Journal
NEUROREPORT
Volume 20, Issue 2, Pages 170-174Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e328320012a
Keywords
brainstem; meditation; neuroplasticity; voxel-based morphometry
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Funding
- Danish National Research Foundation [95093538-2458, 100297]
- Danish Research Council for Culture and Communication
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Extensive practice involving sustained attention can lead to changes in brain structure. Here, we report evidence of structural differences in the lower brainstem of participants engaged in the long-term practice of meditation. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we observed higher gray matter density in lower brain stem regions of experienced meditators compared with age-matched nonmeditators. Our findings show that long-term practitioners of meditation have structural differences in brainstem regions concerned with cardiorespiratory control. This could account for some of the cardiorespiratory parasympathetic effects and traits, as well as the cognitive, emotional, and immunoreactive impact reported in several studies of different meditation practices. NeuroReport 20:170-174 (C) 2009 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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