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The Neurobiology of Meditation and Mindfulness

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Meditation – Neuroscientific Approaches and Philosophical Implications

Part of the book series: Studies in Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality ((SNCS,volume 2))

Abstract

Neurobiological effects of meditation and mindfulness can be detected in the brain as functional and also structural alterations in grey and white matter, particularly in areas related to attention and memory, interoception and sensory processing, or self- and auto-regulation (including control of stress and emotions). On the molecular level, dopamine and melatonin are found to increase, serotonin activity is modulated, and cortisol as well as norepinephrine have been proven to decrease. These findings are reflected in functional and structural changes documented by imaging techniques such as fMRI or EEG. They may be relevant for medicine and health care, especially with reference to therapeutic strategies for behavior change and life-style modification, or in association with stress regulation and the treatment of addiction. Neuronal mechanisms of mindfulness can be divided into four areas: attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation and self-perception.

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Abbreviations

ACC:

Anterior cingulated cortex

BDNF:

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor

E:

Epinephrine

EEG:

Electroencephalogram

fMRI:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging

NE:

Norepinephrine

PCC:

Posterior cingulated cortex

PFC:

Prefrontal cortex

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Integrative Health Promotion, Healthy University, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Friedrich-Streib-Str. 2, Coburg, D-96450, Germany

    Tobias Esch M.D.

  2. Neuroscience Research Institute, State University of New York, New York, USA

    Tobias Esch M.D.

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  1. Tobias Esch M.D.
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Correspondence to Tobias Esch M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Stefan Schmidt

  2. Institute for Transcultural Health Scien, European Universtiy Viadrina, Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany

    Harald Walach

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Esch, T. (2014). The Neurobiology of Meditation and Mindfulness. In: Schmidt, S., Walach, H. (eds) Meditation – Neuroscientific Approaches and Philosophical Implications. Studies in Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01634-4_9

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