Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness

Authors
Sara W. Lazar, Catherine E. Kerr, Rachel H. Wasserman, Jeremy R. Gray, Douglas N. Greve, Michael Treadway, Metta McGarvey, Brian T. Quinn, Jeffery A. Dusek, Herbert Benson, Scott L. Rauch, Christopher I. Moore, Bruce Fischl
Publication
NeuroReport
16(17):p1893-1897, November 28, 2005
Abstract

Previous research indicates that long-term meditation practice is associated with altered resting electroencephalogram patterns, suggestive of long lasting changes in brain activity. We hypothesized that meditation practice might also be associated with changes in the brain’s physical structure. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess cortical thickness in 20 participants with extensive Insight meditation experience, which involves focused attention to internal experiences. Brain regions associated with attention, interoception and sensory processing were thicker in meditation participants than matched controls, including the prefrontal cortex and right anterior insula. Between-group differences in prefrontal cortical thickness were most pronounced in older participants, suggesting that meditation might offset age-related cortical thinning. Finally, the thickness of two regions correlated with meditation experience. These data provide the first structural evidence for experience-dependent cortical plasticity associated with meditation practice.

Related Listings
Functional brain networks related to individual...
Authors
Luke J. Hearne, Jason B. Mattingley, Luca Cocchi
Journal
Nature Scientific Reports
·
Intelligence is a fundamental ability that sets humans apart from other animal species. Despite its importance in defining human behaviour, the neural networks responsible for intelligence are not well understood. The dominant view from neuroimaging work suggests that intelligent performance on a range of tasks is underpinned by segregated interactions in a fronto-parietal network of brain regions. Here we asked whether fronto-parietal interactions associated with intelligence are ubi […]
Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessor...
Authors
Jeffrey A. Dusek, PhD, Jane B. Sherwood, RN, BSN, Richard Friedman, PhD, Patricia Myers, BA, Charles F. Bethea, MD, Sidney Levitsky, MD, Peter C. Hill, MD, Manoj K. Jain, MD, Stephen L. Kopecky, MD, Paul S. Mueller, MD, Peter Lam, PhD, Herbert Benson, MD, Patricia L. Hibberd, MD, PhD
Journal
American Heart Journal
Background: The effect of intercessory prayer (IP) on outcome in cardiac cases has been evaluated previously, but results are controversial. The goals of the Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP) are to evaluate the effects of receipt of additional study IP and awareness of receipt of additional study IP on outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. STEP is not designed to determine whether God exists or whether God does or does not […]
Nonpharmacologic Intervention for Hypertension ...
Authors
Jane Leserman, PhD, Eileen M Stuart, RN, MS, Mary E. Mamish, BA, John P. Desckro, RN, MS, Rita J. Beckman, RN, MS, Richard Friedman, PhD, Herbert Benson, MD
Journal
Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
We previously reported reduced blood pressure, psychological symptoms, and other cardiac risk factors in hypertensive patients who participated in a nonpharmacologic, outpatient behavioral program. The present study is a 3 to 5 year follow-up of 59 (60%) of the same patients (who served as their own controls) to assess continued efficacy of the program. At entry into the study, patients had hypertension for a median of 6 years. Therefore, it is unlikely that placebo effect could expla […]