People can reduce their sensitivity to pain by thickening their brain, according to a new study published in a special issue of the American Psychological Association journal, Emotion. Researchers from the Universite de Montreal made their discovery by comparing the grey matter thickness of Zen meditators and non-meditators. They found evidence that practicing the centuries-old discipline of Zen can reinforce a central brain region (anterior cingulate) that regulates pain.
"Through training, Zen meditators appear to thicken certain areas of their cortex and this appears to be underlie their lower sensitivity to pain," says lead author Joshua A. Grant, a doctoral student in the Université de Montréal Department of Physiology and Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. "We found a relationship between cortical thickness and pain sensitivity, which supports our previous study on how Zen meditation regulates pain."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/180420.phpWow, this is great news for me... I'm often referred to as "thick headed"!!! "The often painful posture associated with Zen meditation may lead to
thicker cortex and lower pain sensitivity," says Grant, noting that
meditative practices could be helpful in general for pain management,
for preventing normal age-related grey matter reductions or potentially
for any condition where the grey matter is compromised such as stroke.
A great reason to meditate! Thanks Lynn.
[QUOTE=waddie]Wow, this is great news for me... I'm often referred to as "thick headed"!!! [/QUOTE]
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