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Large-scale genomic study reveals robust activation of the immune system following advanced Inner Engineering meditation retreat.

Chandran V, Bermúdez ML, Koka M, Chandran B, Pawale D, Vishnubhotla R, Alankar S, Maturi R, Subramaniam B, Sadhasivam S. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2021 · Uncontrolled longitudinal transcriptomic study

Original publication · Original publication · Original publication

Recorded summary

An eight-day meditation retreat study reported coordinated blood-transcriptome changes in immune-related genes, including interferon-associated pathways, providing a candidate molecular signature for further testing.

Recorded limitations

The intensive retreat lacked a randomised control and combined multiple lifestyle changes. Expression changes do not establish improved antiviral protection or clinical treatment efficacy.

Evidence and provenance

Chapter Trust Factor uses a minimum of three distinct qualifying studies. Publication records retain their own evidence and assessment.

Study design and assessment
design
Uncontrolled longitudinal transcriptomic study
assessment
category
peer-reviewed
peer Reviewed
true
basis
Reported design checked against the primary publication abstract. Blinding terminology reflects the source report, not an independent risk-of-bias rating.
sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

assessed At
2026-10-26
registered Masking Basis
false
trust Factor
score
1
scope
Paper
status
assessed
randomized Controlled Trial
Not recorded
blinding
not-confirmed
peer Reviewed
true
basis
Reported design checked against the primary publication abstract. Blinding terminology reflects the source report, not an independent risk-of-bias rating.
sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

review Scope
Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
assessed At
2026-10-27
jadad
status
not-applicable
score
Not recorded
evidence
intervention
Eight-day intensive meditation retreat
comparator
Within-person pre/post comparison; no randomised control
evidence Type
Gene expression
source URLs

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

checked At
2026-10-26
review Scope
Primary publication abstract and bibliographic identity checked; comprehensive full-text risk-of-bias and Jadad assessment pending.
discovery Sources

https://europepmc.org/article/MED/34907015

selection Policy
Success-focused discovery selection, with material limitations retained; not an exhaustive systematic review.
measurement
Blood transcriptomics
measured Genes
None recorded
Topics and recorded topic scores
  1. key
    language:mindfulness-rna
    title
    Mindfulness interventions and gene expression
    collection
    language
    trust Score
    2
Citation snapshot and identifiers
id
pmid-34907015
doi
10.1073/pnas.2110455118
pmid
34907015
citation Snapshot
count
36
source
Europe PMC
retrieved At
2026-10-26
url
https://europepmc.org/article/MED/34907015
citations By Collection
language
36
Complete approved library record
id
pmid-34907015
publication Key
doi:10.1073/pnas.2110455118
aliases
None recorded
title
Large-scale genomic study reveals robust activation of the immune system following advanced Inner Engineering meditation retreat.
journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
neurotransmitters
None recorded
year
2021
authors
Chandran V, Bermúdez ML, Koka M, Chandran B, Pawale D, Vishnubhotla R, Alankar S, Maturi R, Subramaniam B, Sadhasivam S.
design
Uncontrolled longitudinal transcriptomic study
identity Conflict
Not recorded
doi
10.1073/pnas.2110455118
pmid
34907015
urls

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

collections

language

categories

Gene expression

targets
None recorded
priority
0
quotes
None recorded
summary
An eight-day meditation retreat study reported coordinated blood-transcriptome changes in immune-related genes, including interferon-associated pathways, providing a candidate molecular signature for further testing.
limitation
The intensive retreat lacked a randomised control and combined multiple lifestyle changes. Expression changes do not establish improved antiviral protection or clinical treatment efficacy.
citation Count
36
citation Snapshot
count
36
source
Europe PMC
retrieved At
2026-10-26
url
https://europepmc.org/article/MED/34907015
study Design Assessment
category
peer-reviewed
peer Reviewed
true
basis
Reported design checked against the primary publication abstract. Blinding terminology reflects the source report, not an independent risk-of-bias rating.
sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

assessed At
2026-10-26
registered Masking Basis
false
paper Trust Assessment
score
1
scope
Paper
status
assessed
randomized Controlled Trial
Not recorded
blinding
not-confirmed
peer Reviewed
true
basis
Reported design checked against the primary publication abstract. Blinding terminology reflects the source report, not an independent risk-of-bias rating.
sources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

review Scope
Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
assessed At
2026-10-27
citations By Collection
language
36
topics
  1. key
    language:mindfulness-rna
    title
    Mindfulness interventions and gene expression
    collection
    language
    trust Score
    2
journal Key
proceedingsofthenationalacademyofsciencesoftheunitedstatesofamerica
journal Label
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
chapter Entries
  1. title
    Large-scale genomic study reveals robust activation of the immune system following advanced Inner Engineering meditation retreat.
    journal
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
    year
    2021
    authors
    Chandran V, Bermúdez ML, Koka M, Chandran B, Pawale D, Vishnubhotla R, Alankar S, Maturi R, Subramaniam B, Sadhasivam S.
    design
    Uncontrolled longitudinal transcriptomic study
    urls

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

    doi
    10.1073/pnas.2110455118
    pmid
    34907015
    targets
    None recorded
    categories

    Gene expression

    citation Count
    36
    citation Snapshot
    count
    36
    source
    Europe PMC
    retrieved At
    2026-10-26
    url
    https://europepmc.org/article/MED/34907015
    study Design Assessment
    category
    peer-reviewed
    peer Reviewed
    true
    basis
    Reported design checked against the primary publication abstract. Blinding terminology reflects the source report, not an independent risk-of-bias rating.
    sources

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

    assessed At
    2026-10-26
    registered Masking Basis
    false
    evidence
    intervention
    Eight-day intensive meditation retreat
    comparator
    Within-person pre/post comparison; no randomised control
    evidence Type
    Gene expression
    source URLs

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

    checked At
    2026-10-26
    review Scope
    Primary publication abstract and bibliographic identity checked; comprehensive full-text risk-of-bias and Jadad assessment pending.
    discovery Sources

    https://europepmc.org/article/MED/34907015

    selection Policy
    Success-focused discovery selection, with material limitations retained; not an exhaustive systematic review.
    measurement
    Blood transcriptomics
    measured Genes
    None recorded
    id
    language-mindfulness-rna-pmid-34907015
    record Id
    pmid-34907015
    quotes
    None recorded
    source Pages
    None recorded
    summary
    An eight-day meditation retreat study reported coordinated blood-transcriptome changes in immune-related genes, including interferon-associated pathways, providing a candidate molecular signature for further testing.
    limitation
    The intensive retreat lacked a randomised control and combined multiple lifestyle changes. Expression changes do not establish improved antiviral protection or clinical treatment efficacy.
    paper Trust Assessment
    score
    1
    scope
    Paper
    status
    assessed
    randomized Controlled Trial
    Not recorded
    blinding
    not-confirmed
    peer Reviewed
    true
    basis
    Reported design checked against the primary publication abstract. Blinding terminology reflects the source report, not an independent risk-of-bias rating.
    sources

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

    review Scope
    Existing publication-specific assessments and bibliographic indexing; no blanket full-text appraisal.
    assessed At
    2026-10-27
    publication Key
    doi:10.1073/pnas.2110455118
    collection
    language
    chapter Number
    4
    topic Id
    mindfulness-rna
    topic Title
    Mindfulness interventions and gene expression
    trust Score
    2
evidence
intervention
Eight-day intensive meditation retreat
comparator
Within-person pre/post comparison; no randomised control
evidence Type
Gene expression
source URLs

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34907015/ · https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110455118 · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8713789/

checked At
2026-10-26
review Scope
Primary publication abstract and bibliographic identity checked; comprehensive full-text risk-of-bias and Jadad assessment pending.
discovery Sources

https://europepmc.org/article/MED/34907015

selection Policy
Success-focused discovery selection, with material limitations retained; not an exhaustive systematic review.
measurement
Blood transcriptomics
measured Genes
None recorded
jadad
status
not-applicable
score
Not recorded
condition Evidence
None recorded
conditions
None recorded
topic Trust Scores

2

full Text
status
not-indexed
retrieval Available
false

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