Preventing dementia: meditation still under investigation

(Image: Pixabay CC0) - Following a meditation programme for 18 months can improve attention and socio-emotional regulation capacities for people over 65, finds a new study co-led by a UCL researcher. But the researchers did not identify any significant impact of meditation on the volume and functioning of the brain structures studied, in comparison to control groups, so the potential to prevent dementia remains unclear, they report in JAMA Neurology . Joint senior author Dr Natalie Marchant (UCL Psychiatry) said: "Our findings are promising, as meditation appears to improve well-being of older adults, conferring benefits to attention and emotion regulation. "While our scans did not reveal any improvements in brain structure or function, we will continue monitoring this group of people to study whether some benefits may take longer to emerge." Mental training aimed at regulating stress and attention, such as mindful meditation, has previously proven to be beneficial in managing the cognitive and emotional aspects of ageing, particularly to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Recent research has reported that the insula and anterior cingulate cortex brain regions are particularly sensitive to meditation training, as well as in ageing processes. These interconnected regions are involved in self-awareness and in the processing and regulation of attention, emotions, and empathy. In young adults, meditation has already been shown to structurally (in terms of volume) and functionally modify these brain areas, particularly in the brain of meditation experts with several thousand hours of practice under their belts.