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What Is the Molecular Signature of Mind–Body Interventions? A Systematic Review of Gene Expression Changes Induced by Meditation and Related Practices

Overview of attention for article published in Frontiers in immunology, June 2017
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About this Attention Score

  • In the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric
  • Among the highest-scoring outputs from this source (#16 of 31,772)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (99th percentile)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (99th percentile)

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166 Dimensions

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488 Mendeley
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Title
What Is the Molecular Signature of Mind–Body Interventions? A Systematic Review of Gene Expression Changes Induced by Meditation and Related Practices
Published in
Frontiers in immunology, June 2017
DOI 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00670
Pubmed ID
Authors

Ivana Buric, Miguel Farias, Jonathan Jong, Christopher Mee, Inti A. Brazil

Abstract

There is considerable evidence for the effectiveness of mind-body interventions (MBIs) in improving mental and physical health, but the molecular mechanisms of these benefits remain poorly understood. One hypothesis is that MBIs reverse expression of genes involved in inflammatory reactions that are induced by stress. This systematic review was conducted to examine changes in gene expression that occur after MBIs and to explore how these molecular changes are related to health. We searched PubMed throughout September 2016 to look for studies that have used gene expression analysis in MBIs (i.e., mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, relaxation response, and breath regulation). Due to the limited quantity of studies, we included both clinical and non-clinical samples with any type of research design. Eighteen relevant studies were retrieved and analyzed. Overall, the studies indicate that these practices are associated with a downregulation of nuclear factor kappa B pathway; this is the opposite of the effects of chronic stress on gene expression and suggests that MBI practices may lead to a reduced risk of inflammation-related diseases. However, it is unclear how the effects of MBIs compare to other healthy interventions such as exercise or nutrition due to the small number of available studies. More research is required to be able to understand the effects of MBIs at the molecular level.

X Demographics

X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 635 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 488 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Mexico 1 <1%
United States 1 <1%
Unknown 486 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Researcher 66 14%
Student > Ph. D. Student 65 13%
Student > Bachelor 51 10%
Student > Master 50 10%
Other 38 8%
Other 103 21%
Unknown 115 24%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 90 18%
Psychology 66 14%
Nursing and Health Professions 40 8%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 33 7%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 32 7%
Other 88 18%
Unknown 139 28%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1196. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 28 September 2023.
All research outputs
#11,879
of 25,481,734 outputs
Outputs from Frontiers in immunology
#16
of 31,772 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#182
of 317,528 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Frontiers in immunology
#2
of 392 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,481,734 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 31,772 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 8.4. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 317,528 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 392 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its contemporaries.