Loving-kindness meditation slows biological aging in novices: Evidence from a 12-week randomized controlled trial.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
; 108: 20-27, 2019 10.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31185369
ABSTRACT
Combinations of multiple meditation practices have been shown to reduce the attrition of telomeres, the protective caps of chromosomes (Carlson et al., 2015). Here, we probed the distinct effects on telomere length (TL) of mindfulness meditation (MM) and loving-kindness meditation (LKM). Midlife adults (N = 142) were randomized to be in a waitlist control condition or to learn either MM or LKM in a 6-week workshop. Telomere length was assessed 2 weeks before the start of the workshops and 3 weeks after their termination. After controlling for appropriate demographic covariates and baseline TL, we found TL decreased significantly in the MM group and the control group, but not in the LKM group. There was also significantly less TL attrition in the LKM group than the control group. The MM group showed changes in TL that were intermediate between the LKM and control groups yet not significantly different from either. Self-reported emotions and practice intensity (duration and frequency) did not mediate these observed group differences. This study is the first to disentangle the effects of LKM and MM on TL and suggests that LKM may buffer telomere attrition.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Envejecimiento
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Meditación
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Atención Plena
Tipo de estudio:
Clinical_trials
Límite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Psychoneuroendocrinology
Año:
2019
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos
Pais de publicación:
ENGLAND
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ESCOCIA
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GB
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GREAT BRITAIN
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INGLATERRA
/
REINO UNIDO
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SCOTLAND
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UK
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UNITED KINGDOM