Chapters (5)

How Does Meditation Change the Brain? - Instant Egghead #54

Scientific American · 2:24

meditation pranayama

In this practice

Key teachings

Meditation induces structural changes in the brain
Mindfulness meditation strengthens neural circuits and improves cognitive functions
Regular, short meditation practice can counteract age-related brain decay

Ideal for

Individuals interested in the neuroscientific basis of meditation
Anyone seeking motivation and scientific evidence to start a meditation practice
Students or enthusiasts of neuroscience, psychology, or cognitive science

Lesson

Instructions

Meditation can sharpen attention, strengthen memory and improve other mental abilities. Scientific American editor Ferris Jabr examines the changes in brain structure behind some of these benefits.

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Does mindfulness training improve cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings. [Preview] (Clinical Psychology Review)

Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice (PNAS)

Evidence builds that meditation strengthens the brain, UCLA researchers say (UCLA)

The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: Larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter (PMC)

Age effects on gray matter volume and attentional performance in Zen meditation (Neurobiology of Aging)

Age effects on attentional blink performance in meditation [Preview](Conciousness and Cognition)

Mental Training Affects Distribution of Limited Brain Resources (PLOS Biology)

The American Psychological Association on the benefits of mindfulness

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Written & presented by Ferris Jabr Line art by Scott Brundage & Eric R. Olson Production assistant: Joss Fong Produced & edted by Eric R. Olson

Steps

Principles of mindfulness meditation (as explained scientifically)
Understanding the neurological impact of mental training

Benefits

Sharpened attention and improved working memory
Increased volume and density of the hippocampus (crucial for memory)
Stronger connections between brain regions for synchronized communication
More developed cortex for abstract thought and introspection
Counteraction of age-related decay in brain areas responsible for attention
General benefits include stress relief, lower blood pressure, and mood elevation

Transcript

Researchers have known for decades
that meditation can improve someone's physical and mental health. It can relieve stress, lower blood pressure
and lift someone's mood. But only in the last few years have
neuroscientists taken a serious loook at the changes in brain structure
underlying some of meditation's benefits. Like everything else we do, meditation
rewires our neural circuits. Pruning away the least used connections
and strengthening the ones we exercise most. Studies looking for signs of these changes
usually focus on "mindfulness meditation" which challenges people to keep their
attention fixed on the thoughts and sensations in the present moment. Scientists aknowledge that these studies are small
and not ideally designed, but at this point researchers have gathered enough
evidence to be confident that their findings are not just flukes. Experiments suggest that Buddhist monks
have really robust connections between scattered regions of their brains,
which allows for more synchronized communication. Expert meditators also seem to
develop an especially wrinkly cortex: the brain's
outer layer. We depend on the cortex for many
of our most sophisticated mental abilities like abstract thought
and introspection. Several studies have confirmed
that meditation can increase the volume and density of the
hippocampus: a seahorse- shaped area of the brain in the middle of the skull
that is absolutely crucial for memory. And although areas of the brain
responsible for sustaining attention usually shrink as we age, meditation
counteracts this decay. An increasing number of studies show
that meditating for as little as 12 to 20 minutes a day for several weeks
can sharpen the mind. In these studies, meditators have scored
higher on tests of attention and working memory, which is the
ability to temporarily store and manipulate information
in one's mind. Some lifelong meditators in their
50s and 60s can even outperform twenty-somethings
in tests of visual attention. So if you're interested in trying
meditation, you should probably start as soon as possible. For Scientific American's
Instant Egghead, I'm Ferris Jaybr.

Practice summary

Level: all levels
Duration: 2 minutes
Equipment: none
Target areas: Brain healthCognitive functionMental well being
Energy: balancing

More practice