Researchers using electrodes implanted in the brains of epilepsy patients have found that meditation produces changes in the regions of the brain involved in emotional regulation and memory. While previous studies have shown a link between meditation and brain activity, this study detected activation of specific areas of the brain.
Most studies use EEGs with electrodes placed on the scalp; however, the patients in the study already had electrodes implanted deep in the amygdala and hippocampus for long-term EEGs to manage epilepsy. The patients, who were novice meditators, participated in a ten-minute session of guided loving-kindness meditation, which focuses on kindness toward oneself and others.
The participants' brains produced changes in certain types of brain waves called beta and gamma waves.
"These kinds of brain waves are affected in mood disorders like depression and anxiety, so the possibility of being able to willfully control these through meditation is pretty amazing, and may help explain the positive impact that these practices have on individuals." [said Ignacio Saez, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Neurosurgery, and Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine and senior author of the paper.]
This study's unique, invasive nature provided researchers with unprecedented detail on the specific effects of mediation on the brain, which may lead to a better understanding of how mediation can be used as part of an overall strategy to treat mood disorders.
Previously: Meditators can switch off their consciousness on demand, new study reveals
