meditation and mindfulness

• a number of recent neuroscientific studies have examined the effects of prolonged periods of mediation on the brain
• some of these studies have more specifically explored the concept of mindfulness- an ancient Buddhist practice defined as 'an international and non-judgemental focus on ones own emotions, thoughts and sensations occuring in the present moment'
• as well as being linked to reduced everyday tension and stress, meditation and mindfulness may alter the structure and function of the brain
• Lazar et al (2005), using MRI scans, demonstrated how experienced meditators had a thicker cortex than non-meditators, particularly in areas related to attention and sensory processing
• individuals who took part in an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course showed an increase in grey matter in the left hippocampus, a part of the brain strongly associated with learning and memory (Holzel et al 2011)
• finally Tang et al (2012) found that four weeks of meditation resulted in an increase in white matter in the anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the brain that contributes to self- regulation and control (a key aspect of mediational practice)