Abstract
With the lack of disease-modifying pharmacologic treatments for mild cognitive impairment
and dementia, there has been an increasing clinical and research focus on nonpharmacological
interventions for these disorders. Many treatment approaches, such as mindfulness
and cognitive training, aim to mitigate or delay cognitive decline, particularly in
early disease stages, while also offering potential benefits for mood and quality
of life. In this review, we highlight the potential of mindfulness and cognitive training
to improve cognition and mood in mild cognitive impairment. Emerging research suggests
that these approaches are feasible and safe in this population, with preliminary evidence
of positive effects on aspects of cognition (attention, psychomotor function, memory,
executive function), depression, and anxiety, though some findings have been unclear
or limited by methodological weaknesses. Even so, mindfulness and cognitive training
warrant inclusion as current treatments for adults with mild cognitive impairment,
even if there is need for additional research to clarify treatment outcomes and questions
related to dose, mechanisms, and transfer and longevity of treatment effects.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 29, 2020
Footnotes
Funding: None.
Conflict of Interest: None.
Authorship: All authors were actively involved in writing, reviewing, or editing of the manuscript.
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© 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
