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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03056105

The Psychobiological Effects of Participation in a One-Month Insight Meditation Retreat

The purpose of this study was to examine how participation in a 1 month intensive Insight (vipassana) Meditation retreat (a) affects biological markers of cellular aging, social affiliation, and inflammation, which are important for physical health, longevity, and behavior, and (b) to relate observed biological changes to baseline levels and changes in psychological traits, which may underlie improvements in personal adaptive functioning.

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Key information

Conditions

Aging Inflammation Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of California, Davis

Davis, California, 95616, United States

About this study

The investigators are specifically assessing the effects of retreat on telomere length and telomerase levels in participants' white blood cells, as well as plasma levels of interlukin-6 (IL-6), to assess how the retreat experience impacts these markers of cellular aging and inflammation. The hypotheses are that retreat participation will increase both telomere length and telomerase activity, but decrease IL-6 levels. The investigators will also assess the impact of retreat participation on oxytocin-a hormone involved in a number of physiological and behavioral processes, including affiliative bonds and stress responses-the hypothesis being that participation in the retreat will increase plasma oxytocin levels. The investigators will then explore how these and other biomarkers relate to psychological processes and personality traits, which may also be altered by participation in the meditation retreat.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Previous meditation experience equivalent to two 5-10 day residential meditation retreats

Exclusion criteria

  • Disclosure of potentially contagious blood-borne illness (e.g., HIV, Hepatitis, etc.) or other illnesses that might interfere with telomere or telomerase measurement

Treatment and study plan

Residential Insight Meditation Retreat

Other

Retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center were led by teams of 6 experienced teachers. Participants practiced "noble silence"-refraining from eye contact as well as verbal and written communication-except during meetings with teachers. Teachers lead guided Insight meditation practices, as well as meditations on loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. The daily schedule consisted of sitting and walking meditation sessions (30-45 mins) totaling 8-10 hours/day, meals, and short work meditations (sweeping, dishes, etc.). Seated meditation was practiced as a group in a meditation hall with approximately 80 participants. Walking meditation took place in adjoining halls or on the grounds. Participants lived on-site during the retreat and were provided with a vegetarian diet.

Primary outcomes

  1. Telomerase

    Time frame: change from the start of retreat to three weeks into the retreat period

    an enzyme that repairs the shortening of telomeres that occurs during aging

  2. Telomere length

    Time frame: change from the start of retreat to three weeks into the retreat period

    the repetitive sequence of DNA that serves as a protective cap to eukaryotic chromosomes, which protects from degradation and instability and is related to longevity

  3. Interleukin-6

    Time frame: change from the start of retreat to three weeks into the retreat period

    a primary measure of inflammation, which is influenced by psychological stress

  4. Oxytocin

    Time frame: change from the start of retreat to three weeks into the retreat period

    an affiliative hormone associated with social bonding in both men and women, and which downregulates inflammatory cytokines

Secondary outcomes

  1. Arginine Vasopressin

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    a less commonly studied affiliative hormone also associated with close social bonds

  2. Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    a protein related to neuroplasticity, learning, and memory, which is decreased in depression

  3. pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1b, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12 (p70), IL-13, IFN-γ, TNF-α)

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    a family of proteins involved in generating and regulating the immune system

  4. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    10 item scale designed to assess trait-anxiety (STAI; Spielberger et al., 1983)

  5. Lifestyle Profile II

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assesses health-promoting lifestyle factors (Walker et al., 1987)

  6. Experience in Close Relationships, short form

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assesses attachment anxiety (fear of rejection or abandonment) and avoidance (avoidance of intimacy and interdependence) (ECR-12: Lafontaine et al., 2015)

  7. Mysticism Scale

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assesses mystical experience and religious interpretation (M-Scale; Hood, 1975)

  8. Non-attachment Scale

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assesses non-attachment from a Buddhist perspective (NAS; Sahdra, Shaver & Brown, 2010)

  9. Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assess five dimensions of wisdom: 1) Experience, 2) Emotional Regulation, 3) Reminiscence and Reflectiveness, 4) Openness, 5) Humor (SAWS; Webster, 2003)

  10. Ego Resiliency Scale

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assesses the ability to adapt one's level of control temporarily up or down as circumstances dictate (EGO; Block & Kremen, 1996)

  11. Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assesses five facets of mindfulness: 1) Non-reactivity to Inner Experience, 2) Observing 3) Acting with Awareness, 4) Describing, and 5) Non-judging of Experience (FFMQ; Baer et al., 2006)

  12. Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assesses depressive symptomatology (CES-D; Radloff, 1977)

  13. Psychological Wellbeing Scale

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks apart

    Assess autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance (PWBS; Ryff, 1989)

  14. Three Dimensional Wisdom Scale

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks

    Assess three dimensions of wisdom: 1) Cognitive, 2) Reflective, and 3) Affective (3-DWS; Ardelt, 2003)

  15. Big Five Inventory

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks

    Assesses extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness to experience, neuroticism (BFI; Goldberg, 1993)

  16. Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks

    Assesses non-acceptance to one's emotional responses, difficulty achieving goals, impulsiveness, lack of emotional awareness, access to emotion regulation strategies, emotional clarity (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004)

Other outcomes

  1. Gene Expression of genes relating to inflammation and telomere regulation

    Time frame: two measurements, three weeks

    PBMC RNA for exploratory gene expression studies

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of California, Davis

Other

Collaborators

  • University of Barcelona
  • University of California, San Francisco

Registry information

Official study title

The Psychobiological Effects of a One-Month Insight Meditation Retreat, a Sub-study of The Shamatha Project: A Longitudinal, Randomized Waitlist Control Study of Cognitive, Emotional, and Neural Effects of Intensive Meditation Training

Important dates

Study start
2013
Primary completion
2014
Study completion
2014
First posted
Feb 17, 2017
Registry last updated
May 30, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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