Meditation increases brain gray matter

giovonni · 05-15-2009, 03:22 AM

Meditation Increases Brain Gray Matter

Push-ups, crunches, gyms, personal trainers -- people have many strategies for building bigger muscles and stronger bones. But what can one do to build a bigger brain? Meditate.

That's the finding from a group of researchers at UCLA who used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of people who meditate. In a study published in the journal NeuroImage and currently available online (by subscription), the researchers report that certain regions in the brains of long-term meditators were larger than in a similar control group.

Specifically, meditators showed significantly larger volumes of the hippocampus and areas within the orbito-frontal cortex, the thalamus and the inferior temporal gyrus — all regions known for regulating emotions.

"We know that people who consistently meditate have a singular ability to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability and engage in mindful behavior," said Eileen Luders, lead author and a postdoctoral research fellow at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. "The observed differences in brain anatomy might give us a clue why meditators have these exceptional abilities."

Research has confirmed the beneficial aspects of meditation. In addition to having better focus and control over their emotions, many people who meditate regularly have reduced levels of stress and bolstered immune systems. But less is known about the link between meditation and brain structure.

In the study, Luders and her colleagues examined 44 people — 22 control subjects and 22 who had practiced various forms of meditation, including Zazen, Samatha and Vipassana, among others. The amount of time they had practiced ranged from five to 46 years, with an average of 24 years.

More than half of all the meditators said that deep concentration was an essential part of their practice, and most meditated between 10 and 90 minutes every day.

The researchers used a high-resolution, three-dimensional form of MRI and two different approaches to measure differences in brain structure. One approach automatically divides the brain into several regions of interest, allowing researchers to compare the size of certain brain structures. The other segments the brain into different tissue types, allowing researchers to compare the amount of gray matter within specific regions of the brain.

The researchers found significantly larger cerebral measurements in meditators compared with controls, including larger volumes of the right hippocampus and increased gray matter in the right orbito-frontal cortex, the right thalamus and the left inferior temporal lobe. There were no regions where controls had significantly larger volumes or more gray matter than meditators.

Because these areas of the brain are closely linked to emotion, Luders said, "these might be the neuronal underpinnings that give meditators' the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way."

What's not known, she said, and will require further study, are what the specific correlates are on a microscopic level — that is, whether it's an increased number of neurons, the larger size of the neurons or a particular "wiring" pattern meditators may develop that other people don't.

Because this was not a longitudinal study — which would have tracked meditators from the time they began meditating onward — it's possible that the meditators already had more regional gray matter and volume in specific areas; that may have attracted them to meditation in the first place, Luders said.

However, she also noted that numerous previous studies have pointed to the brain's remarkable plasticity and how environmental enrichment has been shown to change brain structure.

Source: University of California - Los Angeles

Original article here;
http://www.physorg.com/news161355537.html

Orion11 · 05-15-2009, 04:02 AM

yep,

actually grows your brain, physically.!! lol

Humble Janitor · 05-15-2009, 06:15 AM

Yet another reason to take it up. What I need to do is print out some "instructions" in order to develop a habit of meditating daily. Unless simple meditation is sufficient, I am fascinated by merkabah.

Angel in Disguise · 05-15-2009, 08:10 AM

How does one achieve this state without meditating???... I ask this question because I have achieved what they state...

"these might be the neuronal underpinnings that give meditators' the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way."

Without being a meditator ever I have always regulated my emotions better than the average and have well adjusted responses to whatever life throws my way... (And trust me when I say I have been there done that!) Moreso than the average anyhow... perhaps not amongst all the fine folks I find here

I have tried to meditate but I just can't... My mind is going a mile a minute always... I have always questioned everything and always wondered where all the love was... Never understood hate, greed or judgement.
I just don't get the world today... never have! I see the perfection that could be but am often frustrated and irritated by what I see as reality... It's not pretty, it's not what I imagine, but it's there... I want to enjoy it but I can't because it's obvious...

I've known my whole life that I was here to witness something HUGE... Bigger than 911... I know in my heart good will come of it

... No meditation needed, although I wish I could at times... Seems so peaceful and happy

Humble Janitor · 05-15-2009, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel in Disguise

How does one achieve this state without meditating???... I ask this question because I have achieved what they state...

"these might be the neuronal underpinnings that give meditators' the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way."

Without being a meditator ever I have always regulated my emotions better than the average and have well adjusted responses to whatever life throws my way... (And trust me when I say I have been there done that!) Moreso than the average anyhow... perhaps not amongst all the fine folks I find here

I have tried to meditate but I just can't... My mind is going a mile a minute always... I have always questioned everything and always wondered where all the love was... Never understood hate, greed or judgement.
I just don't get the world today... never have! I see the perfection that could be but am often frustrated and irritated by what I see as reality... It's not pretty, it's not what I imagine, but it's there... I want to enjoy it but I can't because it's obvious...

I've known my whole life that I was here to witness something HUGE... Bigger than 911... I know in my heart good will come of it

... No meditation needed, although I wish I could at times... Seems so peaceful and happy

I have to agree with you. For the past few months, I have been moving in a direction that I never planned to move in. It was as if all of a sudden, I could regulate and control my thoughts and feelings like I never could before.

Good question and I was actually going to ask it myself.

Angel in Disguise · 05-15-2009, 08:18 AM

Oh yes... and Humble Janitor... I know someone with incredible amounts of info on merkabah... and how to activate it. Do you facebook?... Oh how cliche but frankly if they are watching, they watching so who gives a damn... Lol

Angel in Disguise · 05-15-2009, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humble Janitor

I have to agree with you. For the past few months, I have been moving in a direction that I never planned to move in. It was as if all of a sudden, I could regulate and control my thoughts and feelings like I never could before.

Good question and I was actually going to ask it myself.

For myself... I've always expected this... I've always known I was here to witness a great destruction that would end in a great rehabilation so to speak... Back to basics and enjoying it in a sense... I feel that that is where it's at... Anyone else agree or have the same going on?... How have I always known this? No one ever taught it to me... Why do I know this? And how do you know this?

Humble Janitor · 05-15-2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel in Disguise

Oh yes... and Humble Janitor... I know someone with incredible amounts of info on merkabah... and how to activate it. Do you facebook?... Oh how cliche but frankly if they are watching, they watching so who gives a damn... Lol

Yeah I do, though I sometimes wonder if I should get rid of Facebook.

You can send me an instant message on here though.

shred · 05-15-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel in Disguise

How does one achieve this state without meditating???... I ask this question because I have achieved what they state...

"these might be the neuronal underpinnings that give meditators' the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way."

Without being a meditator ever I have always regulated my emotions better than the average and have well adjusted responses to whatever life throws my way... (And trust me when I say I have been there done that!) Moreso than the average anyhow... perhaps not amongst all the fine folks I find here

I have tried to meditate but I just can't... My mind is going a mile a minute always... I have always questioned everything and always wondered where all the love was... Never understood hate, greed or judgement.
I just don't get the world today... never have! I see the perfection that could be but am often frustrated and irritated by what I see as reality... It's not pretty, it's not what I imagine, but it's there... I want to enjoy it but I can't because it's obvious...

I've known my whole life that I was here to witness something HUGE... Bigger than 911... I know in my heart good will come of it

... No meditation needed, although I wish I could at times... Seems so peaceful and happy

I just started meditating a week ago or so. For me ...it really has help me dramatically ! Keeping a calm , relaxed, peaceful, state of mind. I cant describe how I feel afterward, other than completely at peace. It makes my day go sooo much better. Which in turn, has changed my life !

shred

shred · 05-15-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Humble Janitor

Yet another reason to take it up. What I need to do is print out some "instructions" in order to develop a habit of meditating daily. Unless simple meditation is sufficient, I am fascinated by merkabah.

Humble, please do ..post instructions . Im new to meditation so any advise you can offer is greatly appreciated.

peace
shred

henners · 05-15-2009, 11:36 AM

Hello all. I will share something very personal with you. About 7 years ago approx, i was down and out, suicidal. I had nowhere to go, seemed no one cared or was listening. I spoke to a long lost friend, and then saw an ad in the paper for " Meditation for stress relief". I thought what the heck, i have nothing to lose, right?
I went to this classes and of about 75 people, only seven of them were men, funny that. Did you know that men do not suffer from stress, or so it would seem.
After attending these classes for several weeks, i had an out of body experience at home. This was my turning point. Since then , i knew there was more to the body than flesh and blood. I also noticed that the voices in my head, the noise, the chatter, was gone.
This too was a turning point for me.

What i mean to say about this is , yes, meditation is very good for you, and if you practise it on a daily basis, you will notice a big change in your life.
Great thread giovonni,

Hey Shred, try this link its the one i used and its free. If you want to know more just ask mate.

Henry

Seashore · 05-15-2009, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by henners

Hello all. I will share something very personal with you. About 7 years ago approx, i was down and out, suicidal. I had nowhere to go, seemed no one cared or was listening. I spoke to a long lost friend, and then saw an ad in the paper for " Meditation for stress relief". I thought what the heck, i have nothing to lose, right?
I went to this classes and of about 75 people, only seven of them were men, funny that. Did you know that men do not suffer from stress, or so it would seem.
After attending these classes for several weeks, i had an out of body experience at home. This was my turning point. Since then , i knew there was more to the body than flesh and blood. I also noticed that the voices in my head, the noise, the chatter, was gone.
This too was a turning point for me.

What i mean to say about this is , yes, meditation is very good for you, and if you practise it on a daily basis, you will notice a big change in your life.
Great thread giovonni,

Hey Shred, try this link its the one i used and its free. If you want to know more just ask mate.

Henry

This is the most meaningful post I've read since I joined Avalon.

Seashore · 05-15-2009, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giovonni

http://www.physorg.com/news161355537.html

This is a cool website.

henners · 05-15-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

This is the most meaningful post I've read since I joined Avalon.

thanks Seashore, it means a lot to me.

pushedforfreedom · 05-16-2009, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shred

Humble, please do ..post instructions . Im new to meditation so any advise you can offer is greatly appreciated.

peace
shred

I made an earlier post with some tips for meditation. I'm not an expert, but there are some things that have helped me. Hope some of it can help!

For those people who are just getting started at meditation, I wanted to share my advice on how to "quiet your mind". Often, thoughtlessness is the most prevalent obstacle that people face when they start meditating.

When I first started meditating, I was doing everything I could to stop my brain activity. Here are some suggestions that helped me. Keep in mind that meditation is a personal experience and what worked for me, may not work for someone else.

- Control your environment. Dim the lights, don't sit near drafts, wear ear plugs if you want. The less stimulus from your environment, the better (in my opinion)

- Try different positions. Sitting cross-legged for 20-30 minutes may deaden your nerves in your feet or legs. This isn't harmful, but it can bring a bit of discomfort when you start to move again. Sitting in a chair is a decent alternative - just try to keep your spine straight. Laying down isn't the best position in my opinion - I'm not sure why, but I find I'm not able to focus nearly as well.

- Focus on your senses. It's important to go from active thinking to passive awareness. Think of it as peripheral vision for your mind. Look at the back of your eyelids, listen to the silence, feel your limbs, just try to be aware of the present moment. Doing this will distract your mind from racing thoughts.

- Focus on your breathing. I find that for the first 5-10 minutes, if I do what I can to relax instead of trying to get "in the zone", it lays a good foundation for the later stages of your meditation experience. I breathe in for 5 seconds, hold it for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds, pause for 5 more seconds, and then breath in again for 5 seconds. While you're doing this, listen to your heart rate at the different stages. Also while you're doing this, think of positive energy from the air around you filling your lungs and spreading throughout your body. Every time you exhale, visualize negative energy leaving your body and dissipating in the air around you.

- Don't get discouraged. Every time your mind gets distracted, think about your breathing again. For beginners, this is actually a very useful practice to strengthen your concentration. Every time you bring your mind back to thoughtlessness, you strengthen your ability to remain "in the zone". I remember the first time I meditated, I was happy when my mind was empty for 2-3 seconds at a time. Eventually you'll get to the point where you can go for longer periods of time without a thought entering your mind.

- After you feel you're getting the hang of thoughtlessness, learn about your chakra points within your body. Once you start quietening your mind, learn to move your awareness from your base chakra to your crown chakra. This will take some practice, but when you get the hang of it, you'll notice a big change going on inside of you.

- When you start feeling like you're drifting, go with it - don't fight any natural tendencies your experience takes you. But this is more important for the intermediate stages of meditation.

I'm sure there's more, but that's all that I can think of for the moment. Any more hints would be much appreciated from anyone else that would like to share their experience.

This is a video that helped me understand the different levels of thought we experience when we meditate.

Peace and love.

05-15-2009, 03:22 AM	#1
giovonni Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: within my heart Posts: 1,209	Meditation increases brain gray matter *Meditation Increases Brain Gray Matter* Push-ups, crunches, gyms, personal trainers -- people have many strategies for building bigger muscles and stronger bones. But what can one do to build a bigger brain? Meditate. That's the finding from a group of researchers at UCLA who used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of people who meditate. In a study published in the journal NeuroImage and currently available online (by subscription), the researchers report that certain regions in the brains of long-term meditators were larger than in a similar control group. Specifically, meditators showed significantly larger volumes of the hippocampus and areas within the orbito-frontal cortex, the thalamus and the inferior temporal gyrus — all regions known for regulating emotions. "We know that people who consistently meditate have a singular ability to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability and engage in mindful behavior," said Eileen Luders, lead author and a postdoctoral research fellow at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. "The observed differences in brain anatomy might give us a clue why meditators have these exceptional abilities." Research has confirmed the beneficial aspects of meditation. In addition to having better focus and control over their emotions, many people who meditate regularly have reduced levels of stress and bolstered immune systems. But less is known about the link between meditation and brain structure. In the study, Luders and her colleagues examined 44 people — 22 control subjects and 22 who had practiced various forms of meditation, including Zazen, Samatha and Vipassana, among others. The amount of time they had practiced ranged from five to 46 years, with an average of 24 years. More than half of all the meditators said that deep concentration was an essential part of their practice, and most meditated between 10 and 90 minutes every day. The researchers used a high-resolution, three-dimensional form of MRI and two different approaches to measure differences in brain structure. One approach automatically divides the brain into several regions of interest, allowing researchers to compare the size of certain brain structures. The other segments the brain into different tissue types, allowing researchers to compare the amount of gray matter within specific regions of the brain. The researchers found significantly larger cerebral measurements in meditators compared with controls, including larger volumes of the right hippocampus and increased gray matter in the right orbito-frontal cortex, the right thalamus and the left inferior temporal lobe. There were no regions where controls had significantly larger volumes or more gray matter than meditators. Because these areas of the brain are closely linked to emotion, Luders said, "these might be the neuronal underpinnings that give meditators' the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way." What's not known, she said, and will require further study, are what the specific correlates are on a microscopic level — that is, whether it's an increased number of neurons, the larger size of the neurons or a particular "wiring" pattern meditators may develop that other people don't. Because this was not a longitudinal study — which would have tracked meditators from the time they began meditating onward — it's possible that the meditators already had more regional gray matter and volume in specific areas; that may have attracted them to meditation in the first place, Luders said. However, she also noted that numerous previous studies have pointed to the brain's remarkable plasticity and how environmental enrichment has been shown to change brain structure. Source: University of California - Los Angeles Original article here; http://www.physorg.com/news161355537.html

05-15-2009, 04:02 AM	#2
Orion11 Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,098	Re: Meditation increases brain gray matter yep, actually grows your brain, physically.!! lol

05-15-2009, 06:15 AM	#3
Humble Janitor Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 3,201	Re: Meditation increases brain gray matter Yet another reason to take it up. What I need to do is print out some "instructions" in order to develop a habit of meditating daily. Unless simple meditation is sufficient, I am fascinated by merkabah.

05-15-2009, 08:10 AM	#4
Angel in Disguise Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 364	Re: Meditation increases brain gray matter How does one achieve this state without meditating???... I ask this question because I have achieved what they state... "these might be the neuronal underpinnings that give meditators' the outstanding ability to regulate their emotions and allow for well-adjusted responses to whatever life throws their way." Without being a meditator ever I have always regulated my emotions better than the average and have well adjusted responses to whatever life throws my way... (And trust me when I say I have been there done that!) Moreso than the average anyhow... perhaps not amongst all the fine folks I find here I have tried to meditate but I just can't... My mind is going a mile a minute always... I have always questioned everything and always wondered where all the love was... Never understood hate, greed or judgement. I just don't get the world today... never have! I see the perfection that could be but am often frustrated and irritated by what I see as reality... It's not pretty, it's not what I imagine, but it's there... I want to enjoy it but I can't because it's obvious... I've known my whole life that I was here to witness something HUGE... Bigger than 911... I know in my heart good will come of it ... No meditation needed, although I wish I could at times... Seems so peaceful and happy

05-15-2009, 08:18 AM	#6
Angel in Disguise Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 364	Re: Meditation increases brain gray matter Oh yes... and Humble Janitor... I know someone with incredible amounts of info on merkabah... and how to activate it. Do you facebook?... Oh how cliche but frankly if they are watching, they watching so who gives a damn... Lol

05-15-2009, 11:36 AM	#11
henners Project Avalon Researcher Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 432	Re: Meditation increases brain gray matter Hello all. I will share something very personal with you. About 7 years ago approx, i was down and out, suicidal. I had nowhere to go, seemed no one cared or was listening. I spoke to a long lost friend, and then saw an ad in the paper for " Meditation for stress relief". I thought what the heck, i have nothing to lose, right? I went to this classes and of about 75 people, only seven of them were men, funny that. Did you know that men do not suffer from stress, or so it would seem. After attending these classes for several weeks, i had an out of body experience at home. This was my turning point. Since then , i knew there was more to the body than flesh and blood. I also noticed that the voices in my head, the noise, the chatter, was gone. This too was a turning point for me. What i mean to say about this is , yes, meditation is very good for you, and if you practise it on a daily basis, you will notice a big change in your life. Great thread giovonni, Hey Shred, try this link its the one i used and its free. If you want to know more just ask mate. Henry __________________ Henners Thoughts are boomerangs, returning with precision to their source. Choose wisely which ones you throw.