Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness
Neuroreport November 7, 2005 Sara W. Lazar, Catherine E. Kerr, Rachel H. Wasserman et al. 1,707 citations
Long-term meditation practice is linked to structural changes in the brain. Magnetic resonance imaging of 20 experienced Insight meditation practitioners showed greater cortical thickness in regions involved in attention, interoception, and sensory processing, including the prefrontal cortex and right anterior insula, compared to matched controls. The difference in prefrontal thickness was most pronounced in older participants, suggesting meditation may counteract age-related cortical thinning. Thickness in two regions also correlated with meditation experience. These findings provide the first structural evidence that meditation practice can induce experience-dependent cortical plasticity.