Affiliations: [a] War Related Illness & Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto HCS, Palo Alto, CA, USA | [b] Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, Stanford, Palo Alto, CA, USA | [c] Minnesota Zen Meditation Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Correspondence to: J. Wesson Ashford, MD, PhD, War Related
Illness & Injury Study Center, VA Palo Alto HCS, Department of
Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, Stanford, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
Tel.: 650-493-5000 x11 x64059; Cell: 415-722-0187; Fax:
650-852-3297; Wes.Ashford@va.gov
Abstract: Complementary and Integrative Medicine has been maturing as a field to support treatment for a variety of medical conditions. The approaches, including yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and dietary supplements, may assist patients in a variety of ways, though clear explanations for their mechanisms of action or measurements of their possible benefit are in most cases elusive. In this issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Khalsa examines the use of meditation as a stress-reduction technique and provides an argument that with a specific technique such stress reduction can be provided efficiently, with relatively little interference in daily activities, and might decrease Alzheimer risk. This thorough review provides some evidence of physiological benefit of meditation to brain function. While any actual effect of meditation on Alzheimer pathophysiology is only conjectural, meditation has received considerable attention as a tool that may have positive psychological and medical benefits. Consequently, this review is welcome. What is less certain is whether the recommended meditation approach is of specific benefit for Alzheimer’s disease or any other condition above and beyond what might be provided by many other types of exercises (like singing in a chorus or doing cross-word puzzles) or physical activities (like swimming or yoga).
Keywords: Meditation, Alzheimer’s disease, stress, psychological complementary medicine
