Eight weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction increases gray matter density in left hippocampus, PCC, left temporo-parietal junction, and cerebellum versus waitlist¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · reviewr2·q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q2 i? The review reports that eight weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction produced significant gray matter density increases in the left hippocampus, PCC, left temporo-parietal junction, and cerebellum relative to a waitlist control group. → Husain et al. 2026
Evidence¶
Husain et al. 2026¶
Husain, W., Ammar, A., Wusqa, U. T., Farooq, M., Tariq, Z., Pandi-Perumal, S. R., BaHammam, A. S., Trabelsi, K., Griffiths, M. D., Pakpour, A., & Jahrami, H. (2026). The Neuroscience of Religious and Spiritual Practices: A Systematic Review of Neurotheological Evidence. Brain and Behavior. doi:10.1002/brb3.71733
q2 · i? · review · r2
Narrative review synthesis of structural neuroimaging studies; the review reports, citing Hölzel et al. 2011, "significant increases in gray matter density" in four regions "relative to a waitlist control group". No effect size printed.
"Eight weeks of mindfulness‐based stress reduction produced significant increases in gray matter density in the left hippocampus, PCC, left temporo‐parietal junction, and cerebellum relative to a waitlist control group"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Experienced meditators show reduced default mode network activation with enhanced PCC–dorsolateral PFC connectivity during meditation — related
- Improvised personal prayer engages the Theory of Mind network, while formalized prayer engages dorsolateral PFC and cerebellum — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
mbsr-eight-weeks-gray-matter-increases |
title |
Eight weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction increases gray matter density in left hippocampus, PCC, left temporo-parietal junction, and cerebellum versus waitlist |
description |
Eight weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction increases gray matter density in left hippocampus, PCC, left temporo-parietal junction, and cerebellum versus waitlist |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
weak |
newest_evidence |
2026 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-09-27 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — husain-et-al-2026 |
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