A large-scale genomic study recently revealed robust activation of the immune system is associated with advanced meditation. The study was published in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America).
However, the potential molecular mechanisms and critical genes involved in this beneficial outcome have yet to be comprehensively elucidated. This study identified and characterised the transcriptional program associated with advanced meditation practice, and we bio-informatically integrated various networks to identify meditation-specific core network.
This core network links several immune signaling pathways, and authors showed that this core transcriptional profile is dysfunctional in multiple sclerosis and severe Covid-19 infection. The researchers demonstrated that the meditative practice enhanced immune function without activating inflammatory signals. Together, these results make meditation an effective behavioral intervention for treating various conditions associated with a weakened immune system.