[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.96,0:00:13.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Good morning.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.09,0:00:15.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So when I was in graduate school, I was a runner,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.60,0:00:18.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a friend and I decided that we're going to run the Boston Marathon.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.50,0:00:21.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so we started training and we overtrained,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.100,0:00:22.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I developed knee and back problems.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.99,0:00:24.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I went to see a physical therapist,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.90,0:00:26.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they told me that I had to stop running
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.57,0:00:28.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and instead I should just stretch.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.46,0:00:31.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As I was leaving the physical therapist office,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.96,0:00:35.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I saw an ad for a vigorous yoga class
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.41,0:00:38.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that promised not only to promote flexibility,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.08,0:00:41.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but also to promote strength and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.79,0:00:44.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I thought, oh, well, this is a great way
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.20,0:00:47.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that I can stretch, but also remain in shape,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.32,0:00:49.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and maybe I could even still run the Boston Marathon.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.89,0:00:54.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I went to the yoga class and I really enjoyed it,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.18,0:00:57.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,except when the teacher would make all sorts of claims,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.84,0:01:01.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you know, all sorts of medical claims, but also claims about, oh, yes,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.49,0:01:03.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it will help you...
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.07,0:01:06.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You'll increase your compassion and open your heart and I was just like...
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.04,0:01:08.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I remember my eyes would roll and...
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.57,0:01:11.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I think, yeah, yeah, yeah, I am here to stretch.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.77,0:01:14.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.83,0:01:16.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what was interesting was that after a couple of weeks
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.64,0:01:18.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I started noticing some of these changes,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.46,0:01:21.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I started noticing that I was calmer and I was better able
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.85,0:01:26.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to handle difficult situations, and indeed, I was feeling more compassionate
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.50,0:01:28.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and open-hearted towards other people,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.10,0:01:30.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I was better able to see things from other people's point of view.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.54,0:01:34.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, you know, I was like, hm, how could this be,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.18,0:01:35.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how could this be?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.79,0:01:39.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, I thought, well maybe, you know, it's just a placebo response, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.78,0:01:42.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She told me I will feel this, so maybe that's why I was feeling it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.30,0:01:46.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I decided to do a literature search to see if there's any research on this.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.11,0:01:48.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And low and behold, there was quite a bit
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.79,0:01:55.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,showing both yoga and meditation are extremely effective for decreasing stress
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.48,0:01:58.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're also very good for reducing symptoms associated with numerous diseases
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.62,0:02:02.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,including depression, anxiety, pain, and insomnia.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.27,0:02:06.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there's a couple of very good studies demonstrating it can actually
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.76,0:02:10.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,improve your ability to pay attention, and most interestingly, I thought
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.86,0:02:13.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,virtually every study has shown that people are just happier.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.68,0:02:17.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They report they're more satisfied with their life, and they have a higher quality of life.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.21,0:02:20.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so, this was interesting to me.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.28,0:02:24.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so I decided to switch and start doing this sort of research.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.33,0:02:28.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So as a neuroscientists, you know, how could this be happening?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.28,0:02:31.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How can something as silly as a yoga posture
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.66,0:02:33.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or sitting and watching your breath.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.10,0:02:36.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,How can that lead to all these sorts of different types of changes?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.74,0:02:42.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, what we know is that whenever you engage in a behavior over and over again,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.26,0:02:44.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that this can lead to changes in your brain.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.92,0:02:47.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is what's referred to as neuroplasticity.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.27,0:02:51.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what this just means is that your brain is plastic and that
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.04,0:02:55.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the neurons can change how they talk to each other with experience.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:55.33,0:03:00.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so, there's a couple of studies demonstrating
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.13,0:03:02.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you can actually detect this, using machines like the MRI machine.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.88,0:03:04.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The first study was with juggling.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.56,0:03:06.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They took people who had never ever juggled before,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.92,0:03:09.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they scanned them, and then they taught them how to juggle,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.42,0:03:11.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they said, "Keep practicing for three months."
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.52,0:03:14.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And they brought them back after three months, and they scanned them the second time,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.62,0:03:17.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they found that they can actually detect with the MRI machine
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.75,0:03:20.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,changes in the amount of Grey matter in the brain of these people
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.38,0:03:22.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in areas that are important for detecting visual motion.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.85,0:03:27.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, I thought, OK, three months, you know...
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.64,0:03:32.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Can meditation change brain structure too?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.57,0:03:36.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Something as simple as, you know, as juggling.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.33,0:03:37.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What about meditation?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.48,0:03:39.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the first study we did,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.31,0:03:41.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we recruited a bunch of people from the Boston area,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.65,0:03:44.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and these were not monks or meditation teachers,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.03,0:03:46.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're just average Joes who on average practice meditation
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.24,0:03:47.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about 30-40 minutes a day,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.71,0:03:49.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we put them in a scanner,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.57,0:03:51.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we compared them to a group of people who were demographically matched,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.76,0:03:53.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but who don't meditate.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.50,0:03:56.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what we found is this:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.09,0:03:58.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That there were indeed several regions of the brain
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.21,0:04:01.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that had more Grey matter in the meditators compared to the controls.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.76,0:04:04.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the regions I'm going to point out to you
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.76,0:04:07.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is here in the front of the brain, it's the area that's important
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.12,0:04:09.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for working memory and executive decision making
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.33,0:04:11.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and what was interesting about it
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.48,0:04:14.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was when we actually plotted the data versus their ages.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:14.01,0:04:17.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So here in the red square, that's the controls.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.72,0:04:19.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is something you see actually,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.65,0:04:21.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's been well documented that as we get older,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.65,0:04:24.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not just there, but across most of our cortex,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.38,0:04:26.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it actually shrinks as we get older.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.48,0:04:28.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this is part of the reason why as we get older,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.50,0:04:34.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's harder to figure things out and to remember things.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.74,0:04:37.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what was interesting was that in this one region,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.29,0:04:41.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the 50 year old meditators had the same amount of cortex as the 25 year olds,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.65,0:04:45.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,suggesting that meditation practice may actually slow down or prevent
Dialogue: 0,0:04:45.58,0:04:51.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the natural age-related decline in cortical structure.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:51.09,0:04:53.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So now, the critics, and there were many critics,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.45,0:04:57.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,said, well, you know, meditators, they're weird.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.38,0:05:00.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe they were just like that before they started practicing, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.19,0:05:02.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A lot of them were vegetarian, so maybe it had something to do with their diet,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.87,0:05:04.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or something else with their lifestyle, you know.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.79,0:05:07.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Couldn't possible be the meditation, it's something else, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:07.42,0:05:11.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And to be fair, you know, that could be true.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:11.66,0:05:14.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This first study could not address that.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.38,0:05:16.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we did a second study.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.22,0:05:21.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this study, what we did is, we took people who had never meditated before,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.05,0:05:24.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and we put them in the scanner, and then we put them through
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.100,0:05:27.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an eight-week meditation-based stress reduction program
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.61,0:05:30.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where they were told to meditate every day for 30 to 40 minutes.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.70,0:05:33.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then we scanned them again at the end of the eight weeks,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:33.27,0:05:35.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this is what we found.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.09,0:05:39.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what you see is that several areas became larger.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.71,0:05:42.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this slide we can see the\Nhippocampus,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.33,0:05:47.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in the graph, the controls are in blue and the meditation subjects
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.35,0:05:50.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are in red, and what we see is that the\Nhippocampus,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.37,0:05:52.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this is the area that's important for learning and memory,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.73,0:05:57.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's also important for emotion regulation and it was interesting it was less
Dialogue: 0,0:05:57.70,0:06:00.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Grey matter in this region in people who had depression and PTSD.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.50,0:06:04.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another region we identified was the temporo-parietal junction
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.98,0:06:06.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is here above your ear,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.68,0:06:10.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's important for perspective taking and empathy and compassion.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.55,0:06:14.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And again, these are both functions which people report changing when
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.08,0:06:17.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they start practicing meditation and yoga.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.88,0:06:20.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another region we identified was the amygdala.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:20.74,0:06:23.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the amygdala is the fight-or-flight part of your brain.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.19,0:06:26.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And here we actually found a decrease in gray matter.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.07,0:06:28.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what was interesting was that the change in Grey matter
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.67,0:06:30.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was correlated with the change in stress.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.46,0:06:32.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the more stress reduction people reported,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:32.50,0:06:35.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the smaller the amygdala became.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.34,0:06:40.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this was really interesting, because it's sort of opposite and parallel
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.58,0:06:43.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of what some animal studies have shown.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.17,0:06:46.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So colleagues using rodents,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.35,0:06:49.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they took rodents who were just happy, normal rodents,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:49.94,0:06:52.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they had them in their cage, and they measured
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.13,0:06:55.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their amygdala, and then they put them through a ten- day stress regimen.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:55.22,0:06:58.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And at the end of the ten days, they measured their amygdala,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:58.20,0:07:02.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this exact same analogous part of the rat brain grew.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.06,0:07:06.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So we found a decrease with stress, they found an increase with stress.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.48,0:07:10.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What was interesting was that then they left the animals alone,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.02,0:07:12.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and three weeks later they went back and tested them again.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:12.89,0:07:16.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And three weeks later, that same part of the amygdala was still large,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.09,0:07:19.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the animals, even though they were in their original cages
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.10,0:07:22.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where they were happy, were still acting stressed out,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.36,0:07:25.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so they, you know, they were cowering in the corner,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.10,0:07:28.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they just weren't exploring the space the way they had before.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.12,0:07:32.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so, this is the exact opposite of what we saw at the humans,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.52,0:07:35.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because with the humans nothing has changed with their environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:35.58,0:07:37.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They still had their stressful jobs,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.75,0:07:40.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all the difficult problems were still being difficult,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:40.08,0:07:41.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the economy still sucked,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.79,0:07:47.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but yeah, their amygdala got smaller, and they were reporting less stress.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.11,0:07:50.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so, together these really show that the change in the amygdala
Dialogue: 0,0:07:50.32,0:07:54.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is not responding to the change in the environment, but rather it's representing
Dialogue: 0,0:07:54.19,0:07:59.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the change in the people's reaction or relationship to their environment.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.94,0:08:05.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then the other thing that the study shows is that,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.85,0:08:09.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it wasn't just the people were saying, "Oh, I feel better."
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.65,0:08:13.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or that it was a placebo response, or that they're trying to please us,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:13.64,0:08:16.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but there was actually a neurobiological reason why they're saying they
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.79,0:08:18.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,felt less stressed.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.91,0:08:21.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so the idea that I'd like to share with all of you today is that meditation
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.79,0:08:23.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can literally change your brain.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.12,0:08:24.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:24.61,0:08:26.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)