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【科技新闻】冥想可治疗认知功能障碍
First study at Penn's new 'Center for Spirituality and the Mind,' created to explore relationships between spirituality and science in the human brain
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are examining the effectiveness of meditation on early cognitive impairment. Once this new study is completed, the results could help answer lingering questions over whether or not stress-reducing techniques and mind exercises can lessen or even prevent cognitive decline. This is the first study at Penn's new "Center for Spirituality and the Mind," which evolved from work initiated in Penn's Department of Radiology to embrace and encourage researchers from the fields of medicine, pastoral care, religious studies, social work, nursing, and bioethics to expand our knowledge of how spirituality may affect the human brain.
"We'll be looking at patients with mild cognitive impairment or symptoms of early Alzheimer's disease," explains Andrew Newberg, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology, Psychiatry, and Religious Studies, who also directs the Center's investigations and is Principal Investigator of this pilot study. "We'll combine their meditation with brain imaging over a period of time to see if meditation improves cognitive function and is associated with actual change in the brain's activity levels. Specifically, we'll be looking for decreased activity in specific areas of the brain."
The dementia process causes a decreased function of neurons in the brain and can result in problems with memory, visual-spatial tasks, and handling emotional issues. As it worsens in a patient, it can also eventually lead to the need for round-the-clock care.
In this study, investigators want to look at the early symptoms of dementia. Study participants will learn a particular kind of meditation, called Kirtan Kriya, identified as one of the most fundamental types of meditation practice. It's a repeated chanting of sounds and finger movements designed to help the mind focus and become sharper. Study participants will perform this meditation program every day for eight weeks to see if this relaxation technique can change the brain's response to different tasks.
"This is a form of exercise for the brain which enables the brain to strengthen itself and battle the unknown processes working to weaken it. We want to keep the mind sharp and work that muscle," Newberg adds. "We might see improvements in baseline activity levels in the brain and these patients might be able to activate their brain in a more robust way in particular. So if this kind of meditation is successful in helping patients with neurological problems, it could then someday become a low-cost additional treatment to current therapy."
Newberg will use SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) imaging to capture the baseline image of the brain as well as the brain's activity during meditation. Images will be taken at the beginning of the study and then after the eight-week program. 认领。 感谢指正。
佩恩（Penn）中心的研究员致力于研究冥想对于早期认知障碍的作用。
最初的研究是在佩恩（Penn）精神心理中心，创造性的探索了人类大脑精神与科学的关系。宾西法尼亚医学院的研究者们正在研究冥想对于早期认知障碍的作用。新的研究一结束，其结论就可以解答久无定论的问题：减压法和思维练习是否可以缓解甚至阻止认知力的下降。这是佩恩（Penn）精神心理中心的第一项研究，佩恩（Penn）精神心理中心发展自佩恩（Penn）影像部门并最终将其收购。它鼓励研究员们涉猎多方领域，从医学、教牧关怀、宗教研究、社会工作、护理和生物伦理学扩延到精神影响人类大脑的相关知识。
“我们正在观测轻度认知障碍或早期阿尔茨海默病患者”， Andrew Newberg医学博士说，Andrew Newberg是影像学、精神病学、宗教研究学副教授，同时负责中心的研究任务，是这次项目的首席研究员。“我们会将病人一段时间内的冥想活动与脑成像结合，来观测冥想是否可以改善认知功能，是否与大脑活动水平的实际改变有关联。尤其，我们会寻找脑组织活动降低的特定区域。”痴呆病变中脑细胞功能降低，导致记忆、视空间、情绪处理的功能障碍。随着病人情况恶化，最终会需要全天候的照顾。
在这项研究中，研究员需要看到痴呆的早期症状。研究对象将学会称之为Kirtan Kriya的特定形式的冥想活动，它是冥想练习最基本的一种形式，诵读圣经及运动手指，从而帮助思维变得集中、敏锐。参与者需要每天做冥想练习，为期8周，最后来观测这种松弛技巧是否有助于大脑对不同活动的反应能力。
“这是一种大脑的运动形式，可以使脑组织加强自身，同削弱脑功能的活动进行斗争。我们需要保持思维敏锐，运动肌肉，”Newberg补充，“我们可以看到这些病人大脑基本活动水平的提高，从而能够保持大脑更加精力充沛的状态。如果这种形式的冥想可以成功的帮助神经功能障碍的病人，那么在未来它可以成为辅助现有疗法的低成本治疗手段。
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作者:admin@医学,生命科学 2011-02-15 17:14
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