Aging Mindfully to Minimize Cognitive Decline

Abstract

Aging is known to be associated with a decline in cognitive performance and ability. However, it has been shown that programs geared towards training cognitive processes can amend or even reverse age-related cognitive decline, at least partly. Engaging the brain in intense mental processes, such as those occurring during meditation, might constitute a form of cognitive training. Thus, if practiced regularly, with a certain level of intensity, and over longer periods of time, meditation may be a means to counteract the normal effects of aging on cognition. Although systematic research is still sparse, existing studies seem to provide initial data suggesting that meditation improves cognition overall (independent of aging) and, perhaps even more importantly, reduces age-related cognitive decline. This review integrates the existing literature on cognitive changes due to aging as well as induced (or enhanced) by meditation, while identifying critical links still missing to unambiguously ascertain whether meditation can significantly contribute to optimizing and delaying brain aging.

Can Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment Build Cognitive Reserve and Learn Mindfulness Meditation? Qualitative Theme Analyses from a Small Pilot Study

“…[85] In addition, since our original publications reporting our results of MBSR in adults with MCI [21,22], there has been significant interest in understanding the role mind-body programs play in adults with mild cognitive impairment, dementia, subjective cognitive decline, and in aging in general. [61,[86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94][95] A manual of a mindfulness program for adults with dementia has even been published. [96]…”

The benefits of Tai Chi and brisk walking for cognitive function and fitness in older adults

“…The consequences of old age, including cognitive decline, has been an essential problem around the world ( Kurth, Cherbuin & Luders, 2017 ). The decline in cognitive function, especially executive function, is impacted by ageing ( Colcombe & Kramer, 2003 ).…”

Cognitive Aging and Long-Term Maintenance of Attentional Improvements Following Meditation Training

“…Studies of cognitive aging offer compelling evidence that the ability to sustain attention and inhibit prepotent response tendencies is diminished in later life (e.g., Fortenbaugh et al 2015;Smittenaar et al 2015), and greater reaction time variability during task performance has been proposed as an important marker of age-related impairment in executive control (MacDonald et al 2006;Vasquez et al 2014;West et al 2002). Age-related deficits in these domains have spurred the development of targeted intervention strategies for improving cognitive performance in older adults, including computer-based cognitive training programs (e.g., Anguera et al 2013;Toril et al 2014), general lifestyle interventions (e.g., Park et al 2014), and mindfulness-based approaches (for reviews, see Gard et al 2014;Malinowski and Shalamanova 2017;Kurth et al 2017). Although several studies have reported cross-sectional differences between meditation practitioners and meditation-naïve controls in older adult samples (e.g., Laneri et al 2016;Sperduti et al 2016;van Leeuwen et al 2009), relatively few studies have investigated meditation training as a directed intervention for older populations (e.g., .…”