Enhancing Cognition in Older Persons with Depression or Anxiety with a Combination of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS): Results of a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial
Mindfulness October 5, 2021 Heather J. Brooks, H. Oughli, Lojine Y. Kamel et al.
Combining Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is feasible and safe for older adults with subjective memory complaints and symptoms of depression or anxiety. In a pilot double-blind randomized sham-controlled trial, 26 participants received either active or sham tDCS during MBSR sessions. The largest effect sizes for active versus sham tDCS were for everyday mindfulness and social functioning, though these were not statistically significant. At-home adherence and in-class attendance varied. The authors suggest tDCS may enhance MBSR by transferring meditative learning into everyday mindfulness.