Mind over genes

The relaxation response -- triggered by meditation, deep breathing, or prayer -- can slow heart rate, lower blood pressure, and ease anxiety. But what happens on the cellular level to make these effects flow through body and mind?

In a small study whose results are reported in the open-access journal PLoS One, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center searched for genes implicated in how we respond to stress. They
compared blood samples from 19 seasoned practitioners of the relaxation response to specimens from 19 people who had no experience with the practice. The novices were then trained in achieving the relaxation response for eight weeks, after which they gave new samples.

The researchers found that genes involved in inflammation, programmed cell death, and disposing of potentially harmful free radicals were activated or repressed in the groups at different levels, depending on the study subject’s experience with the relaxation response. The relaxation response appeared to have the opposite effect of stress, which has been linked to increased inflammation and cellular aging.

“This study provides the first compelling evidence that the relaxation response elicits specific gene expression changes in short-term and long-term practitioners,” the authors write. “Future investigations could better define the therapeutic value and required duration of [relaxation response] training to counter stress-related disorders.”