Reductions in perceived stress following Transcendental Meditation practice are associated with increased brain regional connectivity at rest.
Brain and Cognition January 13, 2020 G. Avvenuti, Andrea Leo, L. Cecchetti et al.
After three months of practicing Transcendental Meditation twice daily for 20 minutes, novice meditators showed reduced anxiety and stress compared to a control group. This psychological improvement correlated with increased functional connectivity between brain regions involved in self-referential thought and interoceptive awareness, specifically the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, left superior parietal lobule, and right insula. No structural brain changes were observed. The findings suggest that the beneficial effects of Transcendental Meditation may be mediated by functional brain changes occurring after a short practice period.