Perspectives on Psychological Science
October 14, 2011
Britta K. Hölzel, Sara W. Lazar, Tim Gard et al.
2,997 citations
Mindfulness meditation, the nonjudgmental awareness of present-moment experiences, improves well-being and reduces psychiatric and stress-related symptoms, leading to its integration into psychotherapeutic interventions. Despite a surge in publications, few theoretical reviews synthesize the literature into a comprehensive framework. This article explores four components through which mindfulness exerts its effects: attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation (including reappraisal, exposure, extinction, and reconsolidation), and a change in perspective on the self. Empirical research, including self-reports and experimental data, supports these mechanisms. Neuroimaging studies show mindfulness practice is associated with neuroplastic changes in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, temporo-parietal junction, fronto-limbic network, and default mode network. The authors suggest these components work synergistically to enhance self-regulation, guiding future research and treatment development.
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
December 3, 2007
Britta K. Hölzel, Ulrich Ott, Tim Gard et al.
544 citations
Long-term mindfulness meditators show greater gray matter concentration in brain regions linked to interoceptive awareness and meditation, including the right anterior insula, left inferior temporal gyrus, and right hippocampus. In a comparison of 20 Vipassana meditators (averaging 8.6 years of practice, 2 hours daily) with matched non-meditators, the amount of meditation training predicted gray matter concentration in the left inferior temporal gyrus, suggesting a causal impact of practice. The findings indicate that meditation practice is associated with structural brain differences in areas typically activated during meditation and relevant to the task.
Psychological Bulletin
January 1, 2005
Dieter Vaitl, Niels Birbaumer, John Gruzelier et al.
446 citations
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) can occur spontaneously, be evoked by physical or physiological stimulation, induced by psychological means, or caused by diseases. Psychological and neurobiological approaches reveal four dimensions characterizing ASC: activation, awareness span, self-awareness, and sensory dynamics. Neurophysiologically, different states of consciousness arise from compromised brain structure, transient changes in brain dynamics (disconnectivity), and neurochemical and metabolic processes. Environmental stimuli, mental practices, and self-control techniques can also temporarily alter brain functioning and conscious experience.
American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B Neuropsychiatric Genetics
June 17, 2005
Ulrich Ott, Martin Reuter, Juergen Hennig et al.
96 citations
The personality trait Absorption—a disposition for altered states of consciousness involving focused attention, vivid imagery, and mystical experiences—is linked to a specific genetic variation. People with the T/T genotype of the T102C polymorphism in the 5-HT2a receptor gene, which produces stronger receptor binding, scored significantly higher on the Tellegen Absorption Scale. No independent effect was found for the COMT gene variation, but an interaction between the two genes was significant, highlighting the interplay between serotonin and dopamine systems. These results suggest a biological basis for Absorption.
Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice
August 1, 2013
Dieter Vaitl, Niels Birbaumer, John Gruzelier et al.
43 citations
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PLoS ONE
September 13, 2018
Terje Sparby, Ulrich Ott
11 citations
Interviews with 30 Anthroposophic meditators revealed 14 themes of motivation, organized into three overarching forms: external, internal, and service. The findings suggest a developmental trajectory from external and internal motivations toward service-oriented motivations. This framework expands on a prior scheme by Shapiro, adding new motivation types and distinguishing between self-related (heteronomous and autonomous) and other-related motivations.