Meditation for Human Mind and Brain: Findings from Functional Neuroimaging Investigations
Annals of Advanced Biomedical Sciences January 1, 2023 S. Bista 1 citation
Meditation, a core component of Yoga philosophy and the seventh limb of Astanga Yoga as described in the Patanjali Yoga Sutra, involves being alert in the present moment rather than striving for change. Modern mindfulness practices, rooted in Buddhist philosophy, share this non-judgmental awareness. Meditation influences brain systems for attention, memory, emotion regulation, and higher-order cognition, and effectively relieves stress while promoting mental health. Meditators show a significant increase in grey matter volume compared to non-meditators, with regional enlargement in right hemispheric cortical and subcortical areas linked to sustained attention, self-control, compassion, and interoceptive perception. Functional neuroimaging consistently recruits the insula, pre/supplementary motor cortices, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and frontopolar cortex across techniques.