Text Size

Brain Imaging Technology to Examine the Effects of Meditation

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Information provided by:
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT00082160
First received: April 30, 2004
Last updated: August 3, 2006
Last verified: August 2006
History of Changes
  Purpose

The purpose of this study is to use brain imaging technology to identify the parts of the brain that are activated during meditation and to compare these parts to those activated during other activities. This study will also determine the effects of meditation on involuntary functions, such as breathing.


Condition Intervention
Healthy
 Behavioral: Meditation
Procedure: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Study Type: Observational
Study Design: Observational Model: Defined Population
Observational Model: Natural History
Time Perspective: Cross-Sectional
Time Perspective: Prospective
Official Title: fMRI Investigation of Meditation

Resource links provided by NLM:

MedlinePlus related topics: MRI Scans
U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):

Estimated Enrollment: 60
Study Start Date: July 2001
Estimated Study Completion Date: June 2005
Detailed Description:

Meditation and relaxation-based interventions are becoming more widely accepted in clinical settings because of their low cost, low risk, and proven effectiveness as a complementary intervention in a wide range of diseases. Despite the success and growing use of relaxation-based treatments, few studies have addressed the basic mechanism by which these treatments work. This study will use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to define the brain mechanisms underlying the meditative state, to differentiate this state from other states, and to determine how meditation-induced brain changes affect autonomic function.

Participants in this study will have an fMRI brain scan. Brain activity, breathing rate, and heart rate will be measured while the participant engages in three different activities: lying quietly, meditating, and mentally generating numbers.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 50 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Daily practice of Vipassana or Kundalini meditation for at least 1 year and participation in at least one 1-week meditation retreat

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current medical or psychological illness
  • Use of antidepressants, antianxiolytics, or compounds that alter cerebral blood flow
  • Claustrophobia
  • Pregnancy
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00082160

Locations
United States, Massachusetts
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02129
Sponsors and Collaborators
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Sara Lazar, PhD Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry
  More Information

Additional Information:
Scientific American Frontiers program for which investigator was interviewed.  This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

No publications provided

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00082160     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: K01 AT000694-01
Study First Received: April 30, 2004
Last Updated: August 3, 2006
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):
Meditation
Relaxation

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 19, 2013