DOCSLIB.ORG

Neurobiological Aspects of Mindfulness in Pain Autoregulation: Unexpected Results from a Randomized-Controlled Trial and Possible Implications for Meditation Research

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Neurobiological Aspects of Mindfulness in Pain Autoregulation: Unexpected Results from a Randomized-Controlled Trial and Possible Implications for Meditation Research fnhum-10-00674 January 24, 2017 Time: 17:52 # 1 ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 26 January 2017 doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00674 Neurobiological Aspects of Mindfulness in Pain Autoregulation: Unexpected Results from a Randomized-Controlled Trial and Possible Implications for Meditation Research Tobias Esch1,2,3, Jeremy Winkler4, Volker Auwärter5, Heike Gnann5, Roman Huber6 and Stefan Schmidt4,7* 1 Division of Integrative Health Promotion, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany, 2 School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany, 3 Institute for General Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany, 4 Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Medical Center, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, 5 Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, 6 Center for Complementary Medicine, Medical Center, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, 7 Institute for Transcultural Health Studies, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany Background: Research has demonstrated that short meditation training may yield higher pain tolerance in acute experimental pain. Our study aimed at examining underlying mechanisms of this alleged effect. In addition, placebo research has shown Edited by: that higher pain tolerance is mediated via endogenous neuromodulators: experimental Stephane Perrey, inhibition of opioid receptors by naloxone antagonized this effect. We performed a University of Montpellier, France trial to discern possible placebo from meditation-specific effects on pain tolerance and Reviewed by: Fei Luo, attention. Institute of Psychology (CAS), China Objectives: It was proposed that (i) meditation training will increase pain tolerance; (ii) Wolf E. Mehling, University of California, naloxone will inhibit this effect; (iii) increased pain tolerance will correlate with improved San Francisco, USA attention performance and mindfulness. *Correspondence: Methods: Randomized-controlled, partly blinded trial with 31 healthy meditation-naïve Stefan Schmidt [email protected] adults. Pain tolerance was assessed by the tourniquet test, attention performance was measured by Attention Network Test (ANT), self-perceived mindfulness by Freiburg Received: 11 October 2016 Mindfulness Inventory. 16 participants received a 5-day meditation training, focusing Accepted: 19 December 2016 Published: 26 January 2017 on body/breath awareness; the control group (N D 15) received no intervention. Citation: Measures were taken before the intervention and on 3 consecutive days after the Esch T, Winkler J, Auwärter V, training, with all participants receiving either no infusion, naloxone infusion, or saline Gnann H, Huber R and Schmidt S (2017) Neurobiological Aspects infusion (blinded). Blood samples were taken in order to determine serum morphine of Mindfulness in Pain Autoregulation: and morphine glucuronide levels by applying liquid chromatography-tandem mass Unexpected Results from spectrometry analysis. a Randomized-Controlled Trial and Possible Implications Results: The meditation group produced fewer errors in ANT. Paradoxically, increases for Meditation Research. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 10:674. in pain tolerance occurred in both groups (accentuated in control), and correlated doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00674 with reported mindfulness. Naloxone showed a trend to decrease pain tolerance in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience | www.frontiersin.org 1 January 2017 | Volume 10 | Article 674 fnhum-10-00674 January 24, 2017 Time: 17:52 # 2 Esch et al. Meditation and Pain Regulation both groups. Plasma analyses revealed sporadic morphine and/or morphine metabolite findings with no discernable pattern. Discussion: Main objectives could not be verified. Since underlying study goals had not been made explicit to participants, on purpose (framing effects toward a hypothesized mindfulness-pain tolerance correlation were thus avoided, trainees had not been instructed how to ‘use’ mindfulness, regarding pain), the question remains open whether lack of meditation effects on pain tolerance was due to these intended ‘non-placebo’ conditions, cultural effects, or other confounders, or on an unsuitable paradigm. Conclusion: Higher pain tolerance through meditation could not be confirmed. Keywords: meditation, mindfulness, pain tolerance, attention, morphine, opioids, placebo INTRODUCTION patients with chronic low back pain, though effects were similar to those of cognitive behavioral approaches, leaving the question Pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience has open as to the specificity of effects in mindfulness training. Kabat- a multidimensional nature, which means it is sensitive to Zinn (2003, p. 145) defines mindfulness as “the awareness that diverse manipulations, implicating there are many starting emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present points for pain relief. Keeping in mind that, for example, moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience chronic pain patients cost about 38 billion Euros per year in moment by moment.” Mindfulness has been suggested to be Germany (Zimmermann, 2004), reliable therapeutic concepts are effective via four mechanisms (Hölzel et al., 2011): attention desperately needed. A better understanding of the notion of pain regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation, and changes in is mandatory. perspective on the self. This study was planned and conducted in light of recent Pain Manipulation through Mindfulness evidence demonstrating, indeed, that meditation alters pain and Meditation perception (e.g., reduction of subjective pain ratings in healthy When observing the phenomenon of pain it appears that there adults), and that pain tolerability for experimental pain is are several dimensions involved, from which the affective and elevated – since, for example, a short mindfulness training cognitive dimension are two: the affective dimension reflecting has been shown to increase pain tolerance in novices (Kabat- the emotional and motivational relevance of the stimuli and the Zinn, 1982; Kabat-Zinn et al., 1985; Kingston et al., 2007; cognitive dimension relating to how aspects of cognition can Zeidan et al., 2010, 2011, 2012; MacCoon et al., 2012); however, sculpt one’s experience (Melzack and Casey, 1968). It seems quite some of these early experimental studies on pain modulation logical that manipulation on these two dimensions would lead to through meditation training didn’t involve proper controls or an altered pain experience. Meditation, understood as a mental randomization procedures. The postulated phenomenon has training that shapes the brain/mind in highly specific ways, is a recently been called ‘meditative analgesia’ by some authors relatively new approach in the field of pain modulation (Benson (Grant, 2014), also discussing various or ‘specific’ forms of et al., 1974; Hoffman et al., 1982; Kabat-Zinn, 1982, 2003; Kabat- meditation that are particularly linked to the presumed potential Zinn et al., 1985; Lazar et al., 2000; Esch et al., 2003; Salamon et al., of affecting pain. 2006; Zeidan et al., 2010, 2011, 2012; Schmidt et al., 2011) and In addition, there is evidence for a modification of the could be one of such starting points among others to manipulate subjective interpretation of pain via meditation in patients the affective and cognitive dimensions of pain. dealing with chronic pain (cf. Schmidt et al., 2011). However, Meditation lies at the core of mindfulness-based stress little is known about underlying neurobiological mechanisms. reduction (MBSR). MBSR, since its development for chronic For example, the involvement of dopamine or dopaminergic pain and stress-associated disorders in the late 1970s, is under brain pathways in meditation (Bujatti and Biederer, 1976; Kjaer intensive research (Kabat-Zinn, 1982; Kabat-Zinn et al., 1985; et al., 2002), and the production of endogenous opioids/opiates Bishop et al., 2004; Grossman et al., 2004; Ernst et al., 2009; via dopamine (Zhu et al., 2005; Kream and Stefano, 2006; Stefano Zeidan et al., 2010, 2011, 2012; cf. Bazarko et al., 2013; and Kream, 2007, 2010; Stefano et al., 2007, 2012; Mantione Katterman et al., 2014), and now frequently used in clinical et al., 2008; Zhu and Stefano, 2009; Esch, 2014), have been practice. Evidence, however, for the clinical effectiveness of discussed. An activation of these pathways could, theoretically, MBSR programs in improving pain intensity or disability, e.g., in influence pain modulation. Also, it has been speculated that pain chronic low back pain patients, is still inconclusive, with limited attenuation through mindfulness might involve unique brain evidence that MBSR can improve pain acceptance (Cramer et al., mechanisms that are in sharp contrast to established models, e.g., 2012). A recent randomized clinical trial by Cherkin et al. (2016) comprising increased sensory processing and decreased cognitive concluded that MBSR may be an effective treatment option for control (Gard et al., 2011). Accordingly, a search for modulators Frontiers in Human Neuroscience | www.frontiersin.org 2 January 2017 | Volume 10 | Article 674 fnhum-10-00674 January 24, 2017 Time: 17:52 # 3 Esch et al. Meditation and Pain Regulation and key neurotransmitters, or autoregulatory indicators, of this (e.g., dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and insular cortices (among proposed shift has begun. others: e.g., amygdala,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Meditation Intervention on Chronic Pain" (2016)
    Gardner-Webb University Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects Hunt School of Nursing 12-2016 The ffecE ts of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Meditation Intervention on Chronic Pain Jolena B. Allred Gardner-Webb University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/nursing_etd Part of the Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Commons, and the Public Health and Community Nursing Commons Recommended Citation Allred, Jolena B., "The Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Meditation Intervention on Chronic Pain" (2016). Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects. 236. https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/nursing_etd/236 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Hunt School of Nursing at Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University. For more information, please see Copyright and Publishing Info. The Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Meditation Intervention on Chronic Pain by Jolena B. Allred A capstone project submitted to the faculty of Gardner-Webb University Hunt School of Nursing In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Nursing Practice Boiling Springs 2016 Submitted by: Approved by: ___________________________ _____________________________ Jolena B. Allred Anna S. Hamrick, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN ___________________________ _____________________________ Date Date Approval
    [Show full text]
  • Library of Research Articles on Veterans and Complementary and Integrative Health Therapies
    The VA Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation’s and VA Complementary and Integrative Health Evaluation Center’s Library of Research Articles on Veterans and Complementary and Integrative Health Therapies April, 2020 1 Library of Research Articles on Veterans and Complementary and Integrative Health Therapies We are pleased to announce the VA Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation’s (OPCC&CT) and VA Complementary and Integrative Health Evaluation Center’s (CIHEC) “Library of Research Articles on Veterans and Complementary and Integrative Health Therapies”. The Library is comprised of two sections: 1) Articles organized by type of CIH therapies, among the nine therapies that the VA considers medical treatments and 2) Articles organized by type of health outcome, among nine outcomes (i.e., pain, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance/opioid abuse, stress and wellbeing, insomnia, suicide, and Veteran caregiver wellbeing and VA employee wellbeing). The Library provides the citation (with links to either the actual article or to its page in PubMed) as well as the abstract, if available. Although every attempt was made to include all relevant studies conducted, it is possible we missed some and will gladly include additional studies when found. The Library will be updated biannually, with the next update available in June 2020. It can be found at the OPCC&CT website at https://www.va.gov/wholehealth/ and the CIHEC website at https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/centers/cshiip.cfm. For questions on the Library, please contact both Stephanie L. Taylor, PhD (Director of CIHEC) [email protected] and Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Mindfulness Meditation Is Related to Sensory‐Affective Uncoupling Of
    Received: 2 December 2019 | Revised: 18 March 2020 | Accepted: 14 April 2020 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1576 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Mindfulness meditation is related to sensory-affective uncoupling of pain in trained novice and expert practitioners Jelle Zorn | Oussama Abdoun | Romain Bouet | Antoine Lutz Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028, CNRS, UMR5292, Lyon Abstract 1 University, Bron Cedex, Lyon, France Background: Mindfulness meditation can alleviate acute and chronic pain. It has been proposed that mindfulness meditation reduces pain by uncoupling sensory and Correspondence Antoine Lutz, Director of Research at affective pain dimensions. However, studies to date have reported mixed results, the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, possibly due to a diversity of styles of and expertise in mindfulness meditation. DYCOG Team, INSERM U1028 - CNRS Furthermore, the interrelations between mindfulness meditation and pain catastro- UMR5292, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier (Bât. 452), 95 BdPinel, 69675 BronCedex, phizing during acute pain remain little known. France. Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated the effect of a style of mindfulness Email: [email protected] meditation called Open Monitoring (OM) on sensory and affective pain experience Funding information by comparing novice (2-day formal training; average ~20 hr practice) to expert prac- The study was funded by a European titioners (>10.000 hr practice). We implemented a paradigm that was designed to Research Council Consolidator Grant awarded to Antoine Lutz (project BRAIN amplify the cognitive-affective aspects of pain experience by the manipulation of and MINDFULNESS, number 617739). pain anticipation and uncertainty of stimulus length (8 or 16 s thermal pain stimuli). We collected pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings and assessed trait pain cata- strophizing with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS).
    [Show full text]
  • The Science of Energy Therapies and Contemplative Practice a Conceptual Review and the Application of Zero Balancing
    FEATURES The Science of Energy Therapies and Contemplative Practice A Conceptual Review and the Application of Zero Balancing ■ Sallie Stoltz Denner, MSN, CCIT, CZB, CRNA The topic of energy therapies is prompted by the increasing attention of healthcare practitioners and consumers to Eastern philosophies and ancient healing practices. This article includes a conceptual framework of quantum physics principles providing the basis of interpretation of energetic phenomena, along with the exploration of theoretical concepts involving energy as a communicational network. An overview of the contemplative tradition of meditation indicates its necessity as a requisite element of energy therapies, the practice combining a knowledge base of the core scientific precepts with the experience of restorative strategies. The relevance of energy therapies as a path to self-transcendence along with the application of a specific touch technique, Zero Balancing, is highlighted. KEY WORDS: energy medicine, energy psychology, entrainment, mindfulness-based stress reduction, psychoneuroimmunology, putative energy fields, quantum physics, self-transcendence, stress, transcendental meditation, Zero Balancing Holist Nurs Pract 2009;23(6):315–334 Our traditional medical model designed to address Ironically, a contributing factor is medical progress diseases once manifested, rather than to promote itself: As people live longer, they develop many optimal health and prevent reoccurrence, delivers stress-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, treatment more relevant to acute illnesses than diabetes, Alzheimer disease, and cancer. Stress in our chronic. Amazingly, the US healthcare industry lives tends to be viewed as a detriment, but in actuality spends $1.6 trillion annually, and yet, we rank 12th out it really implies any necessary adaptation, even one of 13 industrialized countries in 16 major indicators.
    [Show full text]
  • Reducing Chronic Pain Using Mindfulness Meditation: an Exploration of the Role Of
    Reducing Chronic Pain Using Mindfulness Meditation: An Exploration of the Role of Spirituality By Al-Noor Mawani A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies of The University of Manitoba In partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Psychology University of Manitoba Winnipeg Copyright © 2009 by Al-Noor Mawani Mindfulness meditation and pain 2 Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 4 List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... 5 Reducing Chronic Pain through Mindfulness Meditation: An Exploration of the Role of Spirituality........................................................................................................................... 6 Relevance of Spirituality to Canadian context ................................................................ 7 Relevance of Spirituality to Chronic Pain Management ................................................. 8 Established views of Chronic Pain .................................................................................. 9 Assessment of Pain ........................................................................................................ 14 Psychological treatment of Chronic Pain ...................................................................... 16 Holistic care and change ...............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Neurobiology of Meditation for the Control of Pain
    i Université de Montréal The neurobiology of meditation for the control of pain par Joshua A. Grant Département de Physiologie Faculté de médicine Thèse présentée à la Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales en vue de l‟obtention du grade de Ph.D. en sciences neurologiques Janvier 2011 © Joshua Grant 2011 ii Université de Montréal Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales Cette thèse intitulée: The neurobiology of meditation for the control of pain présentée par: Joshua A. Grant a été évaluée par un jury composé des personnes suivantes: Trevor Drew, président-rapporteur Pierre Rainville, directeur de recherche Adrianna Mendrek, membre du jury Catherine Bushnell, examinateur externe John Kalaska, représentant du doyen de la FES iii Résumé La douleur est une expérience multidimensionnelle comportant des aspects sensoriels, émotionnels et cognitifs. Il a été montré que cette expérience peut être modulée par des facteurs psychologiques ou des interventions cognitives comme l‟attention, la distraction, l‟hypnose ou les attentes. La tradition orientale suggère également que la pratique de la méditation pourrait avoir des effets analgésiques. D‟un point de vue théorique, plusieurs mécanismes pourraient expliquer ces effets. Cependant, très peu d‟études ont testé ces hypothèses. Les études présentées dans cette thèse avaient donc pour objectif d‟examiner les mécanismes analgésiques de la méditation. Dans un premier temps, une étude psychophysique a été réalisée afin de comparer les réponses à la douleur entre des adeptes de la méditation Zen et des sujets contrôles, dans différentes conditions attentionnelles. Durant la condition attentionnelle de type « mindful », les adeptes de la méditation ont présenté une plus faible sensibilité à la douleur, des réponses attentionnelles à la douleur atypiques et une diminution de la perception de la douleur associée à l‟entraînement à la méditation.
    [Show full text]
  • (Māori and Sahaj Marg Raja Yoga). by Janine Joyce
    Human Spirituality and Coming Together in Peace, Looking Through Two Lenses (Māori and Sahaj Marg Raja Yoga). by Janine Joyce A thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand November 2014 ii Abstract This project explored the experiences of ordinary men and women involved in spiritual practices in order to understand the phenomenon of spiritual heart and any implications for outer peace. The primary question asked of informants was what was spiritual brotherhood? Very early in the process the research question refined itself to ask about spiritual brothersisterhood, as the connotation of brotherhood was excluding for the female informants. In order to understand both the question and perhaps the phenomenon; participants from two communities became involved. Both communities were viewed as having expert knowledge about indigenous spirituality. One group came from a purposive sample of practitioners from the multi-cultural global Sahaj Marg community of Raja Yoga practitioners. The other group belonged to the Aotearoa New Zealand Māori community and had close whānau (family), kinship and iwi (tribal) connections. An indigenous perspective reminds us all of our roots, when we, in our present day lives, often forget these. The willingness of this group to guide this project and be involved was very welcome. Informants in this study identified a universal thread of awareness that revealed itself to each one as a practical knowledge of the spiritual heart. Informants in both groups experienced an ongoing transcendental connection through the spiritual heart, to a unified field of consciousness that they called respectively: Master, tūpuna (ancestors), and atua (forces that generate and animate particular realms of reality).
    [Show full text]
  • Brain Mechanisms Supporting the Modulation of Pain by Mindfulness Meditation
    5540 • The Journal of Neuroscience, April 6, 2011 • 31(14):5540–5548 Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive Brain Mechanisms Supporting the Modulation of Pain by Mindfulness Meditation Fadel Zeidan,1 Katherine T. Martucci,1 Robert A. Kraft,2 Nakia S. Gordon,3 John G. McHaffie,1 and Robert C. Coghill1 Departments of 1Neurobiology and Anatomy and 2Biomedical Engineering, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, and 3Psychology Department, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233 The subjective experience of one’s environment is constructed by interactions among sensory, cognitive, and affective processes. For centuries, meditation has been thought to influence such processes by enabling a nonevaluative representation of sensory events. To better understand how meditation influences the sensory experience, we used arterial spin labeling functional magnetic resonance imaging to assess the neural mechanisms by which mindfulness meditation influences pain in healthy human participants. After4dof mindfulness meditation training, meditating in the presence of noxious stimulation significantly reduced pain unpleasantness by 57% and pain intensity ratings by 40% when compared to rest. A two-factor repeated-measures ANOVA was used to identify interactions between meditation and pain-related brain activation. Meditation reduced pain-related activation of the contralateral primary somato- sensory cortex. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify brain regions associated with individual differences in the magnitude of meditation-related pain reductions. Meditation-induced reductions in pain intensity ratings were associated with increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, areas involved in the cognitive regulation of nociceptive processing. Reductions in pain unpleasantness ratings were associated with orbitofrontal cortex activation, an area implicated in reframing the contextual evaluation of sensory events.
    [Show full text]
  • The Psychology of Meditation: Research and Practice
    The Psychology of Meditation Research and Practice The Psychology of Meditation Research and Practice Edited by Michael A. West 1 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries © Oxford University Press 2016 The moral rights of the author have been asserted First Edition published in 2016 Impression: 1 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Control Number: 2015947534 ISBN 978–0–19–968890–6 Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct.
    [Show full text]
  • Dhyana and Samadhi in Advaita - Their Effect on Mind and Body - Their Role and Relevance in Jnana Marga -- Dr
    dhyAna and samAdhi in Advaita - Their Effect on Mind and Body - Their role and relevance in jnAna mArga -- Dr. Ramesam Vemuri. May 2016 • Introduction • Concepts and Clarifications General Outline • Meditation, Mind and Brain (To be interspersed with • dhyAna and samAdhi in Advaita Discussions) -- Defintions -- Role and Relevance in The Knowledge Path (jnAna mArga) -- Short Exercises 2 What is it we are concerned with here? • jIvabrahmaikyatva jnana • Not a goal to be reached Realization of • Not a result or fruit of an Action Taken “I am brahman” • Not something you have to acquire • Not something Unknown to you • It is more like dropping a veiling curtain • You are already what you seek 3 Advaita is not about Goals and Gains Advaita is about “Remembering” who you are 4 Inquiry into the Ultimate Truth: • The sine qua non are a healthy body and a sane mind in the pursuit of inquiring the ultimate Reality • Body needs balanced and nutritious food and reasonable physical exercise. • Mind needs calm and positive thoughts and some “exercise.” • The exercise for the mind is dhyAna. 5 Meditation and Brain The Indian Seers and Sages had known the efficacy of meditation in influencing the behavior, temperamental attitude and bodily health of a person ever since the Vedic times. Various techniques of meditation taking the breath, thought or a mantra as a prop were extensively developed and people were taught to seamlessly sew these practices into their daily routine like having a bath or eating food. 6 A working definition for the Mind: Mind is what the brain does There is nothing fancy or mysterious about mind.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Mditate, Inc. Where Meditation Meets the Art and Science of Life
    1100 Quail St, Suite 100 Newport Beach, CA 92660 Where meditation meets the art and science of life While meditation has deep ancient and religious origins, it has recently become popular as a way to de-stress or cope with the whirlwind of modern living - but it is so much more than that. With consistent practice, meditation has profound effects on our physical health. It enhances our well-being and emotional outlook, which in part may account for these beneficial physical effects. Compiled below is only the tip of the iceberg of peer-review, published science supporting meditation. Perhaps it will change the way that you look at ‘just sitting and doing nothing.’ Adam M. Rotunda, M.D. Founder Topic Page Why meditate? 2 Meditation and aging 4 … and brain structure 7 … and mental illness 9 … and the immune system 11 … and cancer patients 12 … and pain 14 … and sleep 16 … and children and adolescents 18 … and the workplace 20 … and gastrointestinal health 22 … and high blood pressure 24 … and the educational system 30 … and the healthcare system 33 1 MDitate, Inc. Who is meditating and why? Cramer H, Hall H, Leach M, et al. Prevalence, patterns, and predictors of meditation use among US adults: a nationally representative survey. Sci Rep. 2016;6:36760. Abstract Emerging evidence suggests substantial health benefits from using meditation. While there are some indications that the popularity of meditation is increasing, little is known about the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of meditation use in the general population. In this secondary analysis of data from the 2012 US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) (n = 34,525), lifetime and 12-month prevalence of meditation use were 5.2% and 4.1%, respectively.
    [Show full text]
  • The Effects of Beta-Endorphin: State Change Modification Jan G Veening1* and Henk P Barendregt2
    Veening and Barendregt Fluids and Barriers of the CNS 2015, 12:3 FLUIDS AND BARRIERS http://www.fluidsbarrierscns.com/content/12/1/3 OF THE CNS REVIEW Open Access The effects of Beta-Endorphin: state change modification Jan G Veening1* and Henk P Barendregt2 Abstract Beta-endorphin (β-END) is an opioid neuropeptide which has an important role in the development of hypotheses concerning the non-synaptic or paracrine communication of brain messages. This kind of communication between neurons has been designated volume transmission (VT) to differentiate it clearly from synaptic communication. VT occurs over short as well as long distances via the extracellular space in the brain, as well as via the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flowing through the ventricular spaces inside the brain and the arachnoid space surrounding the central nervous system (CNS). To understand how β-END can have specific behavioral effects, we use the notion behavioral state, inspired by the concept of machine state, coming from Turing (Proc London Math Soc, Series 2,42:230-265, 1937). In section 1.4 the sequential organization of male rat behavior is explained showing that an animal is not free to switch into another state at any given moment. Funneling-constraints restrict the number of possible behavioral transitions in specific phases while at other moments in the sequence the transition to other behavioral states is almost completely open. The effects of β-END on behaviors like food intake and sexual behavior, and the mechanisms involved in reward, meditation and pain control are discussed in detail. The effects on the sequential organization of behavior and on state transitions dominate the description of these effects.
    [Show full text]