Sure, a number of studies may indicate that the brain of a Buddhist monk is quite dissimilar from that of your average Dick or Jane. It’s not surprising that most of us are different from people living modestly in secluded monasteries, eating vegetarian and spending most waking hours in deep contemplation.  However, a study performed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) suggests that even the brains of average North American working folk can be significantly altered by the practice of meditation. 

The Dalai Lama recently spoke at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, where the MGH study was presented.  He said that the gap between Eastern meditation and Western neuroscience can and should be bridged.  Both parties should collaborate on future studies: “Buddhists investigate reality.  So do scientists.  By gaining deeper insight into the human psyche, we might find ways of transforming our thoughts, emotions and their underlying properties so that a more wholesome and fulfilling way can be found.”  Indeed, he views Western medicine and Eastern practices as having a common philosophical goal—the understanding and improvement of health.

The spiritual leader also addressed the moral issues involved: “The radical advances that took place in neuroscience and particularly genetics toward the end of the 20th century have led to a new era in human history… Our knowledge of the human brain and body at the cellular and genetic level… has reached such a stage that the ethical challenges of these scientific advances are enormous.”

Using advanced brain imaging technology, Dr. Sara Lazar and the rest of the MGH research team looked at the brains of study participants who meditate approximately 40 minutes each day.  “These are normal people with jobs and families,” noted Jeremy Gray, co-author of the study.  It was revealed that certain parts of meditators’ brains were significantly thicker compared to controls.  More specifically, areas associated with perception—from hearing and seeing to the automatic monitoring of heart rate—had significantly greater amounts of grey matter (i.e., the brain’s cell bodies, as opposed to white matter, which are transmission arms).  Thicker brain tissue was also found in the insula, an area of the brain involved in pain, hunger, and thought integration.

It makes sense that most of the significant changes occurred in the right hemisphere, which is vital for sustaining attention, given that meditation concentrates on mental focus.  What’s more, the study found cortical thickening of the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain vital for more advanced brain functions like decision-making.  This difference was particularly pronounced among older participants, suggesting that meditation may slow age-related thinning of the brain.  All these findings indicate that meditation is “not just sitting there quietly.  [It] is having a profound [long-term] effect on key brain structures,” according to Lazar.  Gray reminds us that “you don’t have to be a monk” to benefit from meditation.

The research focused on structural brain changes in those who practice Buddhist Insight meditation, which emphasizes “mindfulness,” but there is evidence that similar improvements may be found in those who practice yoga or other forms of meditation. 

For a more detailed description of the MGH study, check the November 15, 2005 edition of NeuroReport.

References

• Massachusetts General Hospital. (2005, November 12). Meditation changes brain structure. RxPG News: Latest Research, Neurosciences. Retrieved November 18, 2005, from http://www.rxpgnews.com/research/neurosciences/article_2837.shtml
• Moore, Andrea. (2005, November 14). Meditation may increase gray matter. All Headline News. Retrieved November 18, 2005, from http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7001019313
• MSNBC. (2005, November 13). Meditation can boost your gray matter: ‘Buddhist Insight’ practitioners build thicker cortical regions. MSNBC Technology & Science. Retrieved November 18, 2005, from http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10031664/
• Talan, Jamie. (2005, November 14). Dalai Lama says science, Buddhism share goals: The Dalai Lama urges collaboration with neuroscientists on contemplation and its effects on the brain. Newsday Health/Science. Retrieved November 18, 2005, from http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hs4512242nov14,0,3775650.story?coll=ny-health-headlines,1:03