In a randomised trial involving older adults, exercise and mindfulness training were no better than a control intervention.

During routine primary care visits, ageing patients often express concern about declining cognition and poor memory. Modest evidence suggests that exercise and mindfulness-based stress reduction might have favourable effects on cognition and memory. Hence, researchers designed this trial that involved 585 older people (age, 65 years or older; mean age, 72 years) who said that ‘they or others had noticed trouble with their memory or concentration’; none had dementia on a standardised screening test. Participants likely ranged from people with normal, mild, age-related forgetfulness to those who would satisfy formal criteria for diagnosis of ‘mild cognitive impairment.’

Participants were randomised to receive mindfulness-based stress reduction, an aerobic and strength exercise program, both interventions, or a control intervention (general health education); the mindfulness-based stress reduction and exercise interventions were intensive – involving frequent classes and home practice – and adherence was good. However, at six and 18 months, no significant differences were noted among groups on composite scores for either memory or cognition, derived from numerous validated neuropsychological tests. In fact, mean scores improved slightly both in the intervention groups and in the control group.

Comment: Exercise and mindfulness training can improve various aspects of physical and mental health. But they do not appear to have a measurable effect on memory or cognition in ageing adults.

Allan S. Brett

Lenze EJ, et al. Effects of mindfulness training and exercise on cognitive function in older adults: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2022; 328: 2218-2229.