Mindfulness Effects on Cognition and Brain Function in Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease A Randomized Study Comparing Mindfulness Training to Waitlist Control

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating whether mindfulness meditation can improve thinking, memory, brain function, daily function, and quality of life in older adults with and without cognitive impairment, including those with mild cognitive impairment, early-stage Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, aging, or healthy elderly status. The study seeks to understand how mindfulness affects cognition and brain health compared to no intervention. Participants are divided into two groups for this purpose. One group will participate in a 10-week virtual mindfulness class based on Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This class includes mindfulness training with focused attention, group discussions, mindful movement, and daily home practice using mindfulness recordings. The other group will be on a waitlist for 10 weeks before they begin the same mindfulness course. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, after 10 weeks, and at 2, 4, and 6 months. Participants will complete cognitive tests, surveys, computerized tasks, and brain imaging assessments including EEG and MRI before and after the intervention. Researchers will evaluate changes in neuropsychological test performance, computerized task results, brain activity and structure, and survey responses over 10 weeks. This comprehensive monitoring aims to measure the effects of mindfulness on cognition and brain health in older adults over the course of the study.

Mindfulness for Cognition in Early-stage Alzheimer's Disease