Mind Machines

The Dalai Lama, Meditation, and Neurobiology

The Dalai Lama, the head of state and spiritual leader of the Tibetan people (who practice ), has played a pivotal role in opening the lines of communication between Western scientists and Buddhist scholars. Frequently, he calls leading psychologists and neurobiologists together to discuss the latest scientific thinking in fields related to the human mind. When he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, he commented, “Both science and the teachings of the Buddha tell us of the fundamental unity of all things.” In fact, Tibetans in general seem to share this enthusiasm for science. Tibetans were surprisingly the most proportionately represented ethnic group working on the Human Project. (For more information on the Human Project, click .) Even though they account for only 0.1% of the world’s population, they made up about 10% of the project’s workforce.

In particular, Tibetan Buddhist monks are interested in science because they have an intense curiosity about the workings of the brain. Monks typically spend hours in meditation each day, and claim that this practice enhances their concentration, memory, and learning ability. They believe that the brain is capable of being trained and physically modified in remarkable ways. Scientists used to believe the opposite – that connections among brain nerve cells were fixed early in life and that adult brains were more-or-less complete and unchangeable. When nerve cells died, it was believed that they were simply gone forever and could never be replaced. But that assumption has fortunately been disproved over the past decade with the help of advances in techniques such as brain imaging. In its place, scientists have embraced the concept of , which refers to the brain’s ability to change its structure and function by expanding or strengthening connections between nerve cells that are frequentlyused and by shrinking or weakening those that are rarely engaged. It turns out that new nerve cells do grow and our brains are much more flexible than was once believed. A key component of Buddhist belief is that meditation literally transforms the mind. Thus, Buddhists are highly interested in scientific advances that could possibly help explain and/or provide evidence for this phenomenon. The question as to whether meditative phenomena have a biological basis is intriguing not only to the Dalai Lama and other Buddhists, but also to many neuroscientists. The collaborations between Western scholars and Buddhist monks are invaluable because the study of trained meditators can provide insights into the mechanisms behind important brain functions, as well as into possible therapeutic approaches related to lifestyle.

Neuroscientists and Buddhist monks: Results of an unusual collaboration

The Dalai Lama, very much aware of potential to interact meaningfully with Buddhism, encouraged monks to lend their brains to science so the workings of their meditating minds could be explored scientifically. Ultimately, he dispatched eight of his most accomplished practitioners to a neuroscience laboratory to have them hooked up for and brain scanning. The tools with which neuroscientists measure brain activity have grown very sensitive, allowing scientists to observe differences in brain activity between individuals doing the same task or even between different trials with the same individual. The Buddhist practitioners in the experiment had undergone training in meditation for an estimated 10,000 to 50,000 hours, over time periods of 15 to 40 years. As a , 10 student volunteers with no previous meditation experience were also tested after one week of training.

Electrical activity and brainwaves

Davidson et al (2004). The monks and volunteers were fitted with a net of 256 electrical sensors and asked to meditate for short periods. Thinking and other mental activity are known to produce slight, but detectable, bursts of electrical activity as large groupings of nerve cells send messages to each other, and that is what the sensors picked up. Richard Davidson, head of the experimental neuroscience laboratory, was especially interested in measuring , some of the highest- and most important electrical brain waves.

It is well known that the brain has properites. A fully functioning brain can generate as much as 10 watts of electrical power. Even though this electrical power is very limited, it does occur in very specific ways that are characteristic of the human brain. Electrical activity emanating from the brain is displayed in the form of brain waves. Brain waves, or the “EEG,” are electrical signals that can be recorded from the brain, either directly or through the scalp. These brainwaves are organized into categories, ranging from the most active to the least active in terms of .

In addition to , brain waves can also be measured in terms of amplitude, which describes the size of the wave. It is thought that brain wave amplitude is related to the amount of nerve cells present, as well as the degree of synchronization, with which the nerve cells fire. In other words, when an individual has a lot of nerve cells that fire well together, the size of the brain waves will be larger than when there are fewer nerve cells or when the nerve cells are not firing well together. The fact that the monks showed such high amplitude activity is significant because it indicates that not only do they have a lot of healthy nerve cells, but these same nerve cells are also firing with a high degree of synchronization. Synchronizations of neural firing at high frequencies (gamma waves) are thought to play a crucial role in integrating scattered neural processes into a highly ordered act such as memory and in inducing changes. In other words, when nerve cells are firing with a highlevel of synchronicity (as they were in the monks’ brains), brain cells are able to communicate with each other much more readily and the entire brain is able to function more efficiently. It is important to note, however, that the potential benefits of increased activity are based upon inferences that have yet to be proven. More research needs to be done.

Gray Matter

Davidson has done follow-up studies and has concluded that meditation (along with increased activity) results in a redistribution of in the brain, as well as a decline in the loss of . The decline of , which is natural but accelerated in HD, mirrors a decline in function and processing ability. The brain has two main layers: and . The layer of gray tissue surrounds a whitish core, like the peel of an orange around its juicy interior. is the command and center of the brain where all the nerve centers are located. , composed mainly of transmission facilitating sheaths known as , simply connects the together. In the , we have motor-controlling cells and damage to these cells results in . can paralyze any muscle that you can voluntarily move, including those of speech. It has been found that individuals with HD typically have a substantially reduced volume of in the brain, especially in the and the .

In fact, the decline in is so closely tied to the progression of HD that it may serve as a for the degree of brain . In other words, by measuring the amount of loss, researchers may be able to predict not only how much the HD has progressed, but also how much the brain has atrophied. This connection is likely due to the fact that an important brain structure known as the is situated deep in the . The is a nerve center that is for controlling movement and processing and has been investigated heavily by HD researchers. When the volume is reduced, this structure becomes less able to carry out its functions. Because it connects to many different parts of the brain, this inability to function can have widespread effects. Deterioration of the and its connections to other parts of the brain results in behavioral changes and the inability to emotions, impulses, thoughts, and movements. When it becomes damaged, the individual may be unable to experience intense feelings of guilt, shame, orembarrassment and be unaware of mistakes that are evident to others. This inability may result in a lack of self-awareness and an inability to evaluate one’s own behavior, in addition to making social and personal relationships more difficult. HD researchers have also found that damage to the makes it difficult for people with HD to prioritize tasks and organize their day, as well as to handle many simultaneous stimuli. Additionally, the controls voluntary movement. (For more information on the , click ).

As you can now see, the is an extremely important structure in the brain and its deterioration (as a result of loss) directly leads to many common HD . It follows that any type of activity or treatment that is able to delay or prevent a loss of would also delay or prevent many common HD . Aging invariably leads to some loss, but this process is significantly accelerated in people with HD. Hence, it would be highly beneficial for a person with HD to incorporate activities into his/her life that may be able to prevent such a rapid loss of . Again, it is important to note that meditation has not been proven to preserve and this claim is based largely on the findings of a single researcher. Yi Rao, a neuroscientist at Northwestern University, says that the science of meditation is “a subject with hyperbolic claims, limited research, and compromised scientific rigour.” Rao further goes on to say that, “Davidson is a respectable scientist, but he has put his respectability on the line withthis.” Davidson defends his work as the first step in a new field. “Meditation research is in its infancy.” There needs to be a lot more peer-reviewed research findings in order for Davidson’s claims to be substantiated.

Meditation and everyday life

The practice of Japa meditation is the technique of using mantras (sounds) to open the heart and mind. The repetition of the sound is supposed to calm the senses and the mind and affect the chemistry of the body. One does not need to be religious to experience the benefits of Japa meditation. Mantras (sounds) can be whatever one chooses – they do not need to be religious mantras. For example, during an inhalation, one might say “I am” and during an exhalation one might say “at peace.” This practice allows the mind to focus and concentrate, and clear away other thoughts, emotions, and distractions which normally divert energies.

Conclusion

The unusual collaboration between psychiatrist Richard Davidson and several Buddhist monks unveils the possibility that the brain, like the rest of the body, can be intentionally. Davidson and his colleagues put forth the idea that the phenomena of meditation can be translated into high- gamma waves and brain synchronization, or coordination. Additionally, he found that meditation results in a redistribution of in the brain, as well as a decline in the loss of . These data suggest that meditation may induce short-term and long-term neural changes. These neural changes allow nerve cells to communicate and operate more effectively, thereby protecting and prolonging the vitality of the brain and several important brain functions. This finding is hopeful and encouraging for people with HD because it shows that there are things that can be done to actively combat the disease. Just as physical exercise sculpts the body and increases physical health, mental exercise sculpts the brain andincreases mental health. With sufficient mental exercise and training, it is possible that the onset and progression of several common HD can be delayed. Meditation simply serves as a form of mental exercise; the key is to frequently train the mind. In the future Davidson hopes “to better understand the potential importance of this kind of mental training and increase the likelihood that it will be taken seriously.”

For Further Reading

Cyranoski, David. Neuroscientists see red over Dali Lama. Nature 2005; 436: 452. Ellerman, Derek. “Buddhism and the Brain.” .This highly technical article is an examination of the neuroscience behind Buddhist meditation and insight. Lutz, A., Greischar, L.L., Rawlings, N.B., Ricard, M., & R.J. Davidson. “Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice.” Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2004; 101(46): 16369-73.This paper describes the study in which Davidson’s lab used EEG testing on Buddhist monks and novices. It is fairly easy to read, but it does go into detail about high amplitude gamma waves and synchronizations. Thitavanno, Pichitr. A Buddhist Way of Mental Training. (Self-Published). 2002This book was written by a Buddhist monk and it describes the Buddhist philosophy, as well as the basics of mental training. This site describes the various types of brain waves and also contains several news articles about the relationship between meditation and thebrain. The Mind and Life Institute is dedicated to creating a powerful working collaboration and research partnership between modern science and Buddhism: the world’s two most powerful traditions for understanding the nature of reality and investigating the mind. Contains links to articles, conferences and events, news articles, books, and research initiatives Wallace, Alan. Buddhism and Science: Breaking New Ground. Columbia University Press, NY: 2003.This book brings together distinguished philosophers, Buddhist scholars, physicists, and scientists to examine the contrasts and connections between the worlds of Western science and Eastern spirituality.