Mindfulness and Cellular ageing Flashcards
How can we measure Cellular age?
Telomere and Telemorase.
Cell division leads to telomere shortening until death or senescence. Senescence is used as a marker of age.
Telomerase allows Telomere growth.
What is the model Epel et al put forward?
Positive cognition and arousal leads to Telomere maintenance directly and indirectly by reducing stress cognition and arousal.
What was the Samatha project and who conducted it and what was found?
Jacobs et al, 3 month mindfulness retreat of 60 active and 30 waitlist participants. Telomere measured post intevention.
Active group = Much higher telomerase production
What did Daubenmier et al find?
22 overweight women conducted 4 month MB-EAT vs 23 overweight controls
18% higher Telomerase in MB-EAT group, but not significant
Why can the relationship between telomerase and telomere length be confusing?
Wolkowitz et al, found depressed patients showed high telomerase activity and decreased telomerase length. Potentially due to a compensatory reaction.
What did Ornish et al find with regards to Telemere and Telomerase?
Prostate cancer survivors and 25 low risk prostate cancer (controls)
When using a Mindfulness based therapy participants showed an increase in telomarese activity immediately post intervention.
5 years later- Telemoarase activity decreased, but telomere length had increased.
What did Hoge et al find regarding Love and kindness mediation and telomere length?
They found no difference between controls and participants, but did find differences in females between groups.
