A pilot study of the effects of meditation on regional brain metabolism in distressed dementia caregivers. (October 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pomykala, Kelsey L; Silverman, Daniel HS; Geist, Cheri L; Voege, Patricia; Siddarth, Prabha; Nazarian, Nora; Cyr, Natalie M St; Khalsa, Dharma S; Lavretsky, Helen
• Is Part Of: Aging health. Volume 8:Number 5(2012)
• Page Start: 509
• Page End: 516
• Publication Date: 2012-10
• Subjects: dementia caregiver -- depression -- Kirtan kriya -- PET -- regional brain metabolism -- stress -- yogic meditation; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; 618.97005
• DOI: 10.2217/ahe.12.46
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-509X

Abstract

Aims: Caregiver distress can affect mood and cognition. Meditation can be used to reduce stress. This pilot study explored whether yogic meditation could change regional cerebral metabolism in distressed caregivers.Methods: Nine dementia caregivers were randomized to undergo meditation training compared with relaxation for 12 min per day for 8 weeks. Caregivers received neuropsychiatric assessments and brain FDG-PET scans at baseline and postintervention.Results: The groups did not differ on measures of mood, mental and physical health, and burden at baseline and follow-up. When comparing the regional cerebral metabolism between groups, significant differences over time were found in the bilateral cerebellum (p < 0.0005), right inferior lateral anterior temporal (p < 0.0005), right inferior frontal (p = 0.001), left superior frontal (p = 0.001), left associative visual (p = 0.002) and right posterior cingulate (p = 0.002) cortices.Conclusion: Meditation practice in distressed caregivers resulted in different patterns of regional cerebral metabolism from relaxation. These pilot results should be replicated in a larger study.