Meditation Calms The Brain's Limbic System

how meditation works on the limbic system of the brain

The limbic system is the part of the brain that processes emotions. Research has shown that certain types of meditation can change social and emotional circuitry, including the limbic system. For example, compassion-based meditation has been shown to increase thickness in the limbic system. Other studies have shown that mindfulness meditation can decrease activation of the limbic region. Overall, meditation appears to have a positive impact on the limbic system, helping to foster an interoceptive awareness of bodily and emotional states.

Characteristics Values
Limbic system Processes emotions
Anterior insula Helps bring emotions into conscious awareness

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Mindfulness meditation can increase the thickness of the prefrontal cortex, which is linked to attention control

Mindfulness meditation has been found to increase the thickness of the prefrontal cortex, which is linked to attention control. This finding has been supported by various studies that have observed increased activation in the prefrontal cortex during and after mindfulness meditation.

One study found that participants who meditated for 8 weeks exhibited increased activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and decreased activation in the rostral prefrontal cortex. Another study found that participants who meditated for 6–8 weeks showed increased activation in the prefrontal cortex and right anterior insula.

The prefrontal cortex is associated with executive functioning, including planning, problem-solving, and emotion regulation. The anterior insula is associated with bodily attention and increased visceral awareness.

These findings suggest that mindfulness meditation can lead to structural changes in the brain, particularly in regions involved in attention control and emotional processing.

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Compassion-based meditation can increase activity in the limbic system, which processes emotions

The limbic system is made up of various structures, including the amygdala, the hippocampus, the hypothalamus, and the cingulate cortex. The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions and emotional behaviour, including fear and aggression. It also plays a role in forming emotional memories. The hippocampus is involved in memory, spatial navigation, and regulating emotions. The hypothalamus regulates bodily functions and plays a role in controlling the autonomic nervous system. The cingulate cortex is involved in various functions, including emotion formation and processing, learning, and memory.

Compassion-based meditation practices, such as loving-kindness meditation and compassion meditation, can increase activity in the limbic system. For example, loving-kindness meditation has been found to increase activity in the amygdala and the anterior insula, which helps bring emotions into conscious awareness. Compassion meditation has been found to increase activity in the amygdala, particularly in response to negative or suffering stimuli. These practices can also lead to structural changes in the brain, with studies showing increased thickness in the limbic system after compassion-based meditation.

Compassion-based meditation practices can enhance emotional processing and regulation by targeting the limbic system. By increasing activity and thickness in the limbic system, these practices may improve emotional awareness, empathy, and compassion. They can also lead to reductions in stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as increased prosocial behaviour. The limbic system is crucial for our emotional responses, and compassion-based meditation practices can modulate this system to promote emotional well-being and social connection.

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Mindfulness can reduce the size of the amygdala, the brain's fight or flight centre

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce the size of the amygdala, the brain's primal 'fight or flight' centre. The amygdala is associated with fear and emotion and initiates the body's response to stress.

MRI scans show that after an eight-week course of mindfulness practice, the amygdala appears to shrink. As the amygdala shrinks, the pre-frontal cortex, which is associated with higher-order brain functions such as awareness, concentration, and decision-making, becomes thicker. The functional connectivity between these regions also changes. The connection between the amygdala and the rest of the brain weakens, while the connections between areas associated with attention and concentration strengthen.

The scale of these changes correlates with the number of hours of meditation practice a person has done. The more primal responses to stress seem to be superseded by more thoughtful ones.

Research has shown that meditation shows an improved memory function and meditators have larger hippocampal volumes than non-meditators. The amygdala and the hippocampus are part of an extended neural network. Earlier studies on the effect of meditation also showed a stronger connectivity between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, with the former down-regulating the activity of the latter.

In a large population-based study, individuals who practiced meditation and yoga reported significantly more stress and more depressive symptoms. However, they also reported that these practices helped them to cope with stress. This group was found to have a significantly lower right amygdala volume.

The right amygdala is associated with negative emotions and immediate action-taking, whereas the left is associated with positive emotions and memory.

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Mindfulness can reduce the functional connectivity between the amygdala and the rest of the brain

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce the functional connectivity between the amygdala and the rest of the brain. The amygdala is the brain's "fight or flight" centre, associated with fear and emotion, and is involved in the initiation of the body's response to stress.

MRI scans show that after an eight-week course of mindfulness practice, the amygdala appears to shrink. As the amygdala shrinks, the pre-frontal cortex, associated with higher-order brain functions such as awareness, concentration and decision-making, becomes thicker. The connection between the amygdala and the rest of the brain gets weaker, while the connections between areas associated with attention and concentration get stronger.

Research has shown that higher perceived stress over the past month is associated with greater bilateral amygdala-subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in a sample of community adults. A follow-up, single-blind randomised controlled trial showed that a 3-day intensive mindfulness meditation training intervention reduced right amygdala-sgACC rsFC in a sample of stressed unemployed community adults.

Mindfulness meditation training appears to increase one's ability to recruit higher-order, pre-frontal cortex regions in order to down-regulate lower-order brain activity.

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Mindfulness can increase the functional connectivity between areas of the brain associated with attention and concentration

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to increase functional connectivity between areas of the brain associated with attention and concentration. Research has shown that the practice of mindfulness meditation can lead to changes in the brain's functional connectivity and composition.

Functional connectivity refers to the correlation of activity between different brain regions. The brain's functional connectivity can be measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which detects changes in blood flow in the brain.

One study found that mindfulness meditation increased functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortex and parietal lobes, both of which are associated with attention control. Another study found that mindfulness meditation led to increased activation in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is involved in self-regulatory processes and the ability to monitor attention conflicts.

Additionally, mindfulness meditation has been found to increase functional connectivity in the hippocampus, which is part of the limbic system and plays a role in learning and memory. The practice has also been shown to decrease the size of the amygdala, which is involved in the brain's "fight or flight" response and the experience of fearful and anxious emotions.

Overall, mindfulness meditation appears to increase functional connectivity between brain regions associated with attention and concentration, leading to improved attentional control and cognitive flexibility.

Frequently asked questions

The limbic system is a set of structures in the brain that deals with emotions and memory. It includes the hippocampus, which is involved in learning and memory, and is susceptible to stress and stress-related disorders like depression or PTSD.

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to increase grey matter volume in the limbic system, specifically in the hippocampus. This suggests that meditation may increase the capacity for encoding momentary experience while reducing the tendency to react reflexively to emotionally arousing stimuli.

By increasing activity in the limbic system, meditation may enhance emotional awareness and empathy. It can also help to reduce automatic negative self-evaluation and increase tolerance for negative emotions and physical pain.

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