2.6 Examine one interaction between cognition and physiology in terms of behaviour. Evaluate two relevant studies.

2.6 Examine one interaction between cognition and physiology in terms of behaviour. Evaluate two relevant studies.

Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of biological correlates of mental processes (cognition). This area of research investigates how various brain areas are involved in cognitive processes (e.g. how brain damage affects memory), but in recent years researchers have also investigated how cognition and physiological processes may interact in people who meditate. A number of neuroscientists are examining how meditation or mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) may influence brain functions (e.g. the effect of meditation on attention, emotional reactivity and stress). Interaction of cognition and physiology can be seen in the self-regulation of attention which seems to have physiological benefits (e.g. stress reduction).

Davidson et al. (2004)

Aim: To investigate whether meditation can change brain activity

Procedure: Eight monks who had practised meditation for many years and a control group of 10 students who had one week of training participated in the study. Cognitive activities (including meditation) produce electrical activity when the neurons fire. This was recorded by the EEG (electroencephalogram which records electrical activity as brain waves). Participants were asked to meditate on ‘unconditional compassion’, i.e. open the mind for feelings of love and compassion for short periods. The control group participated in a training session where they were asked to think of someone they cared about and to let their mind be invaded by love and compassion. After initial training, the participants were asked to generate an objective feeling of compassion without focusing on anyone in particular.

Results: The EEG of the monks’ brains showed greater activation as well as better organization and coordination of gamma waves. There was a positive correlation between hours of practice and level of gamma waves.

Evaluation: The results support the idea that attention and affective processes are skills that can be trained but more research is needed to establish if the change in brain waves is caused by hours of training and not individual differences before training.

Vestergaard-Poulsen et al. (2009)

They found that extensive practice of meditation involving sustained attention could lead to changes in brain structure. They found that structural changes in the lower brainstem of participants engaged in long-term practice of meditation compared with age-matched non-meditators. They compared MRI scans of two groups of participants - meditators and non-meditators. The study found structural changes in brainstem regions concerned with control of respiration and cardiac rhythm (autonomic nervous system). The connection of neurons in this area seemed more complex in people who meditated. This could explain some of the beneficial effects found in research on stress reduction techniques such as MBSR because cortisol levels are reduced and the cardiac and breathing rhythm slow down.