Need more incentive to meditate? A recent study headed by Sara Lazar and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital documented measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, empathy, and stress after just 8 weeks of daily meditation practice.
More specifically, the MR images showed increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and decreased grey-matter density in the amygdala, known for its role in fear conditioning and stress. This has strong implications for utilizing mindfulness meditation in treating trauma, as people with PTSD have been shown to have reduced volume of the hippocampus and larger volume in the amygdala area of their brains, making them more prone to anxiety and memory problems. Could a trauma survivor reverse this through regular practice of mindfulness meditation?
In this study, the participants demonstrated brain changes after only 8 weeks of attending a weekly mindfulness meditation class and practicing meditation at home for an average of 27 minutes a day. Lazar and others had published previous studies that demonstrated experienced meditators appeared to have thicker areas of the middle pre-frontal cortex, an area associated with empathy, emotional regulation, and attunement to others. Yet those studies could not prove that these differences were actually produced by meditation. In contrast, the participants in this study had no prior meditation practice and therefore the researchers were able to surmise the measurable structural brain changes were associated with daily practice of meditation. Moreover, this study included a control group that did not meditate and did not show any changes in the study’s pre and post tests.
In my opinion, this study provides further evidence that integrating mindfulness practices into treatment for anxiety, PTSD, and other trauma related problems is a good idea. Traditionally, research has indicated practicing meditation at least 20 minutes per day produces measurable benefits within 2-3 months. To give people even more incentive, I am offering a free 20 minute Mindful Relaxation audio download on my website, get it by clicking here.
To read the full article, refer to: Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 2011; 191 (1): 36; authors: Britta K. Hölzel, James Carmody, Mark Vangel, Christina Congleton, Sita M. Yerramsetti, Tim Gard, Sara W. Lazar.
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April 19, 2011 at 10:03 am
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February 13, 2011 at 12:55 pm
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February 10, 2011 at 10:23 am
Irene Savarese
Thank you Courtney for sharing these resources. Mindfulness and meditation are powerful additions when working with trauma.
February 7, 2011 at 4:55 pm
Claire Stone
Thanks for sharing this. There is more and more research indicating the positive benefits of meditation. And this study just confirms my belief in it more.
February 7, 2011 at 9:22 am
Laurence Drell, MD
thank you for the current research information on meditation and the links.
I downloaded your tape and look forward to using it.
The site and your emails are very helpful and incredibly easy to navigate. Keep me on your list.
Thanks
February 7, 2011 at 10:15 am
armstronglpc
Thanks for the supportive feedback, Larry. Hope things are going well with your blog and practice as well. Take care.
February 6, 2011 at 11:18 pm
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