Affiliations: [a] Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| [b] Centre on Aging, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| [c] Department of Psychology Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
| [d] Jack & Nora Walker Centre for Lifespan Development Research, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Colette M. Smart, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, P.O. Box 1700 STN CSC, University of Victoria,Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada. Tel.: +1 250 853 3997; Fax: +1 250 721 8929; E-mail: csmart@uvic.ca.
Abstract: Introduction: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) in older adults is a condition with a complex phenomenology and diverse etiologies including (but not limited to) mood, personality, and health concerns, as well as biomarkers of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease such as amyloid-β deposition and gray matter volume loss. Approximately 60% of affected persons are estimated to decline to Alzheimer’s dementia. Regardless of etiology, persons with SCD may be optimal targets for early intervention. Objective:To ascertain the feasibility and impact of mindfulness training (MT) as an early intervention in persons with SCD. Methods: Using a single-blind, randomized controlled trial design, older adults with (n = 14) and without (n = 22) SCD were randomized to either MT or a control condition of psychoeducation (PE) on cognitive aging. EEG/ERP (specifically, the P3 component), structural MRI, and self-report measures of psychological functioning were obtained within 4 weeks prior to and within 2 weeks following intervention. Results: MT resulted in decreased reaction time intra-individual variability for all participants, with a selective increase in the P3 event-related component for those with SCD. Compared with PE, MT also resulted in an increase in percent volume brain change in structural MRI. Finally, all SCD participants reported a decrease in cognitive complaints and increase in memory self-efficacy following intervention. Discussion: Results suggest that MT is a feasible early intervention in persons with SCD. Longer-term follow-up with larger sample sizes will determine whether MT can slow the rate of decline in persons who may be at risk for Alzheimer’s dementia.
