Searching for the philosopher's stone: promising links between meditation and brain preservation.
Eileen Luders, Nicolas Cherbuin
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences June 2016 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13082 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Longitudinal Cross-sectional Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | MRI Aging Brain |
| Key findings | The authors conclude that cross-sectional imaging studies suggest meditation may be beneficial for preserving gray and white matter, possibly by slowing age-related brain tissue loss, but emphasize that the evidence is sparse and cross-sectional, so no causal relationship between meditation and brain preservation can be established until robust longitudinal data are available. |
Abstract
In the context of an aging population and increased prevalence of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, developing strategies to decrease the negative effects of aging is imperative. The scientific study of meditation as a potential tool to downregulate processes implicated in brain aging is an emerging field, and a growing body of research suggests that mindfulness practices are beneficial for cerebral resilience. Adding further evidence to this notion, an increasing number of imaging studies report effects of meditation on brain structure that are consistent with our understanding of neuroprotection. Here, we review the published findings in this field of research addressing the question of whether meditation diminishes age-related brain degeneration. Altogether, although analyses are still sparse and based on cross-sectional data, study outcomes suggest that meditation might be beneficial for brain preservation-both with respect to gray and white matter-possibly by slowing down the natural (age-related) decrease of brain tissue. Nevertheless, it should also be recognized that, until robust longitudinal data become available, there is no evidence for causation between meditation and brain preservation. This review includes a comprehensive commentary on limitations of the existing research and concludes with implications and directions for future studies.
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 8
- Enhanced amygdala–anterior cingulate white matter structural connectivity in Sahaja Yoga Meditators PLoS One March 28, 2024
- ENIGMA-Meditation: Worldwide Consortium for Neuroscientific Investigations of Meditation Practices. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging April 1, 2025
- Reduced age-related gray matter loss in the subgenual cingulate cortex in long-term meditators. Brain Imaging and Behavior December 1, 2021
- Cross-sectional white matter microstructure differences in age and trait mindfulness. PLoS One 2018
- Nature, Mind, and Medicine: A Model for Mind-Body Healing. Explore 2018
and 3 more in the library
Cites 21
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Psychoneuroendocrinology June 1, 2011
- Can Meditation Slow Rate of Cellular Aging? Cognitive Stress, Mindfulness, and Telomeres Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences August 1, 2009
- Focused attention, open monitoring and loving kindness meditation: effects on attention, conflict monitoring, and creativity – A review Frontiers in Psychology September 23, 2014
- The effect of loving-kindness meditation on positive emotions: a meta-analytic review Frontiers in Psychology November 3, 2015
and 16 more in the library