Functional brain mapping or the relaxation response and meditation

Meditation is a conscious mental process that induces a set of integrated p hysiologic changes termed the relaxation response. Functional magnetic reso nance imaging (fMRI) was used to identify and characterize the brain region s that are active during a simple form of meditation. Significant (p < 10(- 7)) Signal increases were observed in the group-averaged data in the dorsol ateral prefrontal and parietal cortices, hippocampus/parahippocampus, tempo ral lobe, pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, striatum, and pre- and post- central gyri during meditation. Global fMRI signal decreases were also note d, although these were probably secondary to cardiorespiratory changes that often accompany meditation. The results indicate that the practice of medi tation activates neural structures involved in attention and control of the autonomic nervous system. NeuroReport 11:1581-1585 (C) 2000 Lippincott Wil liams & Wilkins.