Here is some interesting information that can be used for the learning outcome "the interaction between physiology and cognition in terms of a cognitive process" (in this case memory), but also for the effect of the environment on one physiological process (in this case brain plasticity).
A study by Lazar has shown that the brain grows new connections in the prefrontal cortex through meditation. The study also showed that it improved attention and memory. It may be argued that because the person is improving his attention, also remembers more. How to get smarter, one breath at a time Another study by the University of Pennsylvania has shown that meditation may be a helpful technique for patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It is even possible that mediation may reverse memory loss. One possible reason for the effectiveness of meditation on memory is because it reduces stress, and stress impairs our memory through stress hormones that kill brain cells. By reducing the release of stress hormones you are also improving your brain functioning. Cerebral blood flow in subjects with memory loss: a preliminary study An easy meditation practice to reverse memory loss
2 Comments
Book
2/21/2012 03:27:01 am
Thank you for sharing the links Mr. Hansson, I really liked the first and last article. According to these studies, it seems like meditation contributes to a number of positive outcomes for the brain and mind, both directly and indirectly. Nevertheless, meditation is still seen as something too "spiritual" rather than science, which is why the subject is still primitive in both the research field (meditation is rarely referred to in psychology textbooks) and the application field (therapeutic uses/DSM).
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Mr Hansson
2/23/2012 04:58:15 pm
Glad that you liked the articles, Book.
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AuthorThis is my class blog for IB Psychology. Here I will publish reflections on psychology, reviews of psychology books, recommended links, lecture notes, and information on psychology topics that are not covered by the syllabus. You are free to add comments or ask me questions. Archives
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