Volunteers will do meditation every day to see if it can prevent cognitive impairment

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Researchers are looking at whether stress reduction and meditation can prevent cognitive impairment by protecting the brain.
The University of Pennsylvania has set up a new center for Spirituality and the Mind which aims to expand our knowledge of how spirituality may affect the human brain. The first study will look at how meditation can perhaps help those with mild cognitive impairment - often thought to be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease.

The study participants will learn a type of meditation called Kirtan Kriya which involves a repeated chanting of sounds and finger movements to help the mind to focus and sharpen. It will be done every day for eight weeks to see if it has an effect on the brain - for, indeed, it is an exercise for the brain. The researchers will use SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) to image the brain at the start of the study and while the participants are meditating, to monitor any changes taking place.

Source
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine 28th July 2006

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