Effects of Mindfulness Training on Depression and Cognition in Older People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness-based treatments for older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who also experience depression and cognitive difficulties.

METHODS

Seven databases were searched: PubMed, EBSCOhost, CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science, up to July 2025. PRISMA guidelines, the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine scale, the RoB 2 tool, and GRADEpro were employed to evaluate the methodological quality and evidence reliability. The review plan was pre-registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD420251080874).

RESULTS

Initially, 1738 records were identified in the databases. Thirteen studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. The PICOS framework was employed for the subsequent analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that participants receiving mindfulness therapies experienced a significant reduction in depression symptoms, as assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS, p = 0.045). In contrast, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (p = 0.061) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (p = 0.713) did not demonstrate statistically significant changes in cognitive ability.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that mindfulness-based training may reduce depressive symptoms in older individuals with MCI; however, the impact on cognitive abilities remains inconclusive.