Scattered
11-22-05, 12:30 PM
Thought this was interesting:
New, Non-Drug Therapy for Patients with Mild to Moderate Depression and Anxiety
A medical study, released this month in a respected neuroscience journal, confirms that mindfulness therapy, practiced on a regular basis, can stimulate the brain to grow in specific areas. The frontal cortex area of the brain – an area that is particularly important for sensory, cognitive and emotional processing - was found in this research to be thicker in those who practiced mindfulness therapy than in those who did not. Increased thickness is usually a result of the growth of new nerves and/or increased synaptic connections. This is good news for those seeking non-medicinal approaches to treating mild-to moderate depression and/or anxiety. It is also good news for those with ADD, as over 50% of patients with ADD/ADHD have associated anxiety and/or depression.
The study used sophisticated MRI equipment to measure the thickness of the outer cortex of the brain in 20 people who used “mindfulness”, as part of their regular daily schedules vs. 15 matched controls who did not. Mindfulness Based-Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MB-CBT) is taught by clinical experts over an 8 week course. It involves learning how to use sustained mindful attention to internal and external stimuli.
MB-CBT has evolved over the past 10 years from an earlier form of cognitive therapy developed thirty years ago. Multiple research studies have confirmed that CBT, when used to treat depression and anxiety, is as effective as current medications for these disorders. What is most exciting about this new study and therapy is that this it is the first time that researchers have been able to demonstrate physical changes in the brain as a result of the therapy.
At the same time that the research paper was released, Kenneth A. Selzer, MD, executive director of the Hallowell-West Medical Center announced that Steven Alper will be joining the Hallowell-West staff. Dr. Alper is a nationally recognized expert in MB-CBT and has a strong track-record of helping patients learn and effectively use this method. He will be leading MB-CBT courses at the Hallowell-West Medical Center with the next open course beginning in late January. The course will involve an initial consult with Dr. Alper followed by 8 consecutive weeks at the Hallowell center in San Diego. The sessions will last one hour each week.
“Mindfulness is effective because it works through mobilizing and strengthening our innate, inner resources for healing and coping, rather than specifically focusing on what’s broken,” said Alper. “Through mindfulness practice we can systematically develop and increase self-awareness, concentration, perception, interoception: just as weight training can increase muscle mass, aerobic capacity and cardiovascular fitness. This concept correlates with the findings in the recent issues of NeuroReport,” he added.
If you are interested in finding out more about Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MB-CBT) or the any of the other services offered at the Hallowell West Medical Center, please contact Ms. Kelly Blitz at 858-350-4595. The Hallowell-West Medical Center is located at 140 Marine View Avenue, Ste. 110, Solana Beach, California, 92075. Website: www.hallowellwest.com
New, Non-Drug Therapy for Patients with Mild to Moderate Depression and Anxiety
A medical study, released this month in a respected neuroscience journal, confirms that mindfulness therapy, practiced on a regular basis, can stimulate the brain to grow in specific areas. The frontal cortex area of the brain – an area that is particularly important for sensory, cognitive and emotional processing - was found in this research to be thicker in those who practiced mindfulness therapy than in those who did not. Increased thickness is usually a result of the growth of new nerves and/or increased synaptic connections. This is good news for those seeking non-medicinal approaches to treating mild-to moderate depression and/or anxiety. It is also good news for those with ADD, as over 50% of patients with ADD/ADHD have associated anxiety and/or depression.
The study used sophisticated MRI equipment to measure the thickness of the outer cortex of the brain in 20 people who used “mindfulness”, as part of their regular daily schedules vs. 15 matched controls who did not. Mindfulness Based-Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MB-CBT) is taught by clinical experts over an 8 week course. It involves learning how to use sustained mindful attention to internal and external stimuli.
MB-CBT has evolved over the past 10 years from an earlier form of cognitive therapy developed thirty years ago. Multiple research studies have confirmed that CBT, when used to treat depression and anxiety, is as effective as current medications for these disorders. What is most exciting about this new study and therapy is that this it is the first time that researchers have been able to demonstrate physical changes in the brain as a result of the therapy.
At the same time that the research paper was released, Kenneth A. Selzer, MD, executive director of the Hallowell-West Medical Center announced that Steven Alper will be joining the Hallowell-West staff. Dr. Alper is a nationally recognized expert in MB-CBT and has a strong track-record of helping patients learn and effectively use this method. He will be leading MB-CBT courses at the Hallowell-West Medical Center with the next open course beginning in late January. The course will involve an initial consult with Dr. Alper followed by 8 consecutive weeks at the Hallowell center in San Diego. The sessions will last one hour each week.
“Mindfulness is effective because it works through mobilizing and strengthening our innate, inner resources for healing and coping, rather than specifically focusing on what’s broken,” said Alper. “Through mindfulness practice we can systematically develop and increase self-awareness, concentration, perception, interoception: just as weight training can increase muscle mass, aerobic capacity and cardiovascular fitness. This concept correlates with the findings in the recent issues of NeuroReport,” he added.
If you are interested in finding out more about Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MB-CBT) or the any of the other services offered at the Hallowell West Medical Center, please contact Ms. Kelly Blitz at 858-350-4595. The Hallowell-West Medical Center is located at 140 Marine View Avenue, Ste. 110, Solana Beach, California, 92075. Website: www.hallowellwest.com