length (TL), telomerase activity (TA), and telomere-related gene (TRG) expression during a 1-month residential Insight meditation retreat. Multilevel analyses revealed an apparent TL increase in the retreat group, compared to a group of experienced meditators, similarly comprised in age and gender, who were not on retreat. Moreover, personality traits predicted changes in TL, such that retreat participants highest in neuroticism and lowest in agreeableness demonstrated the greatest increases in TL. Changes observed in TRGs further suggest retreat-related improvements in telomere maintenance, including increases in Gar1 and HnRNPA1, which encode proteins that bind telomerase RNA and telomeric DNA. Although no group-level changes were observed in TA, retreat participants' TA levels at post-assessment were inversely related to several indices of retreat engagement and prior meditation experience. Neuroticism also predicted variation in TA across retreat. These findings suggest that meditation training in a retreat setting may have positive effects on telomere regulation, which are moderated by individual differences in personality and meditation experience. (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT03056105).

Contemporary investigations of mindfulness and meditation have predominately emphasized the short-term effects of brief inductions or standardized, multi-week interventions in people with little to no prior meditation experience. Considerably less is known about the effects of continued or intensive meditation practice as proficiency and expertise are acquired over time. In this article, we describe the form and function of residential retreats, an understudied class of meditation intervention that holds promise for bridging this gap in the empirical literature. We outline a number of design features that distinguish retreats from other meditation-based interventions, and highlight their utility for informing functional and developmental perspectives on meditation, cognition, health, and well-being.

Both theoretical and empirical work support the notion that meditation training can improve telomere regulation, which may ultimately contribute to healthy aging. Yet, the psychological and biological mechanisms underlying these changes remain underspecified, as do the contexts and boundary conditions in which these changes occur. Here we summarize studies investigating the effects of various meditation-based interventions on telomere biology, making suggestions for future research. We then propose a model describing how meditation training may impact acute and habitual stress responses as pathways to improved cell aging. Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes that cap and protect eukaryotic chromosomes. These dynamic structures are regulated by an intricate system of proteins and other molecular components, including telomerase-an enzyme capable of elongating telomeres. When telomeres become too short, critical cellular events occur, including cell death or states of prolonged senescence and inflammatory output. As such, telomere length (TL) serves as a reliable indicator of many age-related diseases (e.g., dementia and heart disease [1]). Studies of genetics show that telomere biology plays a small but causal role in disease processes: for example, genetic loading for short TL predicts degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, whereas genetic variation for longer telomeres predicts propensity for certain cancers, including glioma [2]. Telomeres generally shorten slowly across the lifespan. There is, however, some degree of malleability to this as telomeres tend to shorten more quickly in individuals exposed to longterm psychosocial adversity [3], but appear to stabilize or possibly lengthen in individuals engaged in positive lifestyle interventions (e.g., [4]). Meditation training is one such intervention that seems to beneficially affect telomere biology. In a previous theoretical model, we explored the impact of mindfulness meditation on TL [5]. In the decade since this model was published, a small body of research has emerged addressing the relationship between meditation practice and telomere-related outcomes (telomere length, telomerase activity, or telomere-related gene expression). Here, we review this empirical work and offer an updated model, depicted in Figure 1, which illustrates how various aspects of meditation training may impact telomeric regulation by influencing acute and habitual stress processes. What we know so far: A total of 19 studies have examined telomere biology in relation to meditation [6-24].

Both theoretical and empirical work support the notion that meditation training can improve telomere regulation, which may ultimately contribute to healthy aging. Yet, the psychological and biological mechanisms underlying these changes remain underspecified, as do the contexts and boundary conditions in which these changes occur. Here we summarize studies investigating the effects of various meditation-based interventions on telomere biology, making suggestions for future research. We then propose a model describing how meditation training may impact acute and habitual stress responses as pathways to improved cell aging.Telomeres are DNA-protein complexes that cap and protect eukaryotic chromosomes. 1 These dynamic structures are regulated by an intricate system of proteins and other molecular 2 components, including telomerase-an enzyme capable of elongating telomeres. When 3 telomeres become too short, critical cellular events occur, including cell death or states of 4 prolonged senescence and inflammatory output. As such, telomere length (TL) serves as a 5 reliable indicator of many age-related diseases (e.g., dementia and heart disease [1]). Studies of 6 genetics show that telomere biology plays a small but causal role in disease processes: for 7 example, genetic loading for short TL predicts degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular 8 disease, whereas genetic variation for longer telomeres predicts propensity for certain cancers, 9 including glioma [2]. 10Telomeres generally shorten slowly across the lifespan. There is, however, some degree 11 of malleability to this as telomeres tend to shorten more quickly in individuals exposed to long-12 term psychosocial adversity [3], but appear to stabilize or possibly lengthen in individuals 13 engaged in positive lifestyle interventions (e.g., [4]). Meditation training is one such intervention 14 that seems to beneficially affect telomere biology. In a previous theoretical model, we explored 15 the impact of mindfulness meditation on TL [5]. In the decade since this model was published, a 16 small body of research has emerged addressing the relationship between meditation practice and 17 telomere-related outcomes (telomere length, telomerase activity, or telomere-related gene 18 expression). Here, we review this empirical work and offer an updated model, depicted in Figure 19 1, which illustrates how various aspects of meditation training may impact telomeric regulation 20 by influencing acute and habitual stress processes. 21What we know so far: 22 A total of 19 studies have examined telomere biology in relation to meditation [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. 23These studies vary in quality, though many constitute promising pilot studies that warrant 24 replication and extension. Two cross-sectional studies found longer telomeres in experienced 25 meditators compared to meditation-naive controls (n=20 [7*]; n=13 [6], in women only). The 26 remaining 17 studies examined telomere-related outcomes in relation to interve...

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Contemporary investigations of mindfulness and meditation have predominately emphasized the short-term effects of brief inductions or standardized, multi-week interventions in people with little to no prior meditation experience. Considerably less is known about the effects of continued or intensive meditation practice as proficiency and expertise are acquired over time. In this article, we describe the form and function of residential retreats, an understudied class of meditation intervention that holds promise for bridging this gap in the empirical literature. We outline a number of design features that distinguish retreats from other meditation-based interventions, and highlight their utility for informing functional and developmental perspectives on meditation, cognition, health, and well-being.

A growing body of evidence suggests that meditation training may have a range of salubrious effects, including improved telomere regulation. Telomeres and the enzyme telomerase interact with a variety of molecular components to regulate cell-cycle signaling cascades, and are implicated in pathways linking psychological stress to disease. We investigated the effects of intensive meditation practice on these biomarkers by measuring changes in telomere length (TL), telomerase activity (TA), and telomere-related gene (TRG) expression during a 1-month residential Insight meditation retreat. Multilevel analyses revealed an apparent TL increase in the retreat group, compared to a group of experienced meditators, similarly comprised in age and gender, who were not on retreat. Moreover, personality traits predicted changes in TL, such that retreat participants highest in neuroticism and lowest in agreeableness demonstrated the greatest increases in TL. Changes observed in TRGs further suggest retreat-related improvements in telomere maintenance, including increases in Gar1 and HnRNPA1, which encode proteins that bind telomerase RNA and telomeric DNA. Although no group-level changes were observed in TA, retreat participants’ TA levels at post-assessment were inversely related to several indices of retreat engagement and prior meditation experience. Neuroticism also predicted variation in TA across retreat. These findings suggest that meditation training in a retreat setting may have positive effects on telomere regulation, which are moderated by individual differences in personality and meditation experience. (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT03056105).