Meditation als angewandte Neurowissenschaft
Paragrana November 1, 2013 Ulrich Ott
Neuroscientific research increasingly examines mindfulness meditation methods integrated into clinical treatments. After briefly introducing magnetic resonance imaging and widely used programs such as Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, four mechanisms underlying their therapeutic effectiveness are explained: attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation, and altered self-perception. An exemplary study with anxiety patients shows how mindfulness reduces symptoms and simultaneously modifies specific neural circuits. The outlook discusses developing tailored interventions and considering contraindications.