Meditation as a therapeutic intervention for adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease - potential benefits and underlying mechanisms.
Frontiers in Psychiatry April 23, 2014 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00040 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Stress Sleep Cognitive impairment Cellular aging Epigenetics Mood Mind–body therapies |
| Key findings | Argues that chronic stress, sleep deficits, and mood disturbance are prospectively linked to the development and progression of memory loss and are significant predictors of Alzheimer's disease, and that meditation, by targeting these risk factors, may hold promise for slowing and possibly preventing cognitive decline in those at risk. The authors review existing evidence, discuss possible mechanisms, and outline future research directions. |
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic, progressive, brain disorder that affects at least 5.3 million Americans at an estimated cost of $148 billion, figures that are expected to rise steeply in coming years. Despite decades of research, there is still no cure for AD, and effective therapies for preventing or slowing progression of cognitive decline in at-risk populations remain elusive. Although the etiology of AD remains uncertain, chronic stress, sleep deficits, and mood disturbance, conditions common in those with cognitive impairment, have been prospectively linked to the development and progression of both chronic illness and memory loss and are significant predictors of AD. Therapies such as meditation that specifically target these risk factors may thus hold promise for slowing and possibly preventing cognitive decline in those at risk. In this study, we briefly review the existing evidence regarding the potential utility of meditation as a therapeutic intervention for those with and at risk for AD, discuss possible mechanisms underlying the observed benefits of meditation, and outline directions for future research.
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 22
- Why could meditation practice help promote mental health and well-being in aging? Alzheimer's Research & Therapy June 22, 2018
- The Age‐Well randomized controlled trial of the Medit‐Ageing European project: Effect of meditation or foreign language training on brain and mental health in older adults Alzheimer's & Dementia 2018
- Reduced age-associated brain changes in expert meditators: a multimodal neuroimaging pilot study Scientific Reports August 25, 2017
- Mindfulness Training for People With Dementia and Their Caregivers: Rationale, Current Research, and Future Directions Frontiers in Psychology June 13, 2018
- Spiritual Fitness: A New Dimension in Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Journal of Alzheimer's Disease February 2, 2021
and 17 more in the library
Cites 19
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Mindfulness meditation alleviates depressive symptoms in women with fibromyalgia: Results of a randomized clinical trial Arthritis Care & Research January 31, 2007
- Can Meditation Slow Rate of Cellular Aging? Cognitive Stress, Mindfulness, and Telomeres Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences August 1, 2009
and 14 more in the library