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Meditation Improve Brain Structure and Function
Meditation is the process of stilling the thoughts, through the use of a singular point of focus, such as the breath, which allows one to move into a greater state of awareness of the internal melieu of the physical being. In this state, awareness opens to the experience of the interaction of the body, and all of its sensory abilities, with the environment around it. In the process, one experiences a “letting go” of mindful effort, and a simpler, state of being.
Mindfulness meditation practices affect multiple dimensions of the quality of our brains and their function, improving both our cognitive function and the physical structure of our brains. Researchers have demonstrated that meditation is associated with significant thickening of the cerebral cortex, which is associated with increased cognitive function (ability to think). Specific studies using magnetic resonance imagining have shown that the practice of meditation leads to increases in both the white matter of the brain, which is responsible for the speed of information transfer, and grey matter, which is what we associate with “being smart,” and also more formally, memory.
Meditation is to your brain, what increased RAM and gigabytes of memory are to your computer. With meditation, your brain can do more, and do it faster. Increases in cortical thickening, volume and mass have been detected in multiple brain areas, including areas responsible for sensory processing, emotional behavior and memory, amongst others.
What is exciting about these results is the potential for use of meditation as a healing therapy for elusive conditions of the brain, such as Alzheimer's, brain injury, mood disorders and cognitive impairment. Initial studies using brain SPECT scan have indeed shown reversal of brain deterioration associated with Alzheimer's. With brain injury, there may be damage to the structure of the brain, as well as emotional effects such as depression. Meditation has proven to be an effective tool for people with cognitive and behavioral issues after TBI. Military hospitals and neurotrauma centers are using meditative techniques for their patients, and reporting a full range of benefits including reduced stress, improved mood, improved sleep, and better quality of life. Since research shows that meditation facilitates neuro-regeneration, and improves quality of life, further research should evaluate the specific benefits of meditation for individuals with brain-related conditions.
