> > What Zen meditators don't think about won't hurt them > > December 8th, 2010 in Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry > > Zen meditation has many health benefits, including a reduced sensitivity to > pain. According to new research from the Universite de Montreal, meditators > do feel pain but they simply don't dwell on it as much. These findings, > published in the month's issue of Pain, may have implications for chronic > pain sufferers, such as those with arthritis, back pain or cancer. > > "Our previous research found that Zen meditators have lower pain sensitivity. > The aim of the current study was to determine how they are achieving this," > says senior author Pierre Rainville, researcher at the Université de Montréal > and the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. "Using functional > magnetic resonance imaging, we demonstrated that although the meditators were > aware of the pain, this sensation wasn't processed in the part of their > brains responsible for appraisal, reasoning or memory formation. We think > that they feel the sensations, but cut the process short, refraining from > interpretation or labelling of the stimuli as painful." > > Training the brain > > Rainville and his colleagues compared the response of 13 Zen meditators to 13 > non-meditators to a painful heat stimulus. Pain perception was measured and > compared with functional MRI data. The most experienced Zen practitioners > showed lower pain responses and decreased activity in the brain areas > responsible for cognition, emotion and memory (the prefrontal cortex, > amygdala and hippocampus). In addition, there was a decrease in the > communication between a part of the brain that senses the pain and the > prefrontal cortex. > > "Our findings lead to new insights into mind/brain function," says first > author, Joshua Grant, a doctoral student at the Université de Montréal. > "These results challenge current concepts of mental control, which is thought > to be achieved by increasing cognitive activity or effort. Instead, we > suggest it is possible to self-regulate in a more passive manner, by 'turning > off' certain areas of the brain, which in this case are normally involved in > processing pain." > > "The results suggest that Zen meditators may have a training-related ability > to disengage some higher-order brain processes, while still experiencing the > stimulus," says Rainville. "Such an ability could have widespread and > profound implications for pain and emotion regulation and cognitive control. > This behaviour is consistent with the mindset of Zen and with the notion of > mindfulness." > > More information: http://www.science … nal/03043959 > > Provided by University of Montreal > > > "What Zen meditators don't think about won't hurt them." December 8th, 2010. > http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-12-zen-meditators-dont-wont.html >
