Neurophysiological, cognitive-behavioral and neurochemical effects in practitioners of transcendental meditation - A literature review
Amanda Cristina Mosini, Marcelo Saad, Camilla Casaletti Braghetta, Roberta de Medeiros, Mário Fernando Prieto Peres, Frederico Camelo Leão
Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira May 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1590/1806-9282.65.5.706 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Critical narrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Transcendental meditation Cognition Neurochemical Pleasure Feeling Psychotherapist Recall Clinical psychology Cognitive psychology |
| Citations | 23 |
| Key findings | Transcendental Meditation has positive and significant documentable effects on neurochemistry, neurophysiology, and cognitive-behavioral aspects, including reduced anxiety and stress, increased well-being, and influence on memory. |
Abstract
The term meditation can be used in many different ways, according to the technique to which it refers. Transcendental Meditation (MT) is one of these techniques. TM could serve as a model for research on spiritual meditation, unlike the meditation techniques based on secular knowledge. The purpose of the present study is to conduct a bibliographic review to organize scientific evidence on the effects of TM on neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and cognitive and behavioral aspects of its practitioners. To conduct this critical narrative review of the literature, we searched for scientific papers on the PubMed database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The keywords used in the search were Transcendental Meditation, Neuroscience of meditation e Meditation and behavior. We selected 21 papers that analyzed different aspects that could be altered through meditation practice. We concluded that TM has positive and significant documentable neurochemical, neurophysiological, and cognitive-behavioral effects. Among the main effects are the reduction of anxiety and stress (due to the reduction of cortisol and norepinephrine levels), increase of the feeling of pleasure and well-being (due to the increase of the synthesis and release of dopamine and serotonin), and influence on memory recall and possible consolidation. Further studies are needed using creative and innovative methodological designs that analyze different neural circuitry and verify the clinical impact on practitioners.
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
Cited by 10
- Transcendental meditation: A bibliometric retrospection from years 1955-2022 International Journal of Applied Research 2023
- IMPLICAÇÕES NEUROLÓGICAS DA MEDITAÇÃO DO TIPO TERAPIA COGNITIVA BASEADA EM MINDFULNESS EM PACIENTES COM TRANSTORNO DE ANSIEDADE OU TRANSTORNO DEPRESSIVO: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA Arquivos de Ciências da Saúde da UNIPAR September 22, 2023
- Meditation Research Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies 2023
- Effects of transcendental meditation on mental health and work productivity among university staff in Australia: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders September 23, 2026
- Evaluating the Impact of Transcendental Meditation on Trauma Symptoms, Depression, Anxiety, and Sleep Problems Among Israeli Civilians Post-October 7, 2023: A Pilot Study. Journal of Clinical Psychology June 29, 2026
and 5 more in the library
Cites 26
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Transcendental Meditation, mindfulness, and longevity: An experimental study with the elderly. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1989
- Physiological effects of yogic practices and transcendental meditation in health and disease North American Journal of Medical Sciences 2012
- The Neural Mechanisms of Meditative Practices: Novel Approaches for Healthy Aging Current behavioral neuroscience reports October 18, 2016
- The effect of the transcendental meditation technique on anxiety level Journal of Clinical Psychology October 1, 1977
and 21 more in the library