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Meditation on the Brain: a Conversation with Andrew NewbergDr. Andrew Newberg 
is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology and Psychiatryand Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at theUniversity of Pennsylvania. He has published a variety of neuroimaging studies relatedto aging and dementia. He has also researched the neurophysiological correlates of meditation, prayer, and how brain function is associated with mystical and religiousexperiences.
Dr. Newberg, thank you for being with us today. Can you please explain the source of yourinterests at the intersection of brain research and spirituality?
Since I was a kid, I had a keen interest in spiritual practice. I always wondered how spiritualityand religion affect us, and over time I came to appreciate how science can help us explore andunderstand the world around us, including why we humans care about spiritual practices. This, of course, led me to be particularly interested in brain research.During medical school I was particularly attracted by the problem of consciousness. I wasfortunate to meet researcher Dr. Eugene D'Aquili in the early 1990s, who had been doing muchresearch on religious practices effect on brain since the 1970s. Through him I came to see that brain imaging can provide a fascinating window into the brain.
Can we define religion and spirituality -which sound to me as very different brainprocesses-, and why learning about them may be helpful from a purely secular, scientificpoint of view?
Good point, definitions matter, since different people may be searching for God in differentways. I view being religious as participating in organized rituals and shared beliefs, such asgoing to church. Being spiritual, on the other hand, is more of an individual practice, whether wecall it meditation, or relaxation, or prayer, aimed at expanding the self, developing a sense of oneness with the universe.What is happening is that specific practices that have traditionally been associated with religiousand spiritual contexts may also be very useful from a mainstream, secular, health point of view, beyond those contexts. Scientists are researching, for example, what elements of meditation mayhelp manage stress and improve memory. How breathing and meditation techniques cancontribute to health and wellness. For example, my lab is now conducting a study where 15 older adults with memory problems are practicing Kirtan Kriya meditation during 8 weeks, and wehave found very promising preliminary outcomes in terms of the impact on brain function. Thiswork is being funded by the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation, but we havesubmitted a grant request to the National Institute of Health as well.
Can you give an overview of the benefits of meditation, including Richard Davidson'sstudies on mindfulness meditation?
 
There are many types of meditation - and we each are researching different practices. Which of course share some common elements, but are different in nature. Dr. Davidson has access to theDalai Lama and many Buddhist practitioners, so much of his research centers on mindfulnessmeditation. We have easier access to Franciscan monks and to practitioners of Kirtan Kriyameditation.At its core, meditation is an active process that requires alertness and attention, which explainswhy we often find increased brain activity in frontal lobes during practice. Usually you need tofocus on something - a mantra, a visual or verbal prompt- while you monitor breathing.A variety of studies have already shown the stress management benefits of meditation, resultingin what is often called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. What we are researching now iswhat are the cognitive - attention, memory- benefits? It is clear that memory depends onattention and the ability to screen out distractions - so we want to measure the effect of meditation on the brain, both structurally and functionally.To measure the brain activation patterns we have been using SPECT imaging, which involvesinjecting small amounts of radioactive tracers in volunteers, and helps us get a more view of what happens during practice (fMRI is much more noisy).To measure functional benefits we use the typical batteries of neuropsychology testing.
If there is a growing body of evidence behind the health and cognitive benefits of meditation - what is preventing a more widespread adoption of the practice, perhaps inways similar to yoga, which is now pretty much a mainstream activity?
Well, the reality is that meditation requires practice and dedication. It is not an easy fix. Andsome of the best-researched meditation techniques, such as mindfulness meditation, are veryintensive. You need a trained facilitator. You need to stick to the practice.In fact, that's why our ongoing research focused on a much easier to teach and practicetechnique. We want to see if people can practice on their own, at home, a few minutes a day for afew weeks.The other problem is that this is not a standardized practice, so there is a lot of confusion: manydifferent meditation techniques, with different sets of priorities and styles.My advice for interested people would be to look for something simple, easy to try first, ensuringthe practice is compatible with one's beliefs and goals. You need to match practice with need:understand the specific goals you have in mind, your schedule and lifestyle, and find something practical. Otherwise, you will not stick to it (similar to people who never show up at the healthclub despite paying fees).
New York Times columnist David Brooks recently wrote two very thought-provokingarticles, one on the Cognitive Age we are living in, another on the Neural Buddhists, where
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