neuroscience of mindfulness

Dr Shanida Nataraja

NEUROSCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE

Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja,Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

INTRODUCTION

BRAIN IS BIOSUPERCOMPUTER THAT ALLOWS US TO RUN ON “AUTO-PILOT”

The brain: Weighs 1½ lbs Has the consistency of jelly Contains 100 billion brain cells Is highly interconnected

It controls behavior so efficiently that we can run on “auto-pilot”

Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

STRUCTURE OF BRAIN IS HIGHLY COMPLEX AND DISTINCT STRUCTURES HAVE SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snO68aJTOpM

HUMANS HAVE A HIGHLY DEVELOPED FOREBRAIN WITH TWO SIDES WITH DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS

Humans have two sides to their forebrain, each with a different functions

Right brain• Abstract• Intuitive• Holistic• Creativity

Left brain• Rational• Analytical• Reductionist• Language


ARE YOU RIGHT-BRAINED OR LEFT-BRAINED? WHICH WAY DOES THE DANCER SPIN?

http://www.couriermail.com.au/lifestyle/left-brain-v-right-brain-test/story-e6frer4f-1111114604318

MINDFULNESS AND HEALTH

MINDFULNESS HAS POSITIVE EFFECT ON PHYSICAL HEALTH

Improves acceptance,

coping strategies and

well-being chronic pain

1982

Improved well-being, symptom

control in patients with fibromyalgia

1992

Improved skin clearing in

psoriasis and symptom relief

in IBS

1998

Improved immune

function in healthy and HIV patients

2003

Reduces stress, anxiety & depression, and improved symptoms in heart disease

2003

Reduces blood pressure

(normotensive, cancer)

2004

Improved glycaemic control in diabetes

2007

Reduced levels of cortisol and

stress

2007


MINDFULNESS HAS POSITIVE EFFECT ON MENTAL HEALTH

Reduces anxiety

1992

Reduced risk of relapse or recurrence in depression

2000

Improved anxiety &

depression in bipolar

disorder

2008

Improves sleep time

and efficiency in chronic insomnia

2008

Weight loss in women with binge eating

disorders and/or obesity

1999

Improved decision

making & abstinence in

substance abuse

2006

Improves well-being, QoL and

coping strategies in

cancer patients

2008

Reduced anxiety and

stress in schizophrenia

2010


MINDFULNESS PRACTICE HAS MULTITUDE OF EFFECTS OF COGNITIVE FUNCTION

Promotes insightful problem-solving Cultivates

positive attitude to perceived

stress

Facilitates sustained attention

Enhances emotional

intelligenceIncreases

openness and extroversion

Reduces negative

emotions and worrying

Promotes emotional stability

Enhances curiosity and receptiveness

to new experiences

Decreases tendency to

self-reference

Cultivates observing attitude


BRAIN IMAGING RESEARCH

OBSERVING MEDITATORS IN LABORATORY REVEALS BRAIN REGIONS INVOLVED IN MEDITATION

Newberg and D’Aquili observed experienced meditators in controlled laboratory conditions

Radioactive tracer was released into blood at peak moment of meditation

These methods allow visualisation of blood flow in specific brain regions


MINDFULNESS MEDITATION INVOLVES CHANGES IN FRONTAL AND PARIETAL LOBES

Frontal lobe Increased activity in

attentional networks Decreased activity in

surrounding areas

Parietal lobe Decreased activity in

orientation area Decreased activity in

networks involved in relaying experiences through language


FOCUSED ATTENTION PROMPTS SHIFT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT BRAIN

Left-brainRational

Analytical Logical

Right-brainAbstractHolistic Intuitive

Meditation elicits shift to different mode of

perceiving and thinking


MINDFULNESS MEDITATION INVOLVES CHANGES IN LIMBIC SYSTEM AND MIDBRAIN STRUCTURES

Limbic system Increased activity in

amygdala and hippocampus

Autonomic nervous system Increased activity in

hypothalamus and midbrain

Sequential activation of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems


LONG-TERM MEDITATION ELICITS DISTINCT CHANGES IN NUMEROUS AREAS OF BRAIN

AttentionIncreased activity in attention networks in frontal cortex

PerceptionIncreased/assymetrical activity in thalamusEmotional regulationIncreased activity in limbic system

Autonomic functionIncreased activity in midbrain


MINDFULNESS HAS FOUR KEY EFFECTS ON BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR

Subjective• Focused attention for extended

periods of time• Distractions disturb focus less

frequently (executive attention)Objective• Increased activity in and cortical

thickness of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)

Subjective• Enhanced awareness of bodily

states and subtle bodily sensationsObjective• Increased activity in insula

(interoreceptive awareness)• Increased cortical thickness and

grey matter density of insula

Subjective• Less prone to emotional or

behavioural outburstsObjective• Increased activity in prefrontal

cortex (PFC)• Greater control of PFC over

amygdala

Subjective• Improved and expanded sense of

identity (‘self’)Objective• Decrease activity in default mode

network (DMN; self-referential processing), including mPFC and posterior cingulate gyrus


ELECTRICAL BRAIN WAVE RESEARCH

RECORDINGS IDENTIFY FOUR MAJOR TYPES OF BRAIN WAVES

DeltaUnconscious

ThetaCreative subconscious

PaintingWriting

Composing

AlphaRelaxed alertness

RelaxingPlaying sport

Listening to music

BetaActive thought

StrategisingProblem-solvingCommunicating



MEDITATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCT BRAIN WAVE PATTERN


DeltaUnconscious

BetaActive thought



BetaActive thought

Decrease in activityIncrease in activity


DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS LINKED WITH DIFFERENT BRAIN WAVE PATTERNS

Panic states

Hypnogogic/ hypnopompic

Deep sleep

High beta

High alpha

High delta

Dreaming sleep High theta

Meditative High alpha/theta




DeltaUnconscious

BetaActive thought



BetaActive thought

Decrease in activityIncrease in activity

‘AWAKENED’ OR ‘HIGH-PERFORMANCE’ STATE ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCT BRAIN WAVE CHANGES


‘HIGH PERFORMANCE’ MIND ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCT BRAIN WAVE CHANGES

Observed in healers, spiritual masters and meditators (permanent state)

Observed in artists, composers, dancers, inventors, mathematicians, scientists (transient insight)

Associated with high performance and creativity


ANY QUESTIONS?

Dr Shanida Nataraja

NEUROSCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE

neuroscience of mindfulness

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