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Review
. 2022 Sep;32(3):677-702.
doi: 10.1007/s11065-021-09519-y. Epub 2021 Aug 4.

The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Tim Whitfield  1 , Thorsten Barnhofer #  2 , Rebecca Acabchuk #  3 , Avi Cohen  4 , Michael Lee  4 , Marco Schlosser  4   5 , Eider M Arenaza-Urquijo  6 , Adriana Böttcher  7 , Willoughby Britton  8 , Nina Coll-Padros  9 , Fabienne Collette  10 , Gaël Chételat  11 , Sophie Dautricourt  11 , Harriet Demnitz-King  4 , Travis Dumais  12 , Olga Klimecki  5 , Dix Meiberth  13 , Inès Moulinet  11 , Theresa Müller  13 , Elizabeth Parsons  4 , Lauren Sager  12 , Lena Sannemann  13 , Jodi Scharf  12 , Ann-Katrin Schild  13 , Edelweiss Touron  11 , Miranka Wirth  7 , Zuzana Walker  4   14 , Ethan Moitra  8 , Antoine Lutz  15 , Sara W Lazar  16 , David Vago  17 , Natalie L Marchant  4
Affiliations
Review

The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Tim Whitfield et al. Neuropsychol Rev. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are increasingly utilized to improve mental health. Interest in the putative effects of MBPs on cognitive function is also growing. This is the first meta-analysis of objective cognitive outcomes across multiple domains from randomized MBP studies of adults. Seven databases were systematically searched to January 2020. Fifty-six unique studies (n = 2,931) were included, of which 45 (n = 2,238) were synthesized using robust variance estimation meta-analysis. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses evaluated moderators. Pooling data across cognitive domains, the summary effect size for all studies favored MBPs over comparators and was small in magnitude (g = 0.15; [0.05, 0.24]). Across subgroup analyses of individual cognitive domains/subdomains, MBPs outperformed comparators for executive function (g = 0.15; [0.02, 0.27]) and working memory outcomes (g = 0.23; [0.11, 0.36]) only. Subgroup analyses identified significant effects for studies of non-clinical samples, as well as for adults aged over 60. Across all studies, MBPs outperformed inactive, but not active comparators. Limitations include the primarily unclear within-study risk of bias (only a minority of studies were considered low risk), and that statistical constraints rendered some p-values unreliable. Together, results partially corroborate the hypothesized link between mindfulness practices and cognitive performance. This review was registered with PROSPERO [CRD42018100904].

Keywords: Aging; Elder; Intervention; Meditation; Mindfulness; Neuropsychology.

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Conflict of interest statement

TB has received honoraria for workshops on mindfulness-based interventions and is the co-author of a book on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA flowchart. k Number of studies, MBP Mindfulness-based program. *Ten studies did not present data in a format amendable to meta-analysis, and a further study (Rothschild et al., 2017) was excluded from the final meta-analysis
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Cochrane Risk of Bias Graph. The risk of bias graph presents ratings for all 56 studies included in the systematic review
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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