Meditation Strategies, Attention, and Mobility in Older Adults

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Mobility Limitation
• Interventions: Behavioral: Guided focused attention; Behavioral: Acoustic music

• Registration Number: NCT03417635
• Lead Sponsor: Western University, Canada

Brief Summary

Approximately 30% of community-dwelling older adults experience one or more falls per year, resulting in injuries, loss of independence, and reduced quality of life. While there are known physiological risk factors for falls, including poor balance and altered gait patterns, it is now recognized that impaired cognitive functioning is also a risk factor for falls. Within the broad construct of cognition, one specific domain that has been focused on in the falls literature is attention. The literature suggests that improving attention in those at-risk for falls may reduce older adult's risk of falling.

Detailed Description

The current study aims to investigate the impact of meditation strategies on measures of attention and electrical signals in the brain in older adults. Investigators will recruit older adults who are living in the community. Participants will be assigned to one of two groups: 1) guided focused attention group, or 2) music group (control group). All participants will complete three in-person sessions per week and then be encouraged to practice independently on the other days in the week, for a total of four weeks.The current study focuses on focused attention meditation strategies, as it is recommended for beginner-level meditators. This will include training to be able to focus on one's breathing for 20 minute sessions. Focused attention meditation has been found to increase levels of executive functioning and attention. Participants will complete mobility and cognitive assessments at both the beginning and end of the intervention. These will be completed in the retirement homes for convenience. Participants will also attend an in-lab session to complete electroencephalogram (EEG) testing at both timepoints.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2018-01-12
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-01-23
• Study First Posted: 2018-01-31
• Study Start: 2019-01-02
• Primary Completion: 2019-08-31
• Study Completion: 2019-08-31
• Status Verified: 2023-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-12-04
• Last Update Posted: 2023-12-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 43

Inclusion Criteria

1. minimum 60 years of age,
2. minimum completed high school,
3. must be comfortable writing and reading English,
4. be able to walk independently,
5. must be right-handed (for EEG analysis),
6. score 6+/8 on the instrumental activities of daily living scale,
7. score >24/30 on the Mini-Mental Status examination.

Exclusion Criteria

To be included, participants must NOT:

1. have a diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease,
2. have a diagnosis of cognitive impairment (e.g., MCI),
3. have a diagnosis of a psychiatric condition,
4. have had a concussion in the last 12 months,
5. have had a stroke,
6. have musculoskeletal or joint disease,
7. experience dizziness or loss of balance,
8. have visual, auditory, or somatosensory impairment, or
9. a recent history (past 2 years) of regular meditation practice (1 or more times per week) or include a meditation component in their religious practice.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Guided focused attention	Guided focused attention	Participants will take part in a guided focused attention practice led by the researcher. This will include strategies used in meditations where participants focus on their breathing. More specifically, they will be instructed to close their eyes and focus on the sensation of breathing in one area of the body for the entire session. They will be given reminders throughout the session to remain on task (focusing on the breath) and not to let their thoughts wander. Participants will be asked to either sit on a chair or cushion on floor to ensure they are comfortable to sit still for the session, but not so much that they might fall asleep.
Acoustic music	Acoustic music	Participants will be instructed to listen to a prepared soothing acoustic music track. The sessions will be led by a researcher. Participants will be asked to close their eyes and relax while listening to the music. Participants will be asked to sit on a chair or cushion on floor to ensure they are comfortable to sit still for the session, but not so much they might fall asleep This group is used as active control group to control for socialization in group settings and any effects of consciously relaxing for the meetings.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in sustained attention	4 weeks	Measured by performance on sustained attention task.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in working memory	4 weeks	Measured with the digit span task
Change in set-shifting	4 weeks	Measured with the trail making task
Change in global attention	4 weeks	Measured by electrophysiological measures of attention.
Change in memory	4 weeks	Measured with the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test
Change in conflict resolution	4 weeks	Measured with the stroop task
Change in mobility	4 weeks	Measured by the Timed Up and Go test.
Change in mobility and balance	4 weeks	Measured by the Short Physical Performance Battery.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Community; 🇨🇦 London, Ontario, Canada