KINGSTON, R.I. – March 29, 2024 – If you’ve ever stopped your mind from wandering during a conversation or taken a deep breath before a big moment, you’re already using mindfulness in your daily life. This will help you concentrate and stay calm. , or engage more fully with the task at hand. However, research shows that regular mindfulness practice may also have long-term benefits for the brain.
These brain benefits will be highlighted in the 2024 Mulford Thewlis Lecture on Gerontology and Gerontology, “Mind Matters: Mindful for the Aging Brain,” presented by Ruchika Prakash, director of the Ohio State University Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging Center. This is the theme of “Exploring the Influence of Ness''. University. The lecture will be held virtually on Wednesday, April 3rd at 7pm. The event is free, but registration is required.
Prakash is known for his research on the role of mindfulness in cognition, emotional regulation, and brain health. In this talk, I will share new insights into how mindfulness meditation can help support the aging brain.
“Mindfulness has received a lot of attention recently for its positive effects on the mind and body,” said URI Professor of Gerontology Philip Clark, director of the URI Gerontology Program and the Rhode Island Center for Geriatric Education. said. “We chose this year's lecture theme because we wanted to focus on the relationship between aging and brain health, which is of increasing interest to many people.”
According to Prakash, mindfulness can be defined as “recording facts as they are'' with an attitude of acceptance without judgment. Her research includes developing mindfulness techniques that can enhance cognitive control and neural circuits. Some mindfulness meditation practices are particularly effective for older adults, while others have been shown to be effective in preventing cognitive decline in midlife.
“People are starting to realize that there are things they can do to stay healthy as they age,” Clark says. “URI has two important centers working in this field: the Rhode Island Geriatric Center and the George and Ann Ryan Neuroscience Institute.”
This year's Thewlis Lecture will be co-sponsored by both centers. “We are delighted to be participating in this prestigious lecture for the first time,” said John Robinson, co-executive director of the Ryan Institute and the Thomas M. Ryan Professor of Neuroscience. “Our mission at the Ryan Institute is to explore new avenues of research into neurodegenerative diseases and healthy brain aging, including those related to lifestyle. This is one of the possible paths to better brain health.”
The Mulford Thewlis Lecture in Gerontology and Gerontology was established at URI in 2006 with the purpose of raising awareness, increasing knowledge, and fostering discussion about issues related to aging, longevity, and health care in older adults. I did. It is named after Dr. Mulford W. Thewlis, a pioneer in geriatric medicine and former resident of Wakefield, Rhode Island.
Prakash is a distinguished professor of psychology at The Ohio State University. Her research focuses on using neuroimaging and neuropsychological methods to evaluate mind-body interventions to improve the cognitive and emotional health of older adults and people with neurological conditions. Masu. Her work was recognized as a “Rising Star” by the Association for Psychological Science in 2013, received the Springer Early Career Achievement Award for Research in Adult Development and Aging from the American Psychological Association in 2016, and her 2023 Diversity Award from the American Psychological Association. Winner of the Gender and Inclusion Champion Award. Organization for human brain mapping.
