Relaxation response may reduce blood pressure by altering expression of a set of genes

Authors
Towia Liebermann, Manoj Bhasin, Herbert Benson
Publication
AAAS Eureka Alert
Abstract

Researchers identified genes and biological pathways linked to immune regulation, metabolism, and circadian rhythm in people who reduced their hypertension after eight-week relaxation response training

Related Listings
Daily Relaxation Response Breaks in a Working P...
Authors
Ruanne K. Peters, Herbert Benson, Douglas Porter
Journal
Am. J. Public Health
·
An experiment conducted at the corporate offices of a manufacturing firm investigated the effects of daily relaxation breaks on five self-reported measures of health, performance, and well-being. For 12 weeks, 126 volunteers filled out daily records and reported bi-weekly for additional measurements. After four weeks of baseline monitoring, they were divided randomly into three groups: Group A was taught a technique for producing the relaxation response; Group B was instructed to sit […]
Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessor...
Authors
Jeffrey A. Dusek, PhD, Jane B. Sherwood, RN, BSN, Richard Friedman, PhD, Patricia Myers, BA, Charles F. Bethea, MD, Sidney Levitsky, MD, Peter C. Hill, MD, Manoj K. Jain, MD, Stephen L. Kopecky, MD, Paul S. Mueller, MD, Peter Lam, PhD, Herbert Benson, MD, Patricia L. Hibberd, MD, PhD
Journal
American Heart Journal
Background: The effect of intercessory prayer (IP) on outcome in cardiac cases has been evaluated previously, but results are controversial. The goals of the Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) are to evaluate the effects of receipt of additional study IP and awareness of receipt of additional study IP on outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. STEP is not designed to determine whether God exists or whether God does or does not […]
Topographic EEG mapping of the relaxation response
Authors
Gregg D. Jacobs, Herbert Benson, Richard Friedman
Journal
Biofeedback and Self-regulation
The purpose of this study was to assess the central nervous system effects of the relaxation response (RR) in novice subjects using a controlled, within- subjects design and topographic EEG mapping as the dependent measure. Twenty subjects listened to a RR and control audiotape presented in a counterbalanced order while EEG was recorded from 14 scalp locations. The RR condition produced greater (p < .0164) reductions in frontal EEG beta activity relative to the control condition. N […]