Meditation, non-native language training confer no additional cognitive benefits

For cognitively healthy older adults, meditation and non-native language training do not appear to further enhance cognition, as reported in a study.

In the study, researchers conducted a secondary analysis of the Age-Well trial, an 18-month, observer-masked, randomized clinical trial with three parallel arms. The analysis included 135 older participants (mean age 69.3 years, 61 percent women), native French speakers, retired for at least 1 year, received at least 7 years of education, had no evidence of major neurological or psychiatric disorders, and performed within normal ranges on standardized cognitive tests.

The participants were randomly assigned to undergo meditation training, non-native language (English) training, or no intervention arms for 18 months. The meditation and non-native language training interventions were structurally equivalent and comprised 2-hour weekly group sessions, daily home practice of 20 minutes or longer, and 1 day of more intensive home practice. Participants in the no intervention group was instructed to maintain their habits and to continue living as usual.

The main outcome of cognition was evaluated before and after the intervention using the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite 5 (PACC5), and composites assessing episodic memory, executive function, and attention.

Multivariable analyses showed no evidence that either meditation or non-native language training significantly improved global cognition (PACC5; p=0.08), episodic memory (p=0.10), executive function (p=0.41), or attention (p=0.79). These results persisted across sensitivity and exploratory analyses.

The present data do not support the use of either interventions for improving cognition in cognitively healthy older adults.