Brain activity and meditation

This article is about the specific effects of meditation on the human brain. For general information about meditation, see Meditation. For the overall effects of meditation, see Effects of meditation.
Highlighted region shows the anterior cingulate cortex, a region of the brain shown to be activated during meditation.

Meditation and its effect on brain activity and the central nervous system became a focus of collaborative research in neuroscience, psychology and neurobiology during the latter half of the 20th century. Research on meditation sought to define and characterize various practices. The effects of meditation on the brain can be broken up into two categories: state changes and trait changes, respectively alterations in brain activities during the act of meditating and changes that are the outcome of long-term practice.

Mindfulness meditation, a Buddhist meditation approach found in Zen and Vipassana, is frequently studied.[1][2] Jon Kabat-Zinn describes mindfulness meditation as complete, unbiased attention to the current moment.[3]

  1. ^ Mizuno, Kogen (1972). Essentials of Buddhism. Tokyo: Kosei Publishing Company.
  2. ^ Ahir, D.C. (1999). Vipassana : A Universal Buddhist Meditation Technique. New Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications.
  3. ^ Kabat-Zinn, Jon (1998). Wherever You Go, There You Are : Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. New York: Hyperion.