P06.21 LB
Purpose: The purpose of this review was to determine the state of the science related to the integrative practices of mindfulness meditation, including mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), and potential changes in genetic expression.
Methods: Through a synthesis of published research the PsycInfo, ScienceDirect, PubMed and Web of Science databases were reviewed through February 2014. Search terms included combinations of: “MBSR, mindfulness, genes, genetics.” Searches were further limited to include only: 1) Original research studies; 2) evaluated mindfulness meditation and/or MBSR; 3) assessed potential genetic factors and 4) Research published in English. Exclusion criteria: 1) Anecdotal notes; 2) Studies published in a language other than English; 3) Reviews; and 4) Dissertations.
Results: Analysis of these searches identified 200 potential results, with two of these studies meeting the outlined inclusion criteria. In the first study, the researchers examined whether an 8-week mindfulness based stress reduction program vs. a waitlist control could reduce loneliness and downregulate loneliness-related pro-inflammatory gene expression in forty lonely older adults. Results found that MBSR reduced loneliness in the intervention group (p=.008) and at baseline, an association between reported loneliness and upregulated pro-inflammatory NF-κB-related gene expression in circulating leukocytes was downregulated at post-treatment in the intervention group. In the second study, the researchers investigated the whole genome expression of the higher state of consciousness compared to an ordinary state of consciousness of a long-term meditator living a normal life and a Buddhist lama and found that although the number of differently expressed genes and high proportion of genes themselves differed between meditators, there were significant biological and molecular processes shared among the meditators' in a higher state of consciousness.
Conclusion: This review of literature suggests a continued need to establish strong research evidence testing the relationship between changes in genetic expression and the integrative practices of mindfulness meditation and MBSR.
Contact: Carly Paterson, cpaterso@health.usf.edu
