Mindfulness is associated with amyloid, tau and cognition in preclinical AD

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundMindfulness refers to the ability to engage in non‐judgmental awareness of the present moment. This psychological trait is gaining increased attention in both scientific and general public settings, given its association with an array of health benefits. While psychological traits such as depression, anxiety, and neuroticism have been associated with increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the potential protective benefit of ‘positive’ psychological factors, such as mindfulness, remains to be explored. Here, we examined the relationship between mindfulness and AD markers in the preclinical phase of the disease.MethodTwo hundred and sixty cognitively normal older adults, including 124 with amyloid and tau‐PET scans, were included from the PREVENT‐AD cohort. All participants completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Multivariate partial least squares (PLS) analyses were used to examine the relationships between different facets of mindfulness (Observing, Describing, Acting with Awareness, Nonjudgment, and Nonreactivity), AD pathology, and cognition.ResultHigher levels of mindful nonjudgment and nonreactivity were associated with less amyloid deposition in bilateral temporoparietal and frontal cortices (p = .003; Figure 1A). Higher levels of mindful acting with awareness, nonjudgment, nonreactivity, and describing were also related to less tau deposition in bilateral medial and lateral temporal regions (p < .006; Figure 1B). Finally, higher levels of mindful nonjudgment and describing were associated with better performance on measures of global cognition, immediate and delayed memory, and attention (p = .002; Figure 2). These relationships remained significant when additional psychological (depression, anxiety, stress, perseverative thinking and personality traits) and demographic (age, sex, education and APOE status) variables were included in analyses.ConclusionHigher trait mindfulness was associated with less amyloid and tau pathology and better cognition in the preclinical phase of AD, with distinct combinations of mindfulness facets differentially related to each of the AD markers. These findings suggest that, in addition to its other established health benefits, mindfulness may also represent an independent psychological protective factor for AD. Moreover, this study provides empirical support for the potential utility of mindfulness interventions in early AD, which represents an area of significant ongoing international research interest.