Skip to content

Rajyoga meditation induces grey matter volume changes in regions that process reward and happiness

M. G. Ramesh Babu, Rajagopal Kadavigere, K Prakashini, Brijesh Sathian, Kiranmai S. Rai

Scientific Reports September 30, 2020 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73221-x (opens in new tab)

Read Full Text
Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational cohort Peer reviewed
Sample size 80
Population Rajyoga meditation practitioners and non-meditators matched for age, gender, and handedness
Intervention Rajyoga meditation
Topics Meditation
Keywords Happiness Orbitofrontal cortex Superior frontal gyrus Insula Precuneus Grey matter Middle frontal gyrus Anterior cingulate cortex Reward system Audiology Association psychology Clinical psychology Prefrontal cortex Magnetic resonance imaging Psychotherapist Cognition Radiology
Citations 39
Key findings Rajyoga meditation practitioners showed higher grey matter volume in reward processing brain regions and higher happiness scores compared to non-meditators.

Abstract

Studies provide evidence that practicing meditation enhances neural plasticity in reward processing areas of brain. No studies till date, provide evidence of such changes in Rajyoga meditation (RM) practitioners. The present study aimed to identify grey matter volume (GMV) changes in reward processing areas of brain and its association with happiness scores in RM practitioners compared to non-meditators. Structural MRI of selected participants matched for age, gender and handedness (n = 40/group) were analyzed using voxel-based morphometric method and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) scores were correlated. Significant increase in OHQ happiness scores were observed in RM practitioners compared to non-meditators. Whereas, a trend towards significance was observed in more experienced RM practitioners, on correlating OHQ scores with hours of meditation experience. Additionally, in RM practitioners, higher GMV were observed in reward processing centers-right superior frontal gyrus, left inferior orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and bilateral precuneus. Multiple regression analysis showed significant association between OHQ scores of RM practitioners and reward processing regions right superior frontal gyrus, left middle OFC, right insula and left anterior cingulate cortex. Further, with increasing hours of RM practice, a significant positive association was observed in bilateral ventral pallidum. These findings indicate that RM practice enhances GMV in reward processing regions associated with happiness.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students 2006 Observational cohort
Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia 1992 Observational cohort n = 22
Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls 2005 Observational cohort n = 20
Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls 2011 Observational cohort
Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls 2004 Observational cohort

Citations in the library

Cited by 15

and 10 more in the library

Cites 27

and 22 more in the library

Related reading

Explore topics

Meditation Neuroplasticity