During meditation, what does the brain exhibit?
1 Answer
Findings suggest that in a meditative state a person is more relaxed but maintains a sharp awareness.
Explanation:
The effect of meditation on the brain can be broken up into two categories : state change (short term) and trait change (long term).
The brain may exhibit following changes with regular practice of meditation -
1) increased gray matter thickness in anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. These have been associated with functions dealing with self regulatory processes, responses towards executive functioning, and areas governing learning and memory.
2) decrease in size of amygdala, which is the seat of our fearful and anxious emotions.
3) diminished or enhanced functionality in certain networks of the brain. This allows for less reactivity and also paves the way for strengthening attention span and concentration.
4) reduces activity in parts of the brain that helps regulating efficiency towards pausing to respond to our world instead of mindlessly reacting.
There is also evidence to suggest meditation plays a protective role against the natural reduction in grey matter volume associated with ageing. The brain also exhibits higher tolerance to pain, increases self regulation and attentiveness.
Meditation and its effect on brain activity and the central nervous system has become a focus of collaborative research in neurosciences, psychology and neurobiology.
