Test subjects took part in an 8-week program of simple mindful meditation. Results surprised even the most experienced neuroscientists at Harvard University.
- A Harvard affiliate team of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital
- Participants averaged 27 minutes per day of mindful exercises
- MRI scans document a major increase in gray-matter density in the hippocampus
- MRI scans also document decreased gray-matter density in the amygdala
The hippocampus region of the Brain is related to the following functions
- recognition
- spacial perception
- response ability
The amygdala region of the Brain is related to the following functions
- anxiety
- fear
- aggression
“Participant-reported reductions in stress also were correlated with decreased gray-matter density in the amygdala, which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress. None of these changes were seen in the control group, indicating that they had not resulted merely from the passage of time.” - McGreevey
“It is fascinating to see the brain’s plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life,” - Britta Hölzel - Author of the paper and a research fellow at MGH and Giessen University in Germany
“Although the practice of meditation is associated with a sense of peacefulness and physical relaxation, practitioners have long claimed that meditation also provides cognitive and psychological benefits that persist throughout the day,” - Sara Lazar -MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program and a Harvard Medical School instructor in psychology.
You can read more about the remarkable study by visiting Harvard.edu