Transcriptomics of Long-Term Meditation Practice: Evidence for Prevention or Reversal of Stress Effects Harmful to Health

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Stress can overload adaptive mechanisms, leading to epigenetic effects harmful to health. Research on the reversal of these effects is in its infancy. Early results suggest some meditation techniques have health benefits that grow with repeated practice. This study focused on possible transcriptomic effects of 38 years of twice-daily Transcendental Meditation® (TM®) practice. Materials and Methods: First, using Illumina® BeadChip microarray technology, differences in global gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were sought between healthy practitioners and tightly matched controls (n = 12, age 65). Second, these microarray results were verified on a subset of genes using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and were validated using qPCR in larger TM and control groups (n = 45, age 63). Bioinformatics investigation employed Ingenuity® Pathway Analysis (IPA®), DAVID, Genomatix, and R packages. Results: The 200 genes and loci found to meet strict criteria for differential expression in the microarray experiment showed contrasting patterns of expression that distinguished the two groups. Differential expression relating to immune function and energy efficiency were most apparent. In the TM group, relative to the control, all 49 genes associated with inflammation were downregulated, while genes associated with antiviral and antibody components of the defense response were upregulated. The largest expression differences were shown by six genes related to erythrocyte function that appeared to reflect a condition of lower energy efficiency in the control group. Results supporting these gene expression differences were obtained with qPCR-measured expression both in the well-matched microarray groups and in the larger, less well-matched groups. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with predictions based on results from earlier randomized trials of meditation and may provide evidence for stress-related molecular mechanisms underlying reductions in anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and other chronic disorders and diseases.

Underlying mechanisms of mindfulness meditation: Genomics, circuits, and networks

“…A few studies examined neurotrophins[ 25 , 26 ]. Trans-criptomic analyses were performed in both healthy and clinical populations combining diverse MM activities in several longitudinal and mixed design studies and obtained similar results[ 24 , 27 - 29 ].…”

“…Genetic studies of MM showed that differential transcription occurs in genes involved in DNA damage response, oxidative stress, and inflammatory metabolism processes, in both short and long-term practitioners[ 22 - 24 ]. In most studies, these results were correlated with reduced stress and fatigue, improved immune response, and clinical symptoms.…”

“…For example, utilizing microarray analysis of global mRNAs to study the methylome of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 17 experienced meditators of one-day intensive MM practice, found 61 differentially methylated regions[ 35 ]. Similarly, studying the transcriptomic effects in six individuals after twice-daily transcendental MM practice revealed 200 genes differentially expressed[ 24 ]. Studies focusing on the impact of MM for treating hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease showed that several genes related to fundamental pathways were differentially expressed[ 27 , 28 ].…”

The Future of Medicine: Frontiers in Integrative Health and Medicine

“…There are several critical observations and implications on the management of communicable and non-communicable diseases based on this series of papers. Using microarray experiments, Wenuganen et al studied the effects of Transcendental Meditation (TM) practice on the expression of 200 genes [31]. Compared to control group, 49 inflammation related genes were downregulated, while genes associated with antiviral and antibody components of the defense response were upregulated.…”

Transcendental Meditation practitioners show reduced expression of the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity

“…In the second, a larger number of studies have reported associations between the twice-daily practice of TM and benefits for individual and collective health [see e.g., ( Schneider et al, 2012 ; Paul-Labrador et al, 2006 ; Orme-Johnson, 1987 ; Dillbeck and Cavanaugh, 2023 )]. The current secondary analysis of data from a previous report ( Wenuganen et al, 2021 ) concerns a less-pursued but important topic in research, namely, the search for biological mechanisms capable of supporting the reported health and wellbeing benefits of the practice.…”