The Effects of Mindfulness on Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Background:The current lack of an effective cure for dementia would exacerbate its prevalence and incidence globally. Growing evidence has linked mindfulness to cognitive and psychological improvements that could be relevant for mild cognitive impairment (MCI).Objective:To investigate whether mindfulness practice can improve health outcomes of MCI.Methods:The study is the first longitudinal mixed-methods observational study with a one-year follow-up period, that customized an eight-week group-based mindfulness training program for older adults with MCI (n = 14). Measures included cognitive function, psychological health, trait mindfulness, adherence to mindfulness practice, and everyday activities functioning as assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and one-year follow-up. Repeated measures ANOVAs, Pearson’s correlation analyses, and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed.Results:The MCI participants showed significant improvements in cognitive function (p < 0.05) and trait mindfulness (p < 0.05) after completing the intervention. Between program intervention and one-year follow-up (59 weeks), positive correlations were found between their cognitive function (p < 0.05) and everyday activities functioning (p < 0.05) with the duration of mindfulness meditation; and between trait mindfulness and the level of informal mindfulness practice (p < 0.05). Those who meditated more during these 59 weeks, showed greater improvements in cognitive function (p < 0.05) and everyday activities functioning (p < 0.05), with large effect sizes at the one-year follow-up. Qualitative findings will be reported separately.Conclusion:Long-term mindfulness practice may be associated with cognitive and functional improvements for older adults with MCI. Mindfulness training could be a potential efficacious non-pharmacological therapeutic intervention for MCI.

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

“…Several recent reviews of meditation interventions (of either Kirtan Kriya Meditation or mindfulness-based programs) [64] and yoga interventions [65] report on 11 additional studies [66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78] that have demonstrated benefits in adults with subjective cognitive decline, MCI, and AD. Since these reviews, an additional study of tai chi in older adults at risk for cognitive decline has been published, [79] along with mindfulness studies in adults with subjective cognitive decline, [80,81] MCI, [82] and dementia. [83,84] The study designs and outcomes from these studies are very heterogeneous, and most studies were small and considered pilot/feasibility (except for two studies with sample sizes over 110 [70,79]).…”

“…Participants randomized to these interventions showed some improvements in measures of cognition, specifically in executive function, attention, and verbal memory. Three of the studies with long-term follow-up of one-two years [70,79,82] found that the mindfulness interventions may help preserve global cognition, with one study showing that those who meditated more had greater improvements in cognitive function (p<0.05). [82] Emotional reactivity, psychological well-being, perceived stress, mood, quality of life, subjective sleep quality, and mindfulness were all measures that improved as well.…”

“…Three of the studies with long-term follow-up of one-two years [70,79,82] found that the mindfulness interventions may help preserve global cognition, with one study showing that those who meditated more had greater improvements in cognitive function (p<0.05). [82] Emotional reactivity, psychological well-being, perceived stress, mood, quality of life, subjective sleep quality, and mindfulness were all measures that improved as well. Preliminary neuroimaging results suggest that mindfulness based interventions may increase percent volume of brain change, [68] increase cerebral blood flow in prefrontal, superior frontal, and superior parietal cortices, [71] and improve functional connectivity of the default mode network.…”

The Effects of Mindfulness on Persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Study

“…This could potentially translate to downstream significance of better quality of life and higher work productivity of persons with MCI and their FSP, and a reduced chronic disease burden on families of persons with MCI and the healthcare system. If effective, “partnerships could be eventually forged with the Alzheimer's Australia and memory clinics/services such as the CDAMS to deliver the customized group mindfulness training program to the target population of persons with MCI and their FSP” (Wong et al, 2015 ).…”

“…The positive effects of meditation on cognition and dementia risk reduction may be achieved holistically through multiple pathways such as producing neuroprotective effects from less stress-induced cortisol secretion with higher brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels; enhancing lipid profiles and reducing oxidative stress, thereby reducing risk for cerebrovascular/age-related neurodegenerative diseases; and reinforcing neuronal circuits and boosting cognitive reserve (Xiong and Doraiswamy, 2009 ). Moreover, “studies have demonstrated the effects of mindfulness on enlarging gray matter volume (Pagnoni and Cekic, 2007 ; Luders et al, 2009 ), increasing gray matter concentration (Hölzel et al, 2008 ; Vestergaard-Poulsen et al, 2009 ; Hölzel et al, 2011 ; Singleton et al, 2014 ), strengthening brain functional connectivity (Brewer et al, 2011 ; Jang et al, 2011 ; Hasenkamp and Barsalou, 2012 ; Taylor et al, 2013 ; Wells et al, 2013b ), and enhancing psychological well-being (Singleton et al, 2014 ), thus suggesting the potential benefits of mindfulness on MCI” (Wong et al, 2015 ). Mindfulness can thus prevent the “tissue volume loss in the hippocampus and posterior cingulate/precuneus (Buckner et al, 2005 ; Beason-Held, 2011 ; Fotuhi et al, 2012 ; Wang et al, 2013 ), gradual loss of gray matter (Thompson et al, 2003 ), reduced functional connectivity in the default mode network (Sorg et al, 2007 ; Gili et al, 2011 ; Hafkemeijer et al, 2012 ; Wang et al, 2013 ), and high chronic psychological distress (Wilson et al, 2007 ) that are all implicated in the memory and cognitive decline observed in MCI and AD” (Wong et al, 2015 ).…”