Meditation for Human Mind and Brain: Findings from Functional Neuroimaging Investigations
S. Bista
Annals of Advanced Biomedical Sciences 2023 DOI: 10.23880/aabsc-16000207 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Meditation increases grey matter volume in right hemispheric brain regions associated with attention, self-control, and compassion, and consistently recruits the insula, pre/supplementary motor cortices, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and frontopolar cortex. |
Abstract
Meditation is generally described as being in the present moment or being alert in the present moment, instead of constantly struggling to change or to become. Meditation is an essential part of Yoga philosophy and the seventh limb of Astanga Yoga described by sage Patanjali in the ancient text Patanjali Yoga Sutra. Yoga including meditation, is an ancient technique invented to unite the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness, however, scientific studies have demonstrated the vast health advantages associated with it. Mindfulness as a non-judgmental awareness of the present-moment is also a part of yoga philosophy, however, most of the mindfulness practices those are being practiced in modern days are also rooted in Buddhist philosophy. Some well-known meditation techniques are Buddhist meditations, Hindu meditations, Chinese meditations, Christian meditation, Islamic meditations, Guided meditations etc. Meditation influences brain systems involved in attention, awareness, memory, sensory integration, emotion regulation, and higher-order cognitive functions. Meditation has also been found to be very effective in relieving stress, regulating emotions and promoting mental health. A significant increase in grey matter volume was found in the meditators as compared to non-meditators. The larger grey matter volume overall, and with regional enlargement in several right hemispheric cortical and subcortical brain regions are associated with sustained attention, self-control, compassion and interoceptive perception. Several functional neuroimaging studies showed that some brain regions are recruited consistently across different meditation techniques including insula, pre/supplementary motor cortices, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and frontopolar cortex.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 34
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Functional brain mapping of the relaxation response and meditation Neuroreport May 1, 2000
- Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences June 1, 2016
- The Neural Mechanisms of Meditative Practices: Novel Approaches for Healthy Aging Current behavioral neuroscience reports October 18, 2016
- Biological mechanism study of meditation and its application in mental disorders General Psychiatry July 13, 2020
and 29 more in the library