Neurophysiological, cognitive-behavioral and neurochemical effects in practitioners of transcendental meditation - A literature review

Abstract

SUMMARY The term meditation can be used in many different ways, according to the technique to which it refers. Transcendental Meditation (MT) is one of these techniques. TM could serve as a model for research on spiritual meditation, unlike the meditation techniques based on secular knowledge. The purpose of the present study is to conduct a bibliographic review to organize scientific evidence on the effects of TM on neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and cognitive and behavioral aspects of its practitioners. To conduct this critical narrative review of the literature, we searched for scientific papers on the PubMed database of the National Center for Biotechnology Information. The keywords used in the search were Transcendental Meditation, Neuroscience of meditation e Meditation and behavior. We selected 21 papers that analyzed different aspects that could be altered through meditation practice. We concluded that TM has positive and significant documentable neurochemical, neurophysiological, and cognitive-behavioral effects. Among the main effects are the reduction of anxiety and stress (due to the reduction of cortisol and norepinephrine levels), increase of the feeling of pleasure and well-being (due to the increase of the synthesis and release of dopamine and serotonin), and influence on memory recall and possible consolidation. Further studies are needed using creative and innovative methodological designs that analyze different neural circuitry and verify the clinical impact on practitioners.

Contemplative Psychology: History, Key Assumptions, and Future Directions

“…TM has origins in the Vedic texts of Hinduism but is based on the relatively contemporary teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (Mosini et al, 2019). TM typically involves closing the eyes and evoking a state of restful awareness by focusing attention on the silent recitation of a mantra.…”

“…Participants are normally instructed to practice TM for 20 min two times per day. Although TM is generally acknowledged to be a spiritual technique, it does not adhere to any specific religious practice (Mosini et al, 2019).…”

Meditação, Memória e Aprendizagem: Estudos Neurobiológicos

“…Meditation promotes a greater stimulation of prefrontal and temporal areas, cortical regions related to concentration, responsibility and decision-making 13 . Practicing meditators report greater motivation and interest to study and learn, besides feeling a greater emotional involvement in these processes 87 , pointing to the existence of interaction between brain circuits and the processing of external stimuli received that activate attention and memory to build teachinglearning processes 6 .…”

“…Despite the importance and need of these investigations, neurobiological events related to the teaching-learning process still present gaps, especially about aspects related to the positive or negative impacts of the different elements of memory consolidation dynamics 5,6 . In this particular, studies aimed at the role of meditation in generating benefits for both memory and teaching-learning processes have been deserved attention 12,13 .…”

Meditation Effects on Anxiety and Resilience of Preadolescents and Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Study

“…This is a simple and natural method that allows the person to establish a peaceful environment for mental awareness. The central objective is to keep the person less involved as possible in physical and commonplace concerns, transferring this concentration to something bigger: their own position within a vast universe [6]. According to the literature Children 2021, 8, 689 2 of 9 review, transcendental meditation has numerous positive effects, such as: reduction in anxiety and stress, increased self-realization, increased creativity and concentration, increased autonomy and stability, decreased cortisol and noradrenaline, increased serotonin and dopamine, blood pressure control, and increased recall (e.g., [7]).…”