Neurophysiological Mechanisms of Meditation on Brain Activity and Its Effects on Cognitive Functioning

Yixuan Wang

doi:10.54097/k91mmh34

Authors

Yixuan Wang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/k91mmh34

Keywords:

Meditation; neurology; brain structure; prefontal cortex; hippocampus; brain waves.

Abstract

Currently, individuals encounter more mental tension and opt for meditation practices to alleviate it. The neurological mechanisms behind meditation have been studied in order to apply meditation practice in medical care. To date, researchers categorize meditation based on its impact on mental health, employing distinct meditation techniques in various studies. According to previous studies, the alternative of brain structure is affected by meditation practice. Moreover, the changes in brain waves provide the basic mechanism of meditation. However, the precise process of how meditation affects the brain seems unclear; the process of meditation from neuron activity to the application in treatment is unapparent too. This study researches the origin and classification of meditation, distinguishing the most common types of meditation practice based on the previous study. Also, this study analyzes the development of brain structures like the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, gray matter density, and the changes in brain waves during the meditation exercise. Psychological and clinical effects of meditation are summarized; the popular study methods about the brain's activity are also given. This study finds the connection between the micro- and macro-mechanisms of meditation and emphasizes the use of meditation in clinical treatment. However, the study didn't focus much on neuron circuit changes in meditation, this field needs to be researched in the future.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] JINDAL V, GUPTA S, DAS R. Molecular Mechanisms of Meditation[J]. Molecular Neurobiology, 2013, 48(3): 808-811.

[2] SHARMA H. Meditation: Process and effects[J]. AYU (An International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda), 2015, 36(3): 233.

[3] WALACH H, OTHERS. Neuroscience, consciousness and spirituality[M]. Springer, 2013.

[4] MARCHAND W R. Neural mechanisms of mindfulness and meditation: Evidence from neuroimaging studies[J]. World Journal of Radiology, 2014, 6(7): 471.

[5] GUPTA A, RAMDINMAWII E, MITTAL V K. Significance of alpha brainwaves in meditation examined from the study of binaural beats[C]// Proceedings of the [...]. IEEE Xplore, 2016.

[6] GARCIA GAES L. Binaural beats: Brain wave induction and the use of binaural beats to induce brain wave patterns[J]. Current Research: Integrative Medicine, 2018, 3(2).

[7] KING R, BROWNSTONE A. Neurophysiology of Yoga Meditation[J]. International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 1999, 9(1): 9-17.

[8] LIU X, SHI S, WEN X, et al. Mindfulness and posttraumatic response patterns among adolescents following the tornado[J]. Children and Youth Services Review, 2022, 134: 106375.

[9] CAHN B R, POLICH J. Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies[J]. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2013, 1(S): 48-96.

[10] ENGSTRÖM M, WILLANDER J, SIMON R. A Review of the Methodology, Taxonomy, and Definitions in Recent fMRI Research on Meditation[J]. Mindfulness, 2021.

[11] MATKO K, SEDLMEIER P. What Is Meditation? Proposing an Empirically Derived Classification System[J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2019, 10: 2276.

[12] ZEIDAN F, GORDON N S, MERCHANT J, et al. The Effects of Brief Mindfulness Meditation Training on Experimentally Induced Pain[J]. The Journal of Pain, 2010, 11(3): 199-209.

[13] DODICH A, ZOLLO M, CRESPI C, et al. Short-term Sahaja Yoga meditation training modulates brain structure and spontaneous activity in the executive control network[J]. Brain and Behavior, 2018, 9(1): e01159.

[14] VERMA M, RATHORE M, NIRWAN M, et al. Functional connectivity of prefrontal cortex in various meditation techniques – A mini-review[J]. International Journal of Yoga, 2022, 15(3): 187.

[15] KWAK S, KIM S Y, BAE D, et al. Enhanced Attentional Network by Short-Term Intensive Meditation[J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2020, 10.

[16] DOLL A, HÖLZEL B K, MULEJ BRATEC S, et al. Mindful attention to breath regulates emotions via increased amygdala–prefrontal cortex connectivity[J]. NeuroImage, 2016, 134: 305-313.

[17] MARCHAND W R. Neural mechanisms of mindfulness and meditation: Evidence from neuroimaging studies[J]. World Journal of Radiology, 2014, 6(7): 471.

[18] ENGSTRÖM M, PIHLSGÅRD J, LUNDBERG P, et al. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Hippocampal Activation During Silent Mantra Meditation[J]. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010, 16(12): 1253-1258.

[19] LUDERS E, TOGA A W, LEPORE N, et al. The underlying anatomical correlates of long-term meditation: Larger hippocampal and frontal volumes of gray matter[J]. NeuroImage, 2009, 45(3): 672-678.

[20] HÖLZEL B K, CARMODY J, VANGEL M, et al. Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density[J]. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 2011, 191(1): 36-43.

[21] VESTERGAARD-POULSEN P, VAN BEEK M, SKEWES J, et al. Long-term meditation is associated with increased gray matter density in the brain stem[J]. NeuroReport, 2009, 20(2): 170-174.

[22] PUTTASON S, SITTIPRAPAPORN P. Investigation of Brainwaves Changes in Dynamic Meditation[C]// ECTI-CON, 2019: 413-416.

[23] GUPTA A, RAMDINMAWII E, MITTAL V K. Significance of alpha brainwaves in meditation examined from the study of binaural beats[J]. IEEE Xplore, 2016.

[24] GAUR S, PANJWANI U, KUMAR B. EEG Brain Wave Dynamics: A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis on Effect of Yoga on Mind Relaxation[J]. Journal of Biomedical Research & Environmental Sciences, 2020, 1(7): 353-362.

[25] MOHAN A, SHARMA R, BIJLANI R L. Effect of Meditation on Stress-Induced Changes in Cognitive Functions[J]. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2011, 17(3): 207-212.

[26] FREDRICKSON B L, BOULTON A J, FIRESTINE A M, et al. Positive Emotion Correlates of Meditation Practice: a Comparison of Mindfulness Meditation and Loving-Kindness Meditation[J]. Mindfulness, 2017, 8(6): 1623-1633.

[27] MAGALHAES A A, OLIVEIRA L, PEREIRA M G, et al. Does Meditation Alter Brain Responses to Negative Stimuli? A Systematic Review[J]. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2018, 12.

[28] KHALSA D S. Stress, Meditation, and Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention: Where the Evidence Stands[J]. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2015, 48(1): 1-12.

[29] KOIKE M K, CARDOSO R. Meditation can produce beneficial effects to prevent cardiovascular disease[J]. Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation, 2014, 18(3).

[30] CAHN B R, POLICH J. Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies[J]. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 2013, 1(S): 48-96.

[31] AFONSO R F. Neural correlates of meditation: a review of structural and functional MRI studies[J]. Frontiers in Bioscience, 2020, 12(1): 92-115.