A Systematic Review of the Effects of Meditation on Alzheimer's Disease

Authors

  • S. Spencer Park Yongsan International School of Seoul

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v12i4.5699

Keywords:

Alzheimer's Disease, meditation, neurodegeneration, cognitive stimulation, treatment, prevention, lifestyle

Abstract

Alzheimer’s Disease is a very pressing disease that presents neurodegeneration of those affected, with no foreseeable cure as of yet. While there are many treatments that may reduce the level of neurodegeneration, or treat some of the root causes, a definitive solution to Alzheimer’s Disease does not exist. Therefore, its harmful effects must be minimized to the greatest extent possible. As such, this paper reviews the current status quo on Alzheimer’s Disease treatment, including possible lifestyle choices that have caused Alzheimer’s Disease or could potentially contribute to reducing neurodegeneration. In addition, it also considers meditation as an adjuvant treatment to primary treatments to combat Alzheimer's Disease through cognitive stimulation. By reviewing the current scientific literature of meditation where it stands, the aim is to establish meditation as a clear addition to boost the efficiency of prior Alzheimer’s Disease treatments including but not limited to pharmacotherapy, behavioral therapy, and cognitive therapy.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References or Bibliography

Alzheimer's Association. (2020). 2020 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 16(3), 391–460. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12068

Alzheimer's Association. (2022). What Is Alzheimer’s? Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia; Alzheimer’s Association. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers

CDC. (2020, January 22). Prevent high blood pressure. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/prevent.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 13). Reducing Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/reducing-risk-of-alzheimers-disease/index.htm

Chen, Y., Zhang, J., Zhang, T., Cao, L., You, Y., Zhang, C., Liu, X., & Zhang, Q. (2020). Meditation treatment of Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment. Medicine, 99(10), e19313. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000019313

Cohen, J. B. (2017). Hypertension in Obesity and the Impact of Weight Loss. Current Cardiology Reports, 19(10). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-017-0912-4

Cohen, R. (2015, February 16). Long-term meditation tied to less brain loss. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-neuroscience-meditation-brain-psychol/long-term-meditation-tied-to-less-brain-loss-idUSKBN0LK1ZL20150216

Colovic, M. B., Krstic, D. Z., Lazarevic-Pasti, T. D., Bondzic, A. M., & Vasic, V. M. (2013). Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors: Pharmacology and Toxicology. Current Neuropharmacology, 11(3), 315–335. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159x11311030006

Cooper, B. B. (2013, August 21). What is Meditation & How Does It Affects Our Brains? | Buffer. Buffer Resources. https://buffer.com/resources/how-meditation-affects-your-brain/

Crystal, J. D. (2020). Memory: Amyloid Beta Is Good Before It Is Bad. Current Biology, 30(10), R449–R450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.03.024

Dhavamony, M. (1982). Classical Hinduism. In Google Books. Gregorian Biblical BookShop. https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=DD0w_IMFA8gC&q=meditation+hinduism&pg=PA243&redir_esc=y#v=snippet&q=meditation%20hinduism&f=false

Dwivedi, M., Dubey, N., Pansari, A. J., Bapi, R. S., Das, M., Guha, M., Banerjee, R., Pramanick, G., Basu, J., & Ghosh, A. (2021). Effects of Meditation on Structural Changes of the Brain in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.728993

Forstmeier, S., Maercker, A., Savaskan, E., & Roth, T. (2015). Cognitive behavioural treatment for mild Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers (CBTAC): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-1043-0

Khalsa, D. S. (2015). Stress, Meditation, and Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention: Where The Evidence Stands. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 48(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3233/jad-142766

Lardone, A., Liparoti, M., Sorrentino, P., Rucco, R., Jacini, F., Polverino, A., Minino, R., Pesoli, M., Baselice, F., Sorriso, A., Ferraioli, G., Sorrentino, G., & Mandolesi, L. (2018). Mindfulness Meditation Is Related to Long-Lasting Changes in Hippocampal Functional Topology during Resting State: A Magnetoencephalography Study. Neural Plasticity, 2018, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5340717

Lazar, S. W., Kerr, C. E., Wasserman, R. H., Gray, J. R., Greve, D. N., Treadway, M. T., McGarvey, M., Quinn, B. T., Dusek, J. A., Benson, H., Rauch, S. L., Moore, C. I., & Fischl, B. (2005). Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. Neuroreport, 16(17), 1893–1897. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361002/

Luders, E., Thompson, P. M., & Kurth, F. (2015). Larger hippocampal dimensions in meditation practitioners: differential effects in women and men. Frontiers in Psychology, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00186

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022, April 29). A beginner’s guide to meditation. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858#:~:text=Meditation%20can%20also%20reduce%20the

McGreevey, S. (2018, July 9). Double-Edged. Hms.harvard.edu. https://hms.harvard.edu/news/double-edged

Meda, K. (2019, November 26). How to Manipulate Brain Waves for a Better Mental State. The Nexus. https://nexus.jefferson.edu/science-and-technology/how-to-manipulate-brain-waves-for-a-better-mental-state/#:~:text=Regular%20meditation%20has%20been%20shown

Moore, L., & Washington, N. (2021, June 3). How Meditation Changes the Brain. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-meditation-changes-the-brain#how-it-affects-the-brain

Moreta, M. P.-G., Burgos-Alonso, N., Torrecilla, M., Marco-Contelles, J., & Bruzos-Cidón, C. (2021). Efficacy of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors on Cognitive Function in Alzheimer’s Disease. Review of Reviews. Biomedicines, 9(11), 1689. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines9111689

NHS. (2021, July 5). Treatment - Alzheimer’s disease. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alzheimers-disease/treatment/

NIA. (2021, July 8). What Is Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-alzheimers-disease

NIH. (2017, May 16). What Happens to the Brain in Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-happens-brain-alzheimers-disease#:~:text=One%20type%20of%20glial%20cell

NIH. (2019, December 24). What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-causes-alzheimers-disease#risk

NIH. (2022, October 18). What Are the Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease? National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-are-signs-alzheimers-disease#:~:text=As%20the%20disease%20progresses%2C%20symptoms

Powell, A. (2018, April 9). Harvard researchers study how mindfulness may change the brain in depressed patients. Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients

Saini, G. K., Haseeb, S. B., Taghi-Zada, Z., & Ng, J. Y. (2021). The effects of meditation on individuals facing loneliness: a scoping review. BMC Psychology, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00585-8

Surendranathan, A., & McKiernan, E. (2019, April). Dementia symptoms and areas of the brain | Alzheimer’s Society. Www.alzheimers.org.uk. https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/how-dementia-progresses/symptoms-brain#:~:text=Alzheimer%27s%20disease

WebMD. (2023, February 8). Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment: Medications and Therapies. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/alzheimers-disease-treatment-overview

World Health Organization. (2023, March 15). Dementia. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia#:~:text=Key%20facts,nearly%2010%20million%20new%20cases

Youssef, S.A., Capucchio, M.T., Rofina, & J.E. (2016). Neurofibrillary Tangle. Www.sciencedirect.com. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/neurofibrillary-tangle

Published

11-30-2023

How to Cite

Park, S. S. (2023). A Systematic Review of the Effects of Meditation on Alzheimer’s Disease. Journal of Student Research, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v12i4.5699

Issue

Section

HS Review Projects