There was no significant improvement in cognitive function after either exercise or mindfulness training, according to a large study.
Studies conducted on older persons who reported age-related deficits in memory but who had not been diagnosed with dementia were carried out recently. Lenze and his colleagues are interested in learning if exercise and mindfulness will help avoid future cognitive impairments in this population of older persons, therefore they intend to continue investigating this group. However, the practices did not improve mental performance in this analysis.
This study analyzed data from 585 seniors aged 65 to 84. Although nobody had been officially diagnosed with dementia, everyone was worried about age-related memory loss and other cognitive declines. Participants’ cognitive abilities were all judged to be typical for their ages. When they signed up for the study, participants were given a battery of cognitive tests designed to gauge everything from memory capacity to abstract reasoning skills. Brain imaging scans were also performed.
Subjects were randomly divided into one of four teams: those working with certified fitness professionals, those learning mindfulness techniques under the guidance of specialists in the field, those engaging in both types of training, and those receiving only general health instruction. Six months and 18 months later, the researchers repeated the brain scans and memory tests.
Six months and 18 months later, there was no discernible difference between the groups. Since participants in all four groups were asked to retake exams that were similar to those they had already taken, the researchers reason that the slight improvements in performance were the result of practice effects. Similarly, there were no discernible differences in brain activity between the two groups after training.
Lenze clarified that the study’s findings do not rule out the possibility of cognitive improvement through exercise or mindfulness coaching for older adults, only that these practices do not appear to enhance mental function in healthy people without cognitive deficits.
