Abstract Title: Loving-Kindness Meditation practice associated with longer telomeres in women. Abstract Source: Brain Behav Immun. 2013 Apr 19. Epub 2013 Apr 19. PMID: 23602876 Abstract Author(s): Elizabeth A Hoge, Maxine M Chen, Esther Orr, Christina A Metcalf, Laura E Fischer, Mark H Pollack, Immaculata Devivo, Naomi M Simon Article Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Abstract: Relatively short telomere length may serve as a marker of accelerated aging, and shorter telomeres have been linked to chronic stress. Specific lifestyle behaviors that can mitigate the effects of stress might be associated with longer telomere lengths. Previous research suggests a link between behaviors that focus on the well-being of others, such as volunteering and caregiving, and overall health and longevity. We examined relative telomere length in a group of individuals experienced in Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM), a practice derived from the Buddhist tradition which utilizes a focus on unselfish kindness and warmth towards all people, and control participants who had done no meditation. Blood was collected by venipuncture, and Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. Quantitative real time PCR was used to measure relative telomere length (RTL) (Cawthon, 2002) in fifteen LKM practitioners and 22 control participants. There were no significant differences in age, gender, race, education, or exposure to trauma, but the control group had a higher mean body mass index (BMI) and lower rates of past depression. The LKM practitioners had longer RTL than controls at the trend level (p=.083); among women, the LKM practitioners had significantly longer RTL than controls, (p=.007), which remained significant even after controlling for BMI and past depression. Although limited by small sample size, these results offer the intriguing possibility that LKM practice, especially in women, might alter RTL, a biomarker associated with longevity. Article Published Date : Apr 18, 2013

Abstract Title: Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Abstract Source: Clin Psychol Rev. 2011 Nov ;31(7):1126-32. Epub 2011 Jul 26. PMID: 21840289 Abstract Author(s): Stefan G Hofmann, Paul Grossman, Devon E Hinton Article Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, MA 02215-2002, United States. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Abstract: Mindfulness-based meditation interventions have become increasingly popular in contemporary psychology. Other closely related meditation practices include loving-kindness meditation (LKM) and compassion meditation (CM), exercises oriented toward enhancing unconditional, positive emotional states of kindness and compassion. This article provides a review of the background, the techniques, and the empirical contemporary literature of LKM and CM. The literature suggests that LKM and CM are associated with an increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect. Preliminary findings from neuroendocrine studies indicate that CM may reduce stress-induced subjective distress and immune response. Neuroimaging studies suggest that LKM and CM may enhance activation of brain areas that are involved in emotional processing and empathy. Finally, preliminary intervention studies support application of these strategies in clinical populations. It is concluded that, when combined with empirically supported treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, LKM and CM may provide potentially useful strategies for targeting a variety of different psychological problems that involve interpersonal processes, such as depression, social anxiety, marital conflict, anger, and coping with the strains of long-term caregiving. Article Published Date : Oct 31, 2011

Abstract Title: Loving-kindness meditation to enhance recovery from negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Abstract Source: J Clin Psychol. 2009 May ;65(5):499-509. PMID: 19267396 Abstract Author(s): David P Johnson, David L Penn, Barbara L Fredrickson, Piper S Meyer, Ann M Kring, Mary Brantley Article Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA. Abstract: In this article, we describe the clinical applicability of loving-kindness meditation (LKM) to individuals suffering from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders with persistent negative symptoms. LKM may have potential for reducing negative symptoms such as anhedonia, avolition, and asociality while enhancing factors consistent with psychological recovery such as hope and purpose in life. Case studies will illustrate how to conduct this group treatment with clients with negative symptoms, the potential benefits to the client, and difficulties that may arise. Although LKM requires further empirical support, it promises to be an important intervention since there are few treatments for clients afflicted with negative symptoms. Article Published Date : Apr 30, 2009