Información del artículo
Resumen
El presente estudio se propone contribuir a esclarecer en el momento actual los sustratos neurales y psicofisiológicos subyacentes a la meditación y la conciencia plena o mindfulness con arreglo a la mejor información científica disponible de calidad. El trabajo es una revisión narrativa, no sistemática, de tipo cualitativo, basada principalmente en una búsqueda en PubMed e ISI Web of Knowledge hasta final de 2013. El conocimiento de los efectos de la meditación en la fisiología del cerebro es aún limitado, pero hay pruebas de que afecta a la función del sistema nervioso central y autónomo, activa las estructuras neuronales involucradas en la atención y regula las emociones. La práctica meditativa se asocia con cambios en la neuroplasticidad de la corteza cingulada anterior, ínsula, unión temporoparietal, red neuronal frontolímbica y otras, cambios que pueden operar en conjunto estableciendo una mayor autorregulación. La conciencia plena proporciona una metacognición emocional más adaptativa y mejores índices fisiológicos de regulación autonómica. Especialmente en el largo plazo, los meditadores detentan diferencias estructurales en la materia cerebral gris y blanca debidas a la plasticidad neuronal.
Palabras clave:
Conciencia plena
Meditación
Mindfulness
Neurobiología
Psicofisiología
Psicoterapia
Abstract
This study intends to help elucidate the current psycho-physiological and neural basis underlying meditation and mindfulness, according to the best good-quality available scientific information. The work is a qualitative, non-systematic, narrative review, which is mainly based on the search in PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge until the end of 2013. Knowledge of the effects of meditation on the brain physiology is limited, but there is evidence showing that it affects the function of the autonomous and central nervous system, activates the neuronal cells involved in attention, and regulates emotions. Meditative practice is associated with changes in the neuroplasticity of the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, temporoparietal junction, frontolimbic neural networks, and others. These changes can work together to produce better self-regulation. Mindfulness provides more adaptive emotional metacognition and better physiological rates of self-regulation. Meditators show structural differences in grey and white brain matter due to neuronal plasticity, particularly in the long term.
Keywords:
Meditation
Mindfulness
Neurobiology
Psychophysiology
Psychotherapy
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