Mindfulness meditation is associated with measurable changes in people’s brains in the regions related to memory, sense of self, empathy, and stress, according to a study published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging on Jan. 30.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) involves eight weekly meetings and a full day’s training to learn exercises that develop mindfulness, including a mental body scan, mindful yoga, and sitting meditation.
For the study, the researchers, from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the University of Massachusetts, and Germany’s University of Giessen, chose 16 participants who enrolled in MBSR courses for stress reduction.
Anatomical magnetic resonance (MR) images of their brains were taken before and after the program, and changes were compared with a control group of 17 non-meditators.
Over the eight weeks, the gray matter concentration of the MBSR course participants changed in their brain regions associated with learning and memory, emotion, self-referential processing, and perspective taking.
Sara Lazar, Ph.D., from MGH said in a press release that the study demonstrates changes in brain structure consistent with the improvements experienced by the participants, such as “a sense of peacefulness.”
“It is fascinating to see the brain’s plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life,” said Britta Hölzel, Ph.D., a fellow at MGH and the University of Giessen, said in the release.
“Other studies in different patient populations have shown that meditation can make significant improvements in a variety of symptoms, and we are now investigating the underlying mechanisms in the brain that facilitate this change.”
Dr. Amishi Jha, a neuroscientist at the University of Miami, said the findings could lead to future research into MBSR’s potential in treating conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder.
To read the research paper, click here.
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