What are the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying meditation and yoga? How do yoga and meditation allow us to explore the depths of consciousness and improve our mental and physical health? Although these practices have increased in popularity in recent decades, our scientific understanding of how meditation and yoga impact the brain and body is still limited. We will dive into the origins of meditation and yoga, explore the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying meditation, and consider the potential for long-term changes in the brain through regular practice. We will also explore the immediate effects of yoga and evaluate the potential of yoga and meditation as evidence-based holistic therapies. Finally, we will touch upon questions regarding the neural basis of expanded or altered states of consciousness, both through meditation and the use of psychedelic substances that temporarily alter our state of mind, with enduring effects in terms of neural and cognitive functioning and potential implications for clinical interventions.
Related Discipline(s)
This summer course would also be of interest to the following discipline(s):Public Health