Brain Network Hub Connectivity during Meditation

How meditation work in our brain? How brain network hubs interacts? This article identify the major brain regions and their dynamic connectivity during meditation. Brain network connectivity approaches to meditation neuroscience are currently accelerating at a rapid pace, propelled by the availability of ‘big fMRI data’, an expanding computational infrastructure, and the formation of large-scale … Read more

Effect of Meditation on Cortical Thickness of the Brain

Scientific evidence suggests that meditation alters the functional and structural plasticity of the brain. In the milestone study, Sara Lazar, et al. in 2005, demonstrated that meditation increases the cortical thickness of the brain. Since then a large number of studies, mostly with varying sample sizes are conducted to identify the relationship between meditation techniques and development of cortical thickness in different brain areas. The results have been remarkably consistent. There is increasing evidence that the insula undergoes structural refinement through meditation. Meditation stops insular cortical thinning process. Insular cortical thinning occurs due to age and depression. In this article we focus on the impact of meditation on overall cortical thickness of the brain. Advancements in developmental biology, neuroscience, and medical imaging have brought us closer than ever to understand the effect of meditation on brain.

There are several meditation methods, such as Yoga, Om meditation, Zen, mindfulness, breathing awareness, and Samatha. Specially, Om chanting and meditation has several benefits. The chanting of Om improves the somatic relaxation and the meditation on the meaning of Om increase cognitive relaxation. Special cognitive relaxation of Om meditation and somatic relaxation of Om chanting improves the cortical characteristics of the brain. Moreover, the practice of Om improve immune competence, especially in older populations who often experience a loss of immune function. Om mantra stabilizes the fight-and-flight response of the amygdala. Which improves the gyrification and cerebral characteristics.

Yoga and Meditation for Balancing the Insula of the Brain

Insula of the brain is one of the most vital components of the brain which controls our health and wellness. Meditation along with yoga helps the insula to work efficiently. Researchers observed that greater right anterior insular gray matter volume the greater is the accuracy in the subjective sense of the inner body, and with the negative emotions developed by the mind. .. Insula continuously scans the physiological state of the entire body and then generates subjective feelings. In vipassana meditation, when we observe the bodily sensations, we activate our insula. Through awareness meditation we gradually develop more gray matters in the brain, which provides a framework that is higher than the normal insula. Insular cortex continuously receives signals from receptors in the skin and internal organs like gut, heart and the lungs.