Feb 3
In Episode #53 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women, Tracy tackles the science behind meditation, specifically neuroplasticity. Tracy introduces the book, Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD, An 8-Step Program for Strengthening Attention, Managing Emotions and Achieving Your Goals by Lidia Zylowska, MD.
Learn: what neuroplasticity is and how it affects not only our ability to learn but also the brain’s ability to change and adapt when neuroplasticity occurs in our life span, several interesting examples of neuroplasticity, what one thing is a key factor in neuroplasticity, how the concept of neuroplasticity has completely changed the thinking around meditation, what long term meditators brains’ look like in regions related to attention, self-monitoring and emotional regulation, what long term meditators brains’ look like as they age, what attentional blink is and how it is affected by meditation, how long you must meditate in order to start seeing its benefits, what areas of the brain are enhanced by mindfulness or meditation training and why this is important to those of us with ADHD, why meditation is especially important to those of us with inattentive ADHD and especially those suffering from Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria.
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"Neuroplasticity shows us that change is always possible. So forget about all that past stuff and focus on your intentions."
- Tracy Otsuka
"Commit to building the traits that you want to develop both in yourself and or in your child. Because guess what, it's all possible."
- Tracy Otsuka
"So anyway, meditation is like exercise, right? If you don't use it, you lose it. But first, you have to build your stamina up just like an exercise to see the benefits."
- Tracy Otsuka
- Tracy explores neuroplasticity in relation to meditation and ADHD.
- Lydia Zai Lau SCA, psychiatrist and mindfulness expert, co-founded UCLA's Mindfulness Awareness Research Center and led the first study of mindfulness training in ADHD.
- Exercise promotes neuroplasticity and brain growth throughout life.
[05:17 - 08:53] Neuroplasticity and Brain Adaptation through Exercise and Learning
- Tracy discusses neuroplasticity and how taxi drivers' brains are wired differently due to extensive memorization of streets and landmarks.
- A study found that children with ADHD who played computer games to enhance working memory saw increased brain activation in the prefrontal cortex after 5 weeks of training.
- Attention plays a key role in neuroplasticity, with meditation shown to affect brain structure and function.
[08:53 - 15:02] ADHD, Neuroplasticity, and Mindfulness
- Meditation training improves attention and reduces ADHD symptoms by enhancing prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex areas of the brain.
- Tracy emphasizes the power of neuroplasticity in overcoming ADHD challenges by paying attention, observing emotions, and rewiring the brain through meditation.
- Tracy recommends Dr. Lydia Zott's "Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD" and provides additional resources for listeners.
