Science Proves You Can Improve Your Mind

Written by Editor in Chief, Pick The Brain - 36 Comments
Categories: motivation

Although I usually focus on writing original content, I read a few articles this week that were so relevant I felt compelled to share them and add my own comments.

Train Your Brain

This fascinating article covers a scientific experiment on neuroplasticity — the brain’s recently discovered ability to change its structure and function, in particular by expanding or strengthening circuits that are used and by shrinking or weakening those that are rarely engaged.

In simple terms, the brain becomes stronger with training and weaker with idleness, similar to the way muscles react to exercise. In the experiment, the brain activity of Buddhist monks (who’ve spent up 10,000 hours in meditation) was compared to novice meditators.

In a striking difference between novices and monks, the latter showed a dramatic increase in high-frequency brain activity called gamma waves during compassion meditation. Thought to be the signature of neuronal activity that knits together far-flung brain circuits, gamma waves underlie higher mental activity such as consciousness. The novice meditators “showed a slight increase in gamma activity, but most monks showed extremely large increases of a sort that has never been reported before in the neuroscience literature,” says Prof. Davidson, suggesting that mental training can bring the brain to a greater level of consciousness.

The study will be published next week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. “We can’t rule out the possibility that there was a pre-existing difference in brain function between monks and novices,” says Prof. Davidson, “but the fact that monks with the most hours of meditation showed the greatest brain changes gives us confidence that the changes are actually produced by mental training.” (bold text is mine)

This discovery disproves fixed intelligence. Mental training can improve your mind by physically changing the structure of your brain. The study focuses on meditation, but I wonder about the impact of other mental activities.

Is there a difference in brain structure between a person who reads/writes for several hours a day compared to a person who doesn’t? How does learning a language, studying math/science, or playing music affect brain activity?

This is great motivation for self improvement and it might set off a mental bodybuilding craze. It’s made me more excited to read, meditate, and challenge myself.

Other Good Reading

It isn’t often that I come across an internet writer who really makes me think. Dyske Suematsu did exactly that. These two essays are enlightening.

Friend and fellow self improvement blogger, Scott H. Young, has just released his new ebook How to Change a Habit. It has some great strategies for fighting addiction and replacing bad habits with good ones. I also recommend his free ebook Holistic Learning. Both books have great content and colorful illustrations.

  • http://www.educatedbeing.com Rise

    What a coincidence.. I was reading Dyske last night. I really liked his writing style and the topics he covers. Last night I also read some poetries of Charles Bukowski whose books are showing up in your Amazon ads today. Something tells me that I am on the right track of learning.

  • http://www.steve-olson.com Steve Olson

    I have no doubt one can strengthen one’s own mind through training, use, and practice. But at the same time, there may be physiological limitations. For example your mind can be damaged by chemicals like fetal alcohol syndrome, or poor nutrition during pregnancy, infant, and toddler years, or even physical injury. But I think there have been cases where some of these effects have been partially reversed.

    Most of the fixed intelligence beliefs were born during the eugenics movement of the early 20th century, which has been thoroughly debunked. But they still persist in many circles.

    We understand so little about consciousness…

    We can change…I’ve lived it and observed it in others…

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Rise,

    Those Bukowski ads showing aren’t that much of a coincidence. Amazon serves personalized ads to readers, so it makes a lot of sense if you bought that book on Amazon.

    Steve,

    I agree that there is a fixed component to intelligence. Everyone starts with a base of varying ability, but what you build on top of that is up to you.

  • http://www.educatedbeing.com Rise

    I didn’t buy the books.. I was reading some online publications.. I hope Amazon is not going through my ‘History’.

    Intelligence seems to follow something similar to equation of line though it might not be a linear relation.. on one side there is a fixed component.. a independent variable (mediation).. a multiplication factor (training hours) and on the other side there is your current intelligence. hmm I am thinking too much.. should get back to my research.

  • http://www.myspace.com/wamylove wamylove

    Thanks for turning me on to Suematsu!

  • http://westallen.typepad.com/brains_on_purpose Stephanie

    There are several reources (articles, interviews) related to self-directed neuroplasticity here:

    http://www.jeffreymschwartz.info

  • Dax

    I’m glad you wrote this article John. I’ve been practicing meditation for 5 years and I can tell you that my life changed since then. I was able to abandon my bad habits, changed my life style, eating style and gained so much more energy. My concentration and cognitive skills also increased. I think it’s all thanks to meditation.
    During meditation, brain waves become coherent which in “normal operation” they are not, thus producing gamma waves.

    Many people see meditation as religious act but this is wrong. Meditation is mental hygiene ! We all wash hands and body (physical hygiene) but not so many people do mental hygiene. We should.
    Meditation improves every aspect of life and increases consciousness.

    For you guys in USA, I would recommend meditation taught by Deepak Chopra or any other type of “silent meditation with primordial sound”.

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    That’s very interesting, Dax. I’d like to learn how to meditate and start practicing. I’ll be sure to checkout Deepak Chopra.

  • http://www.realityshifter.com Kris

    John, I’m actually in the process of an experiment involving gamma mind enhancement technology. I’m only one week into the experiment, but I’ve been posting articles about the results each day because it has been a fascinating experience thus far. The topic of mind development is one of my passions in life.

    In addition to the recent studies about gamma activity, there is also extensive research about the brain building new neural connections after trauma, as seen in the progress made by stroke victims. If one part of the brain is damaged, there is potential for another part of the brain to pick up the slack. Other areas of the brain often will develop new connections to handle the tasks previously handled by the part of the brain that is now damaged.

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Kris,

    That looks like a really interesting experiment. I wonder how it will turn out, I’ve been thinking of using audio meditation CDs so I’m curious to know how effective that is.

  • http://westallen.typepad.com/brains_on_purpose Stephanie

    Here’s an NPR interview of Sharon Begley on her new book TRAIN YOUR MIND, CHANGE THE BRAIN in which she discusses neuroplasticity:

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7131130

    Also some articles on why observing and labeling your affect (feeling) calms the brain:

    http://www.scn.ucla.edu/AL.html

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  • http://storyrobot.wordpress.com/ Brendon

    “This is great motivation for self improvement and it might set off a mental bodybuilding craze.”

    The brain training craze is well and truly under way (or it is here in Japan at any rate).

    There is a huge number of video games (mostly for the Nintendo DS) that are intended to improve mental function. The most popular being Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training.

  • http://www.soupornuts.wordpress.com chris

    I’ve been loosely following your blog for a couple of weeks. It feels right to me. I took your suggestion and read “The Art of Giving Up”. It kinda reminds me of “The Dip” by Seth Godin.

  • http://www.pickthebrain.com John Wesley

    Chris, I’d agree that the concepts are quite similar, although I don’t believe ‘The Dip’ deals the recreational benefits of giving up. It’s more business focused.

  • http://www.soupornuts.wordpress.com chris

    Yes, you are right, I was just referring to the concept that even though our society “frowns” on giving up, both of these references imply that there are times when it is more beneficial to give up than to continue.

  • http://www.freewebs.com/dragonwaregames JL

    I’d recommend The Einstein Factor to anyone interested in improving their intelligence, it has many tips.

    http://www.amazon.com/Einstein-Factor-Proven-Increasing-Intelligence/dp/0517223201

  • http://comebackpluto.blogspot.com marc

    I think there is a little bit of a mistake in correlation here. I recall reading the article you cited in an issue of Time or something similar a few months ago. I might be mistaken, but I believe it might be the same article that says intelligence can’t be increased – only brain function. The two are related but there is no direct correlation. We are each born with a certain capacity which can never be changed, but the point of mental exercise is to reach those capacities and to make sure they don’t dwindle. I’m more than happy to research all of this for anyone who is interested in where this information is coming from.

  • http://westallen.typepad.com/brains_on_purpose Stephanie

    I am not sure we know yet what can and cannot be changed. The two books reviewed here are very thought-provoking about our potential:

    http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2007/03/blog_glob_revew.html

    Regarding the benefits of meditation (or lack of), here’s a study:

    http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/meditation/medit.pdf

    And here is a write-up of the study with a short comment on how it was done:

    http://www.ikwiki.org/default.asp?item=641498

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  • william smith

    Everyday people are reporting their wonderful experiences on health benefits of Yoga, the transformation of being, taking you beyond the here and now. In one wonderful session of Yoga, people get to practice a number of things, some Yoga poses (asanas) breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation and chanting. In Yoga you get to learn basic terms like Mudras, Bandhas and Chakras. Best of all, Yoga is fun and relaxing while, at the same time, being delectably challenging to beginners.Derived from the Sanskrit root “Yujir Yogey” meaning to unite, to yoke, to join, to put together, Yoga is not about mind over body. On the other hand, Yoga is about developing harmony between them. In Yoga, you use your mind to perceive (diagnose) and guide (heal) your body. Never control, let alone force it!
    http://www.coomararunodaya.com

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