Meditation Linked to Increased Grey Matter and Mental Health
Based in Washington, D.C., Margaret Byrne MD, is a holistic health practitioner who serves the needs of underserved CenseoHealth patients who lack mobility and cannot easily leave their homes. In addition she also works as a Bereavement Counselor at Capital Caring. As a Buddhist practitioner and meditator for over twenty years, Margaret Byrne MD, utilizes meditation techniques to help both her patients and clients.
The benefits of meditation, which take many forms, are particularly valuable for those living with mental challenges such as depression, stress, and anxiety. As published in Neuroscience, a recent study undertaken by researchers at the University of La Laguna in the Canary Islands investigated the effects of the mental silence associated with meditation on the brain.
Using subjects practicing Sahaja Yoga meditation, the researchers employed a magnetic resonance scanner in examining functional connectivity within brain anatomy among nearly two dozen “expert meditating volunteers.” Their brain anatomy was compared with that of the same number of participants who were not meditating.
The researchers determined that the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) was related directly to the meditators’ ability to remain mentally silent. The meditator group possessed significantly more grey matter in the rACC area. Numerous scientific studies have shown that high amounts of grey matter in this area are associated with higher levels of emotional self-control and happiness.
By contrast, less grey matter in the rACC area is associated with issues such as attention deficit disorder, depression, and hyperactivity, as well as more serious conditions such as autism and schizophrenia.
Margaret Byrne, MD uses this understanding of meditation to help patients in her work as both a physician and Bereavement Counselor. In counseling it is helpful to allow a patient to use meditation to gain insights into their grief. In addition meditation gives clients effective coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety.
