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Current opinion in psychology, 2019-08, Vol.28, p.76-80
Ort / Verlag
Elsevier Ltd
Erscheinungsjahr
2019
Link zum Volltext
Quelle
Alma/SFX Local Collection
Beschreibungen/Notizen
•Epigenetic mechanisms are associated with the development of stress-related psychopathologies in animal models and humans.•Pilot studies suggest that MBIs may downregulate epigenetic pathways related with inflammation, cell aging and depression.•The potential health implications of epigenetic mechanisms sensitive to MBIs need to be further investigated.
In the last decade, epigenetics has taken center stage to explain the relationships between stress exposure, health and behavior. Acquired or inherited epigenetic changes modulate gene expression states without modifying the DNA sequence itself, they can be long-lasting, yet, they are potentially reversible. Several studies have explored whether meditation-based interventions can influence gene expression profiles towards healthier directions, identifying candidate genes and biological pathways that seem to be sensitive to contemplative practices. However, to date, the clinical implications of these molecular outcomes and their potential long-lasting epigenetic bases remain mostly unknown. The present article addresses these topics from a broad perspective and analyzes future research questions and perspectives at the crossroads of contemplative sciences and epigenetics.