Cerebral Blood Flow and Brain Functional Connectivity Changes in Older Adults Participating in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program.
Aleeze Sattar Moss, Diane K. Reibel, Nancy Wintering, Faezeh Vedaei, Hannah Porter, Mohsen Khosravi, Justin Heholt, Mahdi Alizadeh, Feroze B. Mohamed, Andrew B. Newberg
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) February 14, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/bs12020048 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAfter an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, 11 elderly adults (mean age 79) showed altered cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity in brain regions including the cingulate gyrus, limbic structures, and parts of the temporal and frontal lobes. These changes resembled those seen in younger meditators and were accompanied by significant improvements in depression symptoms. The findings suggest that MBSR may modify brain function in older adults.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Prospective, single-center, single-arm study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 11 |
| Population | Elderly adults (mean age 79) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Brain Cerebral blood flow Elderly Functional connectivity |
| Key finding | Participation in an MBSR program was associated with altered cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity in brain regions linked to emotion and cognition, along with reduced depression symptoms. |
Abstract
There is a growing interest in the potential beneficial effects of mindfulness meditation training in protecting against age-related physical, emotional, and cognitive decline. The current prospective, single-center, single-arm study investigated if functional magnetic resonance imaging-based changes in cerebral blood flow and brain functional connectivity could be observed in 11 elderly adults (mean age 79) after participation in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. The results showed significantly (p < 0.05) altered cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity in the cingulate gyrus, limbic structures, and subregions of the temporal and frontal lobes, similar to findings of other meditation-related studies in younger populations. Furthermore, these changes were also associated with significant improvements in depression symptoms. This study suggests that the MBSR program can potentially modify cerebral blood flow and connectivity in this population.