Article Publish Status: FREE
Abstract Title:

Increased Grey Matter Associated with Long-Term Sahaja Yoga Meditation: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study.

Abstract Source:

PLoS One. 2016 ;11(3):e0150757. Epub 2016 Mar 3. PMID: 26938433

Abstract Author(s):

Sergio Elías Hernández, José Suero, Alfonso Barros, José Luis González-Mora, Katya Rubia

Article Affiliation:

Sergio Elías Hernández

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: To investigate regional differences in grey matter volume associated with the practice of Sahaja Yoga Meditation.

DESIGN: Twenty three experienced practitioners of Sahaja Yoga Meditation and twenty three non-meditators matched on age, gender and education level, were scanned using structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging and their grey matter volume were compared using Voxel-Based Morphometry.

RESULTS: Grey matter volume was larger in meditators relative to non-meditators across the whole brain. In addition, grey matter volume was larger in several predominantly right hemispheric regions: in insula, ventromedial orbitofrontal cortex, inferior temporal and parietal cortices as well as in left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and left insula. No areas with larger grey matter volume were found in non-meditators relative to meditators.

CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that long-term practice of Sahaja Yoga Meditation is associated with larger grey matter volume overall, and with regional enlargement in several right hemispheric cortical and subcortical brain regions that are associated with sustained attention, self-control, compassion and interoceptive perception. The increased grey matter volume in these attention and self-control mediating regions suggests use-dependent enlargement with regular practice of this meditation.

Study Type : Human Study
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