Mindfulness intervention for mild cognitive impairment led to attention-related improvements and neuroplastic changes: Results from a 9-month randomized control trial.
Junhong Yu, Iris Rawtaer, Lei Feng, Johnson Fam, Alan Prem Kumar, Irwin Kee-Mun Cheah, William G. Honer, Wayne Su, Yuan Kun Lee, Ene Choo Tan, Ee Heok Kua, Rathi Mahendran
Journal of Psychiatric Research March 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.01.032 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 54 |
| Population | Older adults with mild cognitive impairment |
| Interventions | Mindfulness awareness program Health education program |
| Duration | Weekly sessions for three months, then monthly sessions for six months |
| Topics | Meditation Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Attention Cognitive enhancement Cortical thickness Mild cognitive impairment Rct |
| Key findings | A nine-month mindfulness awareness program improved working memory span and divided attention and altered cortical thickness in frontal and cingulate regions among participants with mild cognitive impairment. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions can enhance cognitive abilities among older adults, thereby effectively delaying cognitive decline. These cognitive enhancements are theorized to accompany neuroplastic changes in the brain. However, this mindfulness-associated neuroplasticity has yet to be documented adequately. A randomized controlled trial was carried out among participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to examine the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on various cognitive outcomes and cortical thickness (CT) in the context of age-related cognitive impairment. Participants were assigned to a mindfulness awareness program (MAP)(n = 27) and an active control condition - health education program (n = 27). In both, they attended weekly sessions for three months and subsequently, monthly sessions for six months. Cognitive assessments and structural scans were carried out across three time-points. Whole brain analyses on CT were carried out and were supplemented with region of interest-based analyses. ROI values and cognitive outcomes were analyzed with mixed MANOVAs and followed up with univariate ANOVAs. Nine-month MAP-associated gains in working memory span and divided attention, along with an increased CT in the right frontal pole and decreased CT in the left anterior cingulate were observed. Three-month MAP-associated CT increase was observed in the left inferior temporal gyrus but did not sustain thereafter. MAP led to significant cognitive gains and various CT changes. Most of these neurobehavioral changes, may require sustained effort across nine months, albeit at a reduced intensity. MAP can remediate certain cognitive impairments and engender neuroplastic effects even among those with MCI.
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
Cited by 15
- Distinct and shared therapeutic neural mechanisms of mindfulness-based and social support stress reduction groups in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience 2023
- The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Mental Health and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of aging and health July 24, 2024
- Positive Psychology Interventions in Early-Stage Cognitive Decline Related to Dementia: A Systematic Review of Cognitive and Brain Functioning Outcomes of Mindfulness Interventions. Brain Sciences May 28, 2025
- Meditation and Cognitive Outcomes: A Longitudinal Analysis Using Data From the Health and Retirement Study 2000-2016. Mindfulness July 1, 2023
- The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Physiological Markers of Stress in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Synthesis Mindfulness December 2, 2025
and 10 more in the library
Cites 10
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Short‐term Sahaja Yoga meditation training modulates brain structure and spontaneous activity in the executive control network Brain and Behavior November 28, 2018
- Mindfulness based intervention in Parkinson's disease leads to structural brain changes on MRI: a randomized controlled longitudinal trial. Clinical neurology and neurosurgery December 2013
- Meditation's impact on default mode network and hippocampus in mild cognitive impairment: a pilot study. Neuroscience Letters November 27, 2013
- Mind wandering and attention during focused meditation: a fine-grained temporal analysis of fluctuating cognitive states. Neuroimage January 2, 2012
and 5 more in the library