Meditation, stress processes, and telomere biology

Abstract

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].

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