Effects of an 18-month meditation training on dynamic functional connectivity states in older adults: Secondary analyses from the Age-Well randomized controlled trial
Sacha Haudry, Sophie Dautricourt, Julie Gonneaud, Brigitte Landeau, Vince D Calhoun, Robin de Florès, Géraldine Poisnel, Salma Bougacha, Elizabeth Kuhn, Edelweiss Touron, Léa Chauveau, Francesca Felisatti, Cassandre Palix, Denis Vivien, Vincent de la Sayette, Antoine Lutz, Gaël Chételat
Imaging Neuroscience 2025 DOI: 10.1162/imag.a.33 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 124 |
| Population | Healthy older adults |
| Interventions | Meditation training Non-native language training |
| Duration | 18-month intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Randomized controlled trial Functional connectivity Gerontology Physical therapy |
| Registration | NCT02977819 |
| Key findings | Meditation training increased the number of transitions between brain connectivity states and shifted time spent from a weakly connected to a strongly connected state, but only the transition change differed significantly from an active control group. |
Abstract
Meditation training in older adults has been proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention to promote healthy aging and lower the risks of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Resting-state dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) highlighted two brain states, the "strongly connected" and "default mode network (DMN)-negatively connected" states, associated with protective factors for dementia including AD, and two states, the "weakly connected" and "salience-negatively connected" states, associated with risk factors for dementia. In this study, we aimed at assessing the impact of an 18-month meditation training on dFNC states in older adults. One hundred and thirty-five healthy older adults were randomized (1:1:1) to 18-month meditation training, 18-month non-native language training, or no intervention. dFNC of the DMN, salience, and executive control networks was assessed in 124 individuals using a sliding window framework, and states were obtained by k-means clustering. Linear mixed models evaluated the change in time spent in different connectivity "states" and the number of transitions between states for each group and between groups. Only participants in the meditation group transitioned significantly more between states (p = 0.008, d = 0.52), with a significant between-group difference with the non-native language training group (p = 0.001). Moreover, only the meditation group showed a change in time spent in specific states, spending less time in the "weakly connected" state (p = 0.009, d = -0.44) and more time in the "strongly connected" state (p = 0.03, d = 0.46), but there was no difference between groups. Brain states at rest were significantly impacted by an 18-month meditation intervention, with increased number of transitions between states, an increased time spent in the "strongly connected" state, and decreased time spent in the "weakly connected" state. While only the first change differed significantly between groups, these results suggest a beneficial effect of meditation through a reduction in dFNC metrics associated with AD risk factors and an increase in dFNC metrics associated with protective factors. However, the absence of a significant group-by-time interaction for time spent in states, the small effect sizes, and the fact that the sample size was not powered for this outcome limit the interpretation of the findings. Additionally, unmeasured factors such as genetic predisposition and lifestyle could have influenced the results. Future studies should identify the specific active mechanisms of meditation underlying these effects to optimize interventions. Trial Registration: The Age-Well randomized controlled trial (RCT) was approved by the local ethics committee (CPP Nord-Ouest III, Caen; trial registration number: EudraCT: 2016-002441-36; IDRCB: 2016-A01767-44; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02977819; registration date: 2016-11-25).
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 22
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Resting-state fMRI functional connectivity and mindfulness in clinical and non-clinical contexts: A review and synthesis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews February 22, 2022
- Why could meditation practice help promote mental health and well-being in aging? Alzheimer's Research & Therapy June 22, 2018
and 17 more in the library