Scientists have found a way to achieve higher levels of concentration when practicing mindfulness through applying non-invasive ultrasound technology to the brain.

Derived from a significant practice in Hindu and Buddhist tradition, mindfulness is recognized by the American Psychological Association as a pathway to stress reduction, improved memory, and greater cognitive flexibility.

Using a technique called transcranial-focused ultrasound (TFUS), a form of low-intensity ultrasound technology, researchers at the University of Arizona were able to modify the brain's default mode network (DMN). The DMN is a network of interconnected brain regions that are particularly active during restful and introspective activities such as daydreaming.

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The impetus of the study came from the hypothesis that more people would engage in mindfulness if their brains were less distracted.

"The best part is you are using a minimal amount of energy to alter brain activity. You are just giving a gentle push to the brain with low-intensity ultrasound," said lead study author Brian Lord, a Cognition & Neural systems researcher, in a statement.

The experiment included 30 participants who received TFUS under supervision. Each person had their brain activity monitored and was interviewed about their mental state afterwards.

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Unlike other non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial electrical stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, TFUS has the ability to penetrate beneath the cortexthe brain's outermost layerwith pinpoint precision.

In this case, the study targeted a region that contributes to high-level functions such as focus, emotional regulation and self-referential processing. Broadly speaking, it is active during anything that involves reflection or introspection.

Researchers employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to monitor changes in brain activity. During functional scans, subjects were instructed to stare at a fixation cross and allow their thoughts to flow naturally. Scans were produced five minutes and 25 minutes after fMRI application.

Participants were also asked to report their feelings and experiences both before and after the TFUS treatment. Those who had received the real treatment reported an increase in state mindfulness as measured by the Toronto Mindfulness Scale, a questionnaire commonly used in research of this kind.

Stimulating the part of the brain used for activities such as daydreaming, recalling memories and envisioning the future using this method showed meaningful effects in DMN performance in just five minutes. It could make engagement in activities like meditation easier to do, without the mind straying into rumination.

Dysregulation in the DMN can lead to several mental issuesdepression, anxiety, and schizophrenia have all been linked to abnormal DMN activity. The results of this study show a promising pathway to ultrasound-focused treatment techniques to aid brain regulation. By demonstrating the potential of TFUS to alter brain networks, the SEMA Lab is innovating in order to connect our thoughts and feelings with a greater sense of ease and calm.

"We are the first to show that the default mode network can be directly targeted and noninvasively modulated," Lord said.

"Unlike neuroimaging techniques where you can only make correlations with brain activity, noninvasive stimulation tools like TFUS allow you to probe the brain and develop causal models. That's a really powerful thing for the whole field of neuroscience."

This study was published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

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Mindfulness Improved by Firing Ultrasound Into the Brain - Newsweek

Dystopian Kurzweil: As Big Tech continues frantically pushing AI development and funding, many users have become concerned about the outcome and dangers of the latest AI advancements. However, one man is more than sold on AI's ability to bring humanity to its next evolutionary level.

Raymond Kurzweil is a well-known computer scientist, author, and artificial intelligence enthusiast. Over the years, he has promoted radical concepts such as transhumanism and technological singularity, where humanity and advanced technology merge to create an evolved hybrid species. Kurzweil's latest predictions on AI and the future of tech essentially double down on twenty-year-old predictions.

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Kurzweil introduced his latest book, "The Singularity Is Nearer," a sequel to his bestselling 2005 book, "The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology." Kurzweil predicted that AI would reach human-level intelligence by 2029, with the merging between computers and humans (the singularity) happening in 2045. Now that AI has become the most talked-about topic, he believes his predictions still hold.

Kurzweil believes that in five years, machine learning will possess the same abilities as the most skilled humans in almost every field. A few "top humans" capable of writing Oscar-level screenplays or conceptualizing deep new philosophical insights will still be able to beat AI, but everything will change when artificial general intelligence (AGI) finally surpasses humans at everything.

Bringing large language models (LLM) to the next level simply requires more computing power. Kurzweil noted that the computing paradigm we have today is "basically perfect," and it will just get better and better over time. The author doesn't believe that quantum computing will turn the world upside down. He says there are too many ways to continue improving modern chips, such as 3D and vertically stacked designs.

Kurzweil predicts that machine-learning engineers will eventually solve the issues caused by hallucinations, uncanny AI-generated images, and other AI anomalies with more advanced algorithms trained on more data. The singularity is still happening and will arrive once people start merging their brains with the cloud. Advancements in brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are already occurring. These BCIs, eventually comprised of nanobots "noninvasively" entering the brain through capillaries, will enable humans to possess a combination of natural and cybernetic intelligence.

Kurzweil's imaginative nature as a book author and enthusiastic transhumanist is plain to see. Science still hasn't discovered an effective way to deliver drugs directly into the brain because human physiology doesn't work the way the futurist thinks. However, he remains confident that nanobots will make humans "a millionfold" more intelligent within the next twenty years.

Kurzweil concedes that AI will radically change society and create a global automated economy. People will lose jobs but will also adapt to new employment roles and opportunities advanced tech brings. A universal basic income will also ease the pain. He expects the first tangible transformative plans will emerge in the 2030s. The inevitable Singularity will enable humans to live forever or extend our living prospects indefinitely. Technology could even resurrect the dead through AI avatars and virtual reality.

Kurzweil says people are misdirecting their worries regarding AI.

"It is not going to be us versus AI: AI is going inside ourselves," he said. "It will allow us to create new things that weren't feasible before. It'll be a pretty fantastic future."

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Transhumanist author predicts artificial super-intelligence, immortality, and the Singularity by 2045 - TechSpot

It also prevents injury and reduces the likelihood of sprains and strains by strengthening our ligaments and tendons, she adds. Plus, the movements promote good blood flow, which aids in muscle recovery and all-round healing.

Research published in 2016 in the International Journal of Yoga revealed that 10 weeks of yoga practice improved balance and flexibility in college athletes and may therefore enhance the athletic performances that require these characteristics.

Retired American football quarterback Tom Brady, American basketball player LeBron James, former British footballer Ryan Giggs and American tennis player Coco Gauff are among the elite athletes who have incorporated yoga in their training routines.

A study published in August 2020 in the medical journal JAMA Psychiatry found that yoga improves symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder, suggesting that the practice may be useful for people dealing with anxiety.

Chellaram has experienced such benefits first-hand. A relationship break-up in her twenties triggered a bout of melancholy and anxiety. She turned to Western psychiatry and was prescribed anti-anxiety medication, which helped, but soon she started feeling lethargic and unmotivated.

After just a few sessions, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I felt joyful again. I began practising sudarshan kriya daily and eventually weaned myself off my anti-anxiety medication. This technique is still integral to my daily yoga practice, Chellaram says.

Diva Chugani, a certified yoga teacher in Hong Kong, has clients who have overcome depression and anxiety with yoga.

They tell me that yoga cheers them up and makes them feel whole again, she says.

Chugani says yoga has helped improve the quality of life for many clients suffering from chronic pain.

In 2017, The American College of Physicians recommended yoga as a first-line treatment for lower back pain, ahead of pain medication.

For one, it gets you moving, and regular physical activity is known to keep the heart healthy.

By doing yoga for 30 minutes every other day for 16 weeks, people with afib were better able to manage their symptoms and reduce their number of afib episodes, according to the study.

Breathing is a core element of yoga, so practising yoga regularly can help you become more aware of your breathing and how it affects your mind and body. A study published in 2019 in the journal Psychiatry pointed out that deep breathing may help treat insomnia, as it reduces tension, assists with relaxation and improves sleep.

Melatonin helps control how and when we sleep.

Regular physical activity is known to help induce sleepiness and improve sleep quality. Doing gentle yoga in the evening hours may help you fall asleep faster and encourage a deeper state of relaxation.

Yoga can keep our brain healthy and young.

The researchers found that kundalini yoga, which focuses on breathwork and meditation more than physical poses, restored neural pathways, prevented brain matter decline and helped reverse signs of ageing and inflammation in the brain.

There is also evidence that doing yoga just once or twice a week boosts brain performance in ways that are similar to aerobic exercise. A review published in 2019 in the journal Brain Plasticity found that regular yoga practice may positively affect key areas of the brain that are responsible for memory and information processing as well as emotional regulation.

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6 yoga benefits backed by science, from pain relief to better sleep - South China Morning Post

By Dean Murray via SWNS

The worlds first head transplant system has been unveiled.

Neuroscience and biomedical engineering startup BrainBridge has announced a mind-bending concept that would allow a head to be grafted onto a donor body.

The futuristic system would offer new hope to patients suffering from untreatable conditions such as stage-4 cancer, paralysis, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

The whole-body procedure involves transplanting a patient's head onto a healthy, brain-dead donor body, ensuring the preservation of consciousness, memories, and cognitive abilities.

A digital illustration of the BrainBridgehead transplant process. (BrainBridge via SWNS)

BrainBridge says the process aims to be available within 8 years and would integrate advanced robotics and artificial intelligence to carry out the transplantation procedures.

The company adds it will also be able to conduct face and scalp transplantation to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

BrainBridge is recruiting and has listed roles for experts in several fields including brain-computer interfaces (BCI), as seen in Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip, robotic surgery and neuroscience.

The concept is the brainchild of Dubai-based project lead Hashem Al-Ghaili, a biotechnologist and science communicator.

(BrainBridge via SWNS)

He says: "Every step of the BrainBridge concept has been carefully thought out based on extensive scientific research that has been conducted and published by experts in various fields of science.

"The goal of our technology is to push the boundaries of what is possible in medical science and provide innovative solutions for those battling life-threatening conditions.

"Our technology promises to open doors to lifesaving treatments that were unimaginable just a few years ago."

BrainBridge says: "The process employs advanced high-speed robotic systems to prevent brain cell degradation and ensure seamless compatibility.

"The entire procedure is guided by real-time molecular-level imaging and AI algorithms to facilitate precise reconnection of the spinal cord, nerves, and blood vessels."

(BrainBridge via SWNS)

The process would include a comprehensive post-operative care schedule to promote healing and prevent rejection.

BrainBridge says one of the main objectives of presenting and popularising the concept at this early stage of development is "to attract top talent from around the world interested in pushing the boundaries of biomedical science and changing the world for the better."

They say: "In the short term, we expect the project to result in spinal cord reconstruction breakthrough and whole-body transplant but in the long term, the project will expand into areas that will transform healthcare as we know it."

Hashem Al-Ghaili says: "Assuming the team is fully assembled, and the feasibility study shows promising results, the roadmap to conducting the first surgery would be possible within 8 years."

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Company unveils how world's first head transplant would work - themoorecountynews.com

In our quest to stay sharp and enhance our brainpower, we often overlook simple, daily habits that can have a immense impact on our cognitive abilities. Scientific research has shown that adopting certain habits can not only maintain but also boost our intelligence and brainpower. Here are five habits you can add to your life to keep your brain in top shape.

Reading is a powerful tool for enhancing brain function. It stimulates the mind, increases knowledge, and improves vocabulary. According to a study published in the journal Neurology, reading regularly can slow the rate of cognitive decline as we age. Engaging with different genres and challenging texts encourages the brain to think critically and understand complex ideas. Whether it's fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, or journals, reading keeps the brain engaged and active.

A study from the University of Liverpool found that people who read regularly experience improved mental agility. The act of reading requires concentration and imagination, which helps in developing neural connections and enhancing brain plasticity. So, the next time you think about picking up your phone, consider grabbing a book instead.

Curiosity is the driving force behind learning and innovation. A curious mind is always seeking new information, asking questions, and exploring different perspectives. According to research from the University of California, curiosity prepares the brain for learning, making it easier to retain new information. This research suggests that when you are curious about a topic, your brain is more likely to remember information related to that topic.

Maintaining curiosity can be as simple as trying to learn something new every day, whether it's a new language, a musical instrument, or a hobby. Surround yourself with people who challenge your thinking and introduce you to new ideas. The constant quest for knowledge keeps your brain active and engaged, promoting lifelong learning and mental agility.

Read also: 12 simple habits that will help change your life for the best

Mental challenges are crucial for brain health. Just like muscles, the brain needs to be exercised to stay strong. Engaging in activities that challenge your cognitive abilities can help create new neural pathways and strengthen existing ones. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, mentally stimulating activities such as puzzles, games, and learning new skills can delay the onset of cognitive decline.

Whether its solving Sudoku puzzles, playing chess, or learning a new language, challenging your brain keeps it sharp. Another study from Harvard Medical School found that people who engage in mentally stimulating activities are less likely to develop Alzheimers disease. So, dont shy away from difficult tasks; they are your brains best friend.

Read also: Tips to deal with the temperature rise in India and avoid heatstroke

Quality sleep is essential for optimal brain function. During sleep, the brain processes information from the day, consolidates memories, and clears out toxins. A study from Harvard University found that sleep plays a critical role in learning and memory. Without adequate sleep, your brain struggles to perform these functions, leading to cognitive impairments.

Adults should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Consistent sleep schedules and a relaxing bedtime routine can improve sleep quality. Avoiding screens before bed and creating a calm sleep environment can also contribute to better rest. Prioritising sleep is not just about avoiding feeling tired; its about giving your brain the time it needs to repair and rejuvenate.

Read also: this morning habits that help your lose weight

Your overall lifestyle has a significant impact on brain health. Regular physical activity, a balanced diet, and managing stress are key components of a healthy lifestyle that supports brain function. According to the American Heart Association, physical exercise increases blood flow to the brain and encourages the growth of new neurons. Activities like walking, swimming, or yoga can boost your mood and mental clarity. Nutrition is equally important. Diets rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals provide the necessary fuel for brain function. Managing stress through mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing, can also improve cognitive function. Chronic stress can negatively affect the brain, leading to memory problems and decreased cognitive abilities.

(Images: Canva)

Boosting brain power can be as simple as adding the right foods into your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish are essential for cognitive function and memory. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, which combat oxidative stress and inflammation, both linked to brain ageing and neurodegenerative diseases. Nuts, especially walnuts, are packed with vitamin E, known to support cognitive health. Whole grains, such as oats and brown rice, provide steady energy, essential for focus and concentration. dark chocolate contains flavonoids that enhance brain function and improve mood.

Practicing yoga can significantly boost your brainpower by enhancing cognitive functions and mental clarity. Specific poses like the Tree Pose (Vrikshasana), Eagle Pose (Garudasana), and Lotus Pose (Padmasana) are particularly effective in improving concentration, memory, and focus. The deep breathing techniques and meditation aspects of yoga increase oxygen flow to the brain, promoting relaxation and reducing stress, which in turn sharpens mental acuity.

Read also: 10 foods that help lower cortisol level

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5 healthy habits that boost intelligence and brainpower - The Times of India

In recent years, the scientific community has been increasingly interested in the potential benefits of meditation and psychedelics. A fascinating study has uncovered the synergistic effects of psilocybin and meditation, revealing how this combination can enhance insightfulness and alter brain activity patterns.

Berit Singer and a team of researchers from the University of Zurich and the University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich have published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports.

The study involved 36 experienced meditators who participated in a 5-day psilocybin-assisted meditation retreat, following a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study design.

The participants completed two fMRI brain imaging sessions, one day before and one day after the retreat. Each scan session consisted of resting-state, focused attention, and open monitoring sequences, with each meditation lasting 7 minutes.

The researchers used a novel approach based on the Mapper algorithm from topological data analysis to generate subject-specific maps for two groups (psilocybin vs. placebo, 18 subjects/group) of experienced meditators.

The study revealed several intriguing findings:

Singer, one of the studys lead authors, expressed her fascination with the application of pure mathematics, especially topology, to extract important information from latent structures in data.

Speaking to PsyPost, she expressed her surprise by the common structure revealed among the subject-specific Mapper graphs, despite their initial apparent differences.

This study provides a novel perspective on the potential synergistic effects between mindfulness practices and psilocybin. It suggests that the combination of enhanced meta-awareness through meditation and psilocybin-induced positive alterations in perception can foster insightfulness.

The findings also highlight the importance of understanding the neurophysiology of meditation and psychedelics beyond the conventional measures of functional connectivity, resting-state networks, and signal variability.

By applying topological data analysis, the researchers were able to uncover organizational principles and characteristics of whole-brain activity patterns during different styles of meditation and psilocybin-induced alterations.

As researchers continue to investigate the effects of psilocybin on the brain, they have uncovered several positive outcomes that may revolutionize the way we approach mental health treatment.

One of the most promising effects of psilocybin on the brain is its ability to promote neuroplasticity and enhance neural connectivity.

Studies have shown that psilocybin can facilitate the growth of new neural connections and increase the flexibility of existing ones.

This heightened neuroplasticity allows the brain to adapt and reorganize itself more efficiently, which may contribute to the long-lasting positive changes observed in individuals who have undergone psilocybin-assisted therapy.

Psilocybin has demonstrated remarkable potential in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression, even in cases where conventional treatments have failed.

Research suggests that psilocybin can modulate the activity of serotonin receptors in the brain, leading to a reduction in negative thought patterns and an increase in positive emotions.

Moreover, the profound mystical experiences often associated with psilocybin use may help individuals gain new perspectives on their lives and develop a greater sense of meaning and purpose.

Studies have found that psilocybin can enhance openness, a personality trait characterized by curiosity, imagination, and a willingness to embrace new experiences.

Increased openness has been linked to improved creative thinking, problem-solving abilities, and overall psychological well-being.

By fostering a more open and flexible mindset, psilocybin may help individuals break free from rigid thought patterns and explore novel ideas and solutions, particularly during meditation practice.

In summary, the study by Singer and her colleagues has opened up new avenues for exploring the potential benefits of combining meditation and psychedelics.

As Singer noted, These findings provide a novel perspective on meditation and psychedelics that may reveal potential novel brain markers for positive synergistic effects between mindfulness practices and psilocybin.

By applying novel techniques like topological data analysis, the researchers have uncovered intriguing synergistic effects between psilocybin and meditation, revealing how this combination can enhance insightfulness, alter brain activity patterns, and potentially lead to new therapeutic approaches for mental health and well-being.

As the scientific community continues to investigate the neurophysiology of meditation and psychedelics, this study serves as a catalyst for further research, promising to deepen our understanding of consciousness and the mechanisms underlying the positive effects of these practices.

The full study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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Recent scientific advancements have shed light on the potential synergistic effects of meditation and psychedelic substances. A study published in Scientific Reports reveals how psilocybin, a psychedelic compound, when combined with open monitoring meditation may enhance the depth of insightfulness in experienced meditators. This enhancement appears to be mediated by changes in the brains organizational patterns.

Open monitoring meditation is a type of meditation that emphasizes the broad, non-reactive awareness of the content of experience from moment to moment. Unlike focused attention meditation, which narrows the attention on a single object such as breath or a mantra, open monitoring encourages practitioners to remain aware of all experiences without attachment or judgment. This practice is thought to enhance meta-awareness the awareness of awareness itself.

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms. Known for its ability to induce profound alterations in perception, emotion, and cognitive processes, psilocybin has been a subject of both traditional use in ritual contexts and modern scientific research. In clinical settings, psilocybin has shown promise for treating various mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Its effects include the disruption of normal thought patterns, potentially leading to increased psychological flexibility and openness.

The rationale for combining psilocybin with open monitoring meditation in this study stems from a hypothesis about the complementary nature of their effects on the brain and consciousness. Both meditation and psychedelics are believed to alter the functional connectivity patterns within the brain meditation through trained introspection and increased meta-awareness, and psilocybin through its pharmacological impact on serotonin receptors, which significantly alters perception and thought.

Researchers at the University of Zurich aimed to investigate how the combination of psilocybin and meditation could influence brain connectivity during meditative practice. They used a mathematical method known as topological data analysis to visualize and analyze the brains activity.

I was interested in the technical part of the topic, because I am fascinated by how pure mathematics, especially topology, can be applied to extract important information from latent structures in data that is not apparent to other methods, explained study author Berit Singer, a PhD in pure mathematics. Psychedelic neuroscience and mediation is particularly interesting to me, because I can see that there is a lot of research needed to better understand the mechanisms of these substances and techniques, and because I wish that this will help to use them in a beneficial way for individuals and society.

The study included 36 healthy, experienced meditators, matched for age, sex, previous meditation experience, and dispositional mindfulness. The core of the study was a five-day silent meditation retreat. On the fourth day of this retreat, participants were administered either psilocybin or a placebo during their routine meditation practice.

To capture the effects of the interventions on brain activity, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans both one day before and one day after the retreat. Each fMRI session included sequences of resting state, focused attention meditation, and open monitoring meditation.

To analyze the data, the researchers employed the Mapper algorithm, a method used in topological data analysis to dissect and visualize high-dimensional data sets. This algorithm constructs a graphical representation, known as a Mapper shape graph, which captures the global and local structure of the data. By applying this algorithm, the researchers could map and quantify the relationships and dependencies between different meditative and resting brain states, revealing insights into how these states interact and overlap.

It surprised me that the subject-specific Mapper graphs were at first sight very different and did not seem to share many similarities, but when described and simplified using suitable graph measures (the optimal transport distance and centrality) their common structure was revealed and turned out to be quite stable across both groups, Singer said. In other words, their common features were not obvious to spot by eye from looking at the subject-specific Mapper graphs, but only after calculating their topological features.

After the meditation retreat, there was a notable increase in the degree centrality of the nodes associated with open monitoring meditation. This suggests that these brain regions became more connected with other regions following the retreat and psilocybin intake. The closeness centrality of the nodes related to open monitoring meditation also increased after the retreat, which implies that these brain regions could disseminate information more efficiently across the brain network.

A key finding from the study was that psilocybin significantly affected the brains connectivity patterns. The optimal transport distance, a measure used to assess the similarity between different brain states, indicated that psilocybin induced notable changes in how different meditation states are connected.

Specifically, participants in the psilocybin group showed greater shifts in the brains functional architecture between the resting state and open monitoring meditation compared to those in the placebo group. This suggests that psilocybin enhances the brains ability to transition between different functional states during meditation.

This increased differentiation was particularly marked in individuals experiencing positive derealization, a state where reality is perceived in a novel and often more meaningful way. Additionally, perceived insightfulness was strongly linked to positive derealization, and models incorporating changes in brain connectivity offered better predictions of insightfulness than those considering positive derealization alone.

The findings suggest that psilocybin may enhance the depth and quality of meditation by facilitating a more profound disengagement from ordinary consciousness and promoting a heightened state of openness and awareness. This could potentially make meditation practices more effective, particularly in inducing states of deep introspection and expanded awareness, which are often the goals of such practices.

The key finding is that meditation and psilocybin are likely to form a useful synergy that brings about insightfulness and that they do so by balancing each others effects, Singer told PsyPost. The research also highlights the advantages of topology to analyze data and uncover latent structures Singer said. This particular method brings an alternative and useful way to look at brain imaging data.

While the study provides evidence that psilocybin can significantly modify the cognitive and perceptual effects of meditation, there are limitations to consider. The participant pool consisted entirely of experienced meditators, which limits the generalizability of the results to broader populations, including novice meditators or individuals without any meditation experience. Additionally, the studys sample size was relatively small, which could affect the statistical power and robustness of the findings.

Long-term goals are to link the topological structures of the Mapper shape graphs and related phenomenology with the usual functional connectivity, similar to the work of Saggar et al. and Geniesse et al., Singer explained. Another long-term goal is to do similar research with other psychedelics and understand their common and distinct features particularly combined with mediation. Finally, it would be nice to create an understanding of the landscape of different psychedelics and meditative states and how they are related and how they interact.

The study, Psilocybin enhances insightfulness in meditation: a perspective on the global topology of brain imaging during meditation, was authored by Berit Singer, Daniel Meling, Matthias Hirsch-Hoffmann, Lars Michels, Michael Kometer, Lukasz Smigielski, Dario Dornbierer, Erich Seifritz, Franz X. Vollenweider, and Milan Scheidegger.

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Brain connectivity maps shed light on the synergistic effects of meditation and psilocybin - PsyPost

Its Mental Health Awareness Month. If youre one of the 32 percent of US adults who experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression last year, your doctor or mental health care provider may have recommended you learn meditation to help manage your stress. But how exactly does this age-old practice change the brain? Neuroscientist Richard Davidson, PhD 76, the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of WisconsinMadison, discusses his decades of research on meditationenabled in part by a collaboration with the Dalai Lamaand dispels myths about how it works and when, where, and how it can be done.

This transcript has been edited for clarity and correctness.

Well, I first met the Dalai Lama in 1992. He was the one who recognized the important currency of science in the modern Western world and wanted to encourage serious scientific research in this area. And he heard about me through the grapevine. He knew I was a closet meditator. He also knew that I was a serious neuroscientist.

And he asked me a very simple question when we first met: Why cant you use the same tools of modern neuroscience that youre using to study depression and anxiety and stress and use those tools to study kindness and to study compassion? And so, I made a commitment to the Dalai Lama, on that day in 1992, that I was going to do everything I could to put qualities like kindness and compassion within the crosshairs of modern science.

You also asked about key findings or key insights, and I think that one of the key insights is the finding that engaging in this very simple form of, if you will, a kind of mental exercise is accompanied by changes in the brain that we believe facilitate the enduring impact of these changes.

Yes, he did. His support and direct involvement were critical in recruiting these very long-term practitioners, and thats where our research began in this area. Because we reasoned, in a very simple-minded way, that we would first test these very long-term practitioners. And if we didnt see anything different in their brains, it was very unlikely that we would see differences in people who are just learning to meditate.

So, we brought people into our lab. We flew them from Asia. They came to Madison, Wisconsin. They spent, typically, somewhere between three and five or six days with us. And we tested them over this period of time in the laboratory. And there are a number of seminal publications that resulted from that that helped to establish that there was a there therethat there was something different about their brains.

And then we began to pursue that using other strategies, including looking at more novice practitioners because the work with long-term practitioners is super interesting and kind of flashy, but ultimately, its not fully scientifically satisfying because there are always questions about these long-term practitioners. After all, most people would not elect to live their life this way. And so these people are highly self-selected and presumably quite different to start with. And a skeptic could say, Well, maybe their brains are just different that way to begin with. Maybe it has nothing to do with meditation.

And so in order to do more rigorous scientific work, we needed to do a randomized controlled trial where you take people whove never meditated before. You randomly assign one group to meditation and another group to a control condition. You train them over time, and you test them before and after. And thats the kind of method that we and others have used to much more definitively establish that it is indeed the meditation that is producing the kinds of changes that were talking about.

We have found differences in, for example, the presence of certain brain waves that we can measure from the scalp surface. There is a frequency of brain oscillation called gamma oscillations, which are very fast frequencies. They are, on average, 40 cycles per second or 40 hertz. Most people do have gamma oscillations, but when you measure them in a typical average person, you see them for very short bursts. Theyre typically less than one second in duration, and they accompany states of focused attention. And you see a burst that may last a quarter of a second.

In these long-term practitioners, we saw these gamma oscillations present for minutes, not seconds. They were very large amplitudes. We actually could see them with the naked eye, which is almost unheard of in this kind of research. And we also saw that they were highly synchronized among different regions of the brain so that theyre aware of more things at any given time than most ordinary people. That was actually the very first major finding that we published.

In this case, were talking about people whove done just a little bit of practice. And so, in certain cases, theyre taking a course that lasts two months. And theyre meditating a total of somewhere between 24 and 30 hours over this two-month period. And there, we see clear changes in the functioning of the brain. We see changes in networks that are important for attention. We also see changes in networks that are important for the regulation of emotion. And in general, one of the important outcomes of this kind of training is improvements broadly in self-regulation, in our capacity to regulate both attention and emotion. And we see changes in the brain networks that are important in those aspects of self-regulation.

What we might say is that meditation represents a family of exercises that involve the intentional use of our mental capacities to improve our well-being and to nurture human flourishing. You dont need to be in any special place. You dont need to be in any special posture, and you can meditate anywhere any time.

We had one particular very long-term practitioner who made many visits to our laboratory over the course of a 12-year period. And so we have 12 years of serial MRI scans. And of course, we know the date on which each of these scans occurred, and we have lots of normative data now. And we can age and gender match it to know what the normal curve is for brain age over this period of life.

And so we can compare this very long-term practitioner. This is a practitioner who, when we first tested him, the very first time he came into the lab, had 62,000 hours of lifetime practice. Thats a big number. What we found is that he was in the 99th percentile of brain age. That is, he had the slowest brain age of a normative database of 1,000 people over this period of 12 years.

So thats one possibility for you. Your brain may be aging, and I would predict it would be aging, more slowly than your chronological age.

Yeah, there are literally hundreds of different kinds of meditation practices, and we have classified meditation into at least three broad families of practice. One we call awareness practices, and thats where mindfulness kinds of practices would be. The second we call deconstructive practices. The most important prototype for this is a kind of meditation that, for example, is most commonly done by the Dalai Lama but actually has received very little scientific attention. And its what we call analytic meditation, where through reasoning, there is a deconstruction of the self, if you will.

One example of that is the sentence that people might commonly use when they might say, Im in pain. If you use that sentence, when you say Im in pain, what does that actually mean? Who is the I in this sentence and does it mean that all of you is in pain, every cell in your body? And so what does it mean to say something like that? Or with an emotion when we say, Im sad. What does that actually mean? And what is the I in that sentence? So, reflecting on that is really beneficial, and thats a deconstructive practice.

The third category is constructive practice, actually generating a specific kind of emotion. The prototype for that is compassion meditation, where youre actively and intentionally generating this quality of compassion, or it could be kindness but one of these virtuous emotions.

To give a high-level summary, awareness practices and focused attention and concentration practices mostly affect systems in the brain that are concerned with the regulation of attention. The deconstructive practices are going to affect the default mode of the brain. This is the mode of brain function that has been linked to self-referential thought. The constructive practices, particularly compassion and kindness, will activate positive emotional centers in the brain and also activate, to some extent, perspective-taking areas of the brain that also are involved in empathy.

Yeah, that is a complete myth and stereotype. Meditation does not involve requiring in any way getting rid of thoughts. Human minds and brains, at least in large part, are there to produce thoughts. The goal of meditation is not to get rid of thoughts at all. Even the greatest meditation masters, and weve been lucky to study some of them in our laboratory, have thoughts. So, meditation may involve changing our relationship to thoughts, but it doesnt involve getting rid of thoughts.

Yeah, I would strongly agree with Jud. I think that thats a very important insight. And we have found that particularly in beginning practitioners, doing really short periods of practice several times a day is much more effective in producing desirable long-term outcomes.

Let me give you one example from a very recently published study that we did with K-12 public school teachers in the US. This study was actually done during COVID when the stress levels of K-12 educators were skyrocketing. On average, these teachers were practicing for a little less than five minutes a day. And they did it for 30 days, but they did it consistently. We found dramatic improvements in their well-being and reductions in standardized measures of depression and anxiety. And these improvements persisted at a follow-up that we did four months following the intervention. I should say this was done in the context of a rigorous, randomized controlled design.

The second thing that we did in this particular study, is we said, you dont have to meditate sitting in a chair or sitting on a cushion. You can meditate while youre commuting. You can meditate while youre washing the dishes. You can meditate while youre doing physical exercise. You can meditate while youre brushing your teeth. And it turns out that, 40 percent of the time, people were electing to do these practices actively while they were engaged in other activities of daily living. And the important finding is that the benefits were just as effective, whether they were sitting on a cushion or doing these actively.

People, in public talks that I give, people often ask, well, Whats the best form of meditation that I could do? And Ill say, Ill tell you, the best form of meditation that you could do is the form of meditation that you actually do.

My reading of the data is that its basically comparable in terms of its impact on, for example, symptoms of anxiety and depression. Whats different is that it has fewer side effects. That is, meditation has fewer side effects. And were much more likely to continue with meditation than we are with pharmaceuticals because of the side-effect profiles.

People dont want to be on these drugs for the rest of their lives. And we dont even know what the safety profile is for very long-term maintenance on these kinds of pharmaceuticals. There is some data to suggest that, in part, because of what I just said, the longer-term effects, particularly in preventing relapse, are more in favor of meditation.

And then finally, I think the last point to make here, is that I think that there is some reason to think strength-based approaches, rather than deficit-based approaches may ultimately be better. Because theres a lot of reason to believe that many of the skills which are important for flourishing, are actually innate, at least the seeds of them are innate. And so, strengthening them, and cultivating them makes more sense than simply treatments to get rid of the symptoms.

Theres some research on a mechanistic level looking at the brain, which has found some similarities but also some differences in how psychedelics and meditation might work. In my view, the application of psychedelics to the treatment of specific disorders is different than the application of psychedelics to people who dont have a frank disorder and who otherwise, might be interested in meditation and/or psychedelics for the purposes of further enhancing their well-being or flourishing or spiritual development, whatever that might be.

We know that the nature of a psychedelic experience is at least in part a function of the guide or facilitator that one has. And just like in meditation, receiving instruction from a really experienced practitioner is very different than receiving instruction from someone who just took an MBSR course.

And so, the training of these psychedelic guides is a serious issue. And what were seeing today is a proliferation of these money-making one-year programs at various places around the country to train psychedelic guides for people who, otherwise, had very little experience. And that frightens me, to be honest.

A second concern is that meditation is not about the experience we have when were meditating. We can have all kinds of experiences when were meditating. We can have blissful experiences. We can also have really difficult experiences. And sometimes those really difficult experiences end up being as important, if not more important than the blissful experiences. And its not about the experience. And psychedelics produce really dramatic experiences. And often, people get very focused on the experience. And people who have had a psychedelic experience often want to recreate that experience. But it really is not about the experience.

Its not going to help you become a kinder person. And those are the measures, ultimately, which matter. Does your spouse think youre nicer, and youre more cooperative and more altruistic? Both meditation and psychedelics, in their original form, as plant-based medicine were, in the psychedelic case, embedded in Indigenous contexts and the meditation in religious and spiritual contexts, both of which have an ethical container. And I think that this ethical framework is really important and is an active ingredient in the beneficial effects that these might have.

(Reprinted with permission from the Harvard Gazette. Click here to read the original post.)

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Meditation Changes the Brain: Heres How - India New England

Yoga asanas for students

Yoga enhances focus through various physical, mental, and mindfulness aspects. The combination of specific postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), and meditation contributes to improved concentration. Here's how yoga achieves this:

Yoga emphasizes the connection between the mind and body. As practitioners move through asanas, they become more attuned to bodily sensations, fostering present-moment awareness and reducing mental distractions.

Pranayama techniques in yoga involve conscious control of breath. Deep and intentional breathing calms the nervous system, reducing stress and promoting mental clarity, which is essential for sustained focus.

Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, Founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa says, Yoga postures promote physical health, and a healthy body contributes to a focused mind. The improvement in overall well-being from regular practice positively influences cognitive functions and attention span.

Yoga encourages circulation and blood flow throughout the body, including the brain. Improved blood flow ensures an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients, positively impacting cognitive function and focus.

Stand tall with feet together, arms by your sides. This pose improves posture and enhances concentration by grounding the body.

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Shift weight to one leg, place the sole of the other foot on the inner thigh or calf, and bring hands to prayer position. This helps in improving balance and focus.

Sit with legs extended, hinge at the hips, and reach for your toes. This asana stretches the spine, promoting blood flow to the brain for improved cognitive function.

Kneel with buttocks on heels, stretch arms forward, and rest your forehead on the mat. This relaxing pose relieves stress and encourages mental clarity.

Lie on your back, lift legs overhead, and support your lower back with your hands. Shoulder stand enhances blood circulation to the brain, aiding memory.

From the shoulder stand, lower your legs behind your head. Halasana stimulates the nervous system, promoting mental alertness.

Sit comfortably, close one nostril, inhale, then switch nostrils while exhaling and inhaling. This pranayama technique balances the brain hemispheres, enhancing focus.

A series of twelve poses, Surya Namaskar improves overall flexibility and energizes the body, promoting mental alertness.

Trataka meditation is a yogic technique involving focused concentration on a single point, commonly a candle flame. Practitioners sit in a comfortable position, gazing at the chosen point without blinking. This simple yet potent method promotes mental clarity, improves memory, and awareness.

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Best yoga asanas for students to build focus and sharp memory - The Times of India

I'm bad at sleeping. Plagued with endless nighttime wakings (up to 10 a night) or suddenly jolting awake at 3 am and being unable to drift back off, its sadly been years since I've slept through the night. This has led to an obsession with monitoring my sleep profile using my fitness tracker and even more early awakenings as good quality sleep continues to evade me.

A new study by Hotpod Yoga found the average person gets less than six hours of sleep during the working week, while 69% agree that they would like more sleep and 76% want better quality sleep. Many people struggle to switch off at night or wake up in the early hours with a racing mind. Chronic stress and poor sleep can push us into a chronic state of hyperarousal; we get stuck in fight or flight mode," says Sleep Scientist, DrSophieBostock. The benefits of gentle exercise like yoga are not to be underestimated, however. Dr. Sophie explains: "Yoga combines physical movement, breathwork and meditation techniques which develop the skill of deep relaxation."

In aid of World Sleep Day, I put Hotpod Yoga's brand new Sleep Sessions class to the test before it's rolled out nationwide on March 31. But would it finally make me able to sleep through the night?

Us Brits are a nation of bad sleepers with 69 admitting we need more sleep

The first port of call should be checking your circadian rhythm isn't out of whack the body's internal 24-hour clock that regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to light changes.

Routine is key, as Dr. Sophie says: "A lack of routine disrupts your body's ability to predict when you're going to sleep. If you go to bed at a similar time each night, like clockwork an hour and a half before your normal bedtime, the brain will start to produce melatonin, signalling to the rest of the body and the brain that it's time to prepare for sleep."

The second main culprit is not getting enough natural light during the day. Easy enough to say, but with our busy modern lifestyles and many of us working from home post-pandemic, even stretching your legs for 20 minutes at lunchtime can feel impossible.

Dr. Sophie says: "A lot of us don't spend enough time outside and we need clear, quite bright lights to reset our rhythms. If you're not actually moving to the office, for example, you're not sending that morning message to the brain, and you can be in a state where melatonin lags in the morning and you feel a bit sluggish, a bit sleepy. Hours later, the brain's not ready to sleep because it didn't know when daytime was in the first place."

I used to enjoy a pre-work morning power walk and reaped the benefits sleep-wise, but the winter months have seen me turning my alarm off and pulling the covers back over my head. I'll be heeding Dr. Sophie's advice in the future.

Yoga has amazing benfits for sleep as part of a wider sleep health routine

Diet should be your third port of call for improving sleep. After cutting back on drinking, I can safely say that alcohol isn't a factor in my poor sleep (in fact, the only time I sleep deeply is at the weekend after a couple of glasses of wine). Branding it a "hot topic" for future research, Dr. Sophie explained that diet can affect sleep, particularly if you're consuming high sugar, high-fat and low-fibre foods late at night.

RELATED: Is this bedtime habit ruining your sleep?

"Generally speaking, a Mediterranean-style diet of fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts and things which are going to feed that microbiome, seems to be better for sleep. Whereas ultra-processed foods are more likely to disrupt sleep," she advises.

You should rule out hormonal and blood sugar changes too; menopause and diabetes can be major factors if you're tossing and turning late at night, not to mention stress. "Cortisol and melatonin are like enemies for each other, so high levels of cortisol reduce or delay the impact of melatonin," she says.

I tried Hotpod Yoga's brand new Sleep Session class, which will be rolled out nationwide on March 31

Exercise is the final piece of the puzzle. As someone who enjoys spin classes, hot yoga and barre/Pilates workouts as well as gentle strength training from home, I would say that I'm well within the weekly recommended quota of movement. But could a gentler form of yoga really aid sleep?

DISCOVER: Orthosomnia is on the rise what are the symptoms and how do you cure it?

The benefits of yoga are well known for your mental health and physical health, but its effect on your snooziness shouldn't be underestimated. Dr. Sophie says: "Research shows that yoga helps people to gain awareness and a sense of control over their minds and bodies, and there is evidence that regular yoga practice can help to improve not just strength and flexibility, but also immune function, mental health, sleep quality and overall wellbeing."

Set to a balmier temperature than Hotpod's usual sweltering 37 degrees, the purple pod's calming, warm space helps you drift into a deep state of relaxation.

As a big Hotpod fan, I was intrigued to see how the class varied from my usual weekly sweat session, which always leaves me feeling relaxed and in a positive frame of mind. We began with some gentle stretching, before lying on our backs in a gentle backbend, focusing on calming the mind. The class finished with Yoga Nidra, during which our lovely teacher guided us through a visual meditation.

I've rarely been able to achieve such a level of zen in a room full of strangers

My mind began to wander, but with the addition of a lavender-scented eye mask blocking out the light and aiding deep relaxation and calming words, I actually found myself drifting off to sleep in the class. I've rarely been able to achieve such a level of total comfort in a room full of strangers.

It's all in the breathwork, apparently. "Learning to control your breath and the stress response [is important] as there have been studies looking at immune function because if you're not in a perpetual state of stress, then you start to switch all those restorative processes that have been downregulated by the stress response," she adds.

Confessing how surprised I was by how sleepy the gentle session made me, Dr. Sophie said the relaxing environment of the purple pod, dim lighting, and restorative music are key.

Sleep Session additions like using a towel as a pillow and a bolster cushion to support your back and knees add to the experience, not to mention the eye mask, helping ease you into a soporific state.

I'll be incorporating more Sleep Session classes into my routine going forward

"Your brain has to believe that you are safe and secure, and then therefore it's OK to relax," Dr. Sophie explains. "But if your brain has a history of other nights where you've sat there feeling tense, then it can be quite difficult to do that. By taking yourself to another space where you really feel safe, it will be easier to re-enter that state - it's reawakening that parasympathetic response saying it's perfect for sleep.

That night, I slept better than I had all week. While I sadly woke up at 5 am, wide awake and alert, I experienced fewer nighttime awakenings than usual and drifted off to sleep very quickly. My body felt safe enough to relax after my earlier class - and the benefits will only be greater the closer you practice to your bedtime. I can already see myself booking Sunday evening sessions as a pre-emptive stress buster ahead of a busy working week.

While the science can't yet prove that hot yoga can cure sleep problems, I'll be incorporating more Sleep Session classes into my routine and have left the experience buzzing with the idea of exploring more meditation practices in a bid to finally achieve the elusive ideal eight hours of slumber.

Visit HELLO!'s Happiness Hub for inspiration on living a more optimistic life.

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Can hot yoga really help you sleep? - HELLO!