BACKGROUND: The Canary Islands longitudinal study on non-pharmacological treatments showed the overall effectiveness of mindfulness in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, no specific data on the maintenance of cognitive capacities were presented. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the practice of mindfulness modifies the course of cognitive impairment in AD. DESIGN: Longitudinal, non-inferiority and equivalence, randomized clinical trial, repeated-measures design, with three experimental groups and one control group. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with AD who voluntarily attended the Lidia García Foundation (n = 502). Only those who were treated with donepezil and MMSE ≥18 were included (n = 120). INTERVENTION: Over a two-year period, each group carried out three weekly sessions of stimulation based on mindfulness, cognitive stimulation therapy, and progressive muscle relaxation. MEASURES: Cognitive assessment CAMDEX-R (MMSE and CAMCOG). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Repeated-measures ANOVA (p < 0.05) and the effect size Cohen's d were performed. RESULTS: The mindfulness group showed significant scores compared with the control and muscle relaxation groups (p < 0.05), while mindfulness and cognitive stimulation therapy were equivalent (p≥0.05). Group cognitive stimulation evolved better than the control (p < 0.05) group but not better than the muscle relaxation group (p≥0.05). The effect size compared over two years was large for the mindfulness group (p≥0.80), moderate for the relaxation group (p≥0.50), and low for the cognitive stimulation group (p≥0.20). CONCLUSION: The practice of mindfulness maintained cognitive function over a period of two years. This longitudinal study suggests that mindfulness can be used as a non-pharmacological treatment to slow cognitive impairment in AD.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: The Canary Islands longitudinal study on non-pharmacological treatments showed the overall effectiveness of mindfulness in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, no specific data on the maintenance of cognitive capacities were presented. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the practice of mindfulness modifies the course of cognitive impairment in AD. DESIGN: Longitudinal, non-inferiority and equivalence, randomized clinical trial, repeated-measures design, with three experimental groups and one control group. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with AD who voluntarily attended the Lidia García Foundation (n = 502). Only those who were treated with donepezil and MMSE ≥18 were included (n = 120). INTERVENTION: Over a two-year period, each group carried out three weekly sessions of stimulation based on mindfulness, cognitive stimulation therapy, and progressive muscle relaxation. MEASURES: Cognitive assessment CAMDEX-R (MMSE and CAMCOG). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Repeated-measures ANOVA (p < 0.05) and the effect size Cohen's d were performed. RESULTS: The mindfulness group showed significant scores compared with the control and muscle relaxation groups (p < 0.05), while mindfulness and cognitive stimulation therapy were equivalent (p≥0.05). Group cognitive stimulation evolved better than the control (p < 0.05) group but not better than the muscle relaxation group (p≥0.05). The effect size compared over two years was large for the mindfulness group (p≥0.80), moderate for the relaxation group (p≥0.50), and low for the cognitive stimulation group (p≥0.20). CONCLUSION: The practice of mindfulness maintained cognitive function over a period of two years. This longitudinal study suggests that mindfulness can be used as a non-pharmacological treatment to slow cognitive impairment in AD.
Authors: Rebecca Erwin Wells; Catherine Kerr; Michelle L Dossett; Suzanne C Danhauer; Stephanie J Sohl; Bonnie C Sachs; Jacquelyn Walsh Feeley; Jennifer Wolkin; Robert Wall; Ted Kaptchuk; Daniel Z Press; Russell S Phillips; Gloria Y Yeh Journal: J Alzheimers Dis Date: 2019 Impact factor: 4.472