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01-10-2012 | Invited Commentary

Contemplative Practice, Chronic Fatigue, and Telomerase Activity: a Comment on Ho et al.

Author: Tonya L. Jacobs, M.S., Ph.D.

Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 2/2012

Excerpt

In the present issue, Ho and colleagues [1] report results from a longitudinal, randomized wait-list controlled study, designed to assess the effects of QiGong, a contemplative practice within Chinese medicine, on chronic fatigue symptoms and on activity of telomerase, an enzyme associated with cellular health. Relative to controls, those assigned to the QiGong intervention reported a reduction in chronic fatigue symptoms and had an increase in telomerase activity. …

Ho RTH, Chan JSM, Want C, et al. A randomized controlled trial of qigong excersise on fatigue symptoms, functioning, and telomerase activity in persons with chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome. Ann Behav Med. 2012. doi:10.1007/s12160-012-9381-6.

Epel ES. Telomeres in a life-span perspective: A new “psychobiomarker”? Curr Dir Psychol Sci. 2009;18(1):6-10.CrossRef

Blackburn EH. Telomere states and cell fates. Nature. 2000;408(6808):53-56.PubMedCrossRef

Jacobs TL, Shaver PR, Epel ES, et al. (2012) Self-reported mindfulness and cortisol dynamics during a shamatha meditation retreat. Health Psychol (in press)

Daubenmier J, Lin J, Blackburn EH, et al. Changes in stress, eating, and metabolic factors are related to changes in telomerase activity in a randomized mindfulness intervention pilot study. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2012;37:917-928.PubMedCrossRef

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Epel ES, Daubenmier J, Moskowitz JT, et al. Can meditation slow the rate of cellular aging? Cognitive stress, mindfulness, and telomeres. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009;1172:34-53.PubMedCrossRef

MacCoon D, Imel Z, Rosenkranz MA, et al. The validation of an active control intervention for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Behav Res Ther. 2012;50:3-12.PubMedCrossRef

Lavretsky H, Epel ES, Siddarth P, et al. A pilot study of yogic meditation for family dementia caregivers with depressive symptoms: Effects on mental health, cognition, and telomerase activity. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2012. doi:10.1002/gps.3790.

Title: Contemplative Practice, Chronic Fatigue, and Telomerase Activity: a Comment on Ho et al.
Author: Tonya L. Jacobs, M.S., Ph.D.
Publication date: 01-10-2012
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 2/2012
Print ISSN: 0883-6612
Electronic ISSN: 1532-4796
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9395-0

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Contemplative Practice, Chronic Fatigue, and Telomerase Activity: a Comment on Ho et al.

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