The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Whitfield, Tim; Barnhofer, Thorsten; Acabchuk, Rebecca; Cohen, Avi; Lee, Michael; Schlosser, Marco; Arenaza-Urquijo, Eider M; Böttcher, Adriana; Britton, Willoughby; Coll-Padros, Nina; Collette, Fabienne; Chételat, Gaël; Dautricourt, Sophie; Demnitz-King, Harriet; Dumais, Travis; Klimecki, Olga; Meiberth, Dix; Moulinet, Inès; Müller, Theresa; Parsons, Elizabeth; Sager, Lauren; Sannemann, Lena; Scharf, Jodi; Schild, Ann-Katrin; Touron, Edelweiss; Wirth, Miranka; Walker, Zuzana; Moitra, Ethan; Lutz, Antoine; Lazar, Sara W; Vago, David; Marchant, Natalie L

Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are increasingly utilized to improve mental health. Interest in the putative effects of MBPs on cognitive function is also growing. This is the first meta-analysis of objective cognitive outcomes across multiple domains from randomized MBP studies of adults. Seven databases were systematically searched to January 2020. Fifty-six unique studies (n = 2,931) were included, of which 45 (n = 2,238) were synthesized using robust variance estimation meta-analysis. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses evaluated moderators. Pooling data across cognitive domains, the summary effect size for all studies favored MBPs over comparators and was small in magnitude (g = 0.15; [0.05, 0.24]). Across subgroup analyses of individual cognitive domains/subdomains, MBPs outperformed comparators for executive function (g = 0.15; [0.02, 0.27]) and working memory outcomes (g = 0.23; [0.11, 0.36]) only. Subgroup analyses identified significant effects for studies of non-clinical samples, as well as for adults aged over 60. Across all studies, MBPs outperformed inactive, but not active comparators. Limitations include the primarily unclear within-study risk of bias (only a minority of studies were considered low risk), and that statistical constraints rendered some p-values unreliable. Together, results partially corroborate the hypothesized link between mindfulness practices and cognitive performance. This review was registered with PROSPERO [CRD42018100904].