Exploring the potential of mindfulness-based therapy in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases based on molecular mechanism studies
Congcong Wu, Yue Feng
Frontiers in Neuroscience June 13, 2023 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1097067 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness therapy Neurodegenerative disease Parkinson’s disease Alzheimer’s disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Molecular mechanism |
| Key findings | Argues that mindfulness therapy may prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases through molecular mechanisms involving telomerase activity, epigenetics, stress reduction, and NF-κB-mediated inflammation. |
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (ND) have received increasing attention due to their irreversibility, but there is still no means to completely cure ND in clinical practice. Mindfulness therapy (MT), including Qigong, Tai Chi, meditation, and yoga, etc., has become an effective complementary treatment modality in solving clinical and subclinical problems due to its advantages of low side effects, less pain, and easy acceptance by patients. MT is primarily used to treat mental and emotional disorders. In recent years, evidence has shown that MT has a certain therapeutic effect on ND with a potential molecular basis. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis and risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), relating to telomerase activity, epigenetics, stress, and the pro-inflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) mediated inflammatory response, and analyze the molecular mechanism basis of MT to prevent and treat ND, to provide possible explanations for the potential of MT treatments for ND.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Meta-analysis of a mindfulness yoga exercise intervention on depression - based on intervention studies in China. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
- The effect of mindfulness-based interventions on mental health outcomes and wellbeing of informal caregivers of people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing August 1, 2024
- Discussion on the Application of Mindfulness Therapy in the Treatment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Narrative Review Psychology Research and Behavior Management August 1, 2025
- Effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on balance, cognitive functions, quality of life, and falls prevention in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review. Neuropsychological rehabilitation September 7, 2026
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