Meditation and the brain

A recent report on how some meditation techniques may increase grey matter in the brain has led to an interesting discussion on meditation and brain research. What's more significant than changes in gray matter (which can happen by playing music or repeated mental tasks), is the brain research showing that meditation can change how the brain reorganizes it's neural networks, toward more coherent, integrated functioning. Specifically, 25 peer-reviewed EEG studies on Transcendental Meditation have shown increased alpha coherence in the brain's frontal areas. This is different from increased "cortical thickness," which doesn't indicate coherence, only increased brain activity in that area.


EEG coherence is important because everything good about the brain is dependent on it's coherent, orderly functioning. Coherence is associated with higher IQ, improved moral reasoning, faster reaction time, increased creativity and the experience of pure consciousness or inner wholeness.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeanne-ball/keeping-your-prefrontal-c_b_679290.html