An official website of the United States governmentAffective neuroscience expert Dr. Richard Davidson to speak on meditation research at NIH
NCCIH presents “Change Your Brain by Transforming Your Mind”
For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
What: Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D., will present “Change Your Brain by Transforming Your Mind” at the seventh annual Stephen E. Straus Distinguished Lecture in the Science of Complementary Therapies. Dr. Davidson, known for his work studying emotion and the brain, will present research on transforming the mind through meditation, thereby altering the brain and the periphery in ways that may be beneficial for mental health, physical health and wellbeing.
From the perspective of Western neuroscience, varying forms of meditation can be seen as mental training that can regulate emotion and attention and each form has different neural and behavioral effects. Dr. Davidson will discuss data from studies on long-term users of meditation and those with shorter durations of training, highlighting longitudinal studies that track changes over time. In addition to observed neural changes, Dr. Davidson will discuss biological changes that may modulate physical health and illness.
Why: Dr. Davidson is a William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, director of the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior and founder of the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Davidson was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2006, has spoken at international events such as the World Economic Forum and is a frequent collaborator with the Dalai Lama. He has published more than 300 articles, 80 chapters/reviews and 14 books as editor throughout his career. He is the author, with Sharon Begley, of The New York Times bestseller “The Emotional Life of Your Brain.”
When:
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET
Change Your Brain by Transforming Your Mind
Masur Auditorium, Building 10
11:00 a.m. – noon
Reception and Poster Session
FAES Terrace, Building 10
Join the conversation with @NIH_NCCIH
Where:
National Institutes of Health, Building 10
10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Md.
Masur Auditorium
More information: Details are available on NCCIH’s website. Sign language interpretation will be provided; for other reasonable accommodation call Prachi Patel at 301-275-4769.
Who should attend: The event is free and open to the public. It will be broadcasted live via NIH Videocast.
Hosts: This event is presented by NCCIH and supported by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health with a generous gift from Bernard and Barbro Osher.
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About the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH):
NCCIH’s mission is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and integrative health approaches and their roles in improving health and health care. For additional information, call NCCIH’s Clearinghouse toll free at 1-888-644-6226. Follow us on X, Facebook , and YouTube.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.