Why could meditation practice help promote mental health and well-being in aging?
Alzheimer s Research & Therapy June 22, 2018 Gaël Chételat, Antoine Lutz, Eider M. Arenaza‐Urquijo et al. 106 citations
Long-term meditation practice may help preserve brain structure and function from age-related decline. A pilot study found that six older adult expert meditators had higher gray matter volume and/or glucose metabolism in the prefrontal, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, insula, and temporo-parietal junction compared to 67 age-matched controls. These preliminary findings suggest meditation could counteract adverse psycho-affective factors like stress, depression, anxiety, and neuroticism that affect sleep, cognition, and mental health in aging populations and increase Alzheimer's disease risk. The European Commission-funded Silver Santé Study will investigate further through two randomized controlled trials with 316 older adults, testing 2-month and 18-month meditation, English learning, or health education programs.