Meditation and Music Improve Memory and Cognition

Study in a Sentence: A recent small randomized control trial tested Kirtan Kriya meditation or classical music listening in 30 adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Participants showed statistically significant improvements from baseline in performance after three months of daily 12-minute exercises. The cognitive benefits were sustained for at least another three months when the participants electively continued their exercises.    

Healthy for Humans: SCD is considered a potential condition that precedes Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Thus, the findings in this study suggest that regular meditation or music listening may help prevent or halt the progression of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., AD).

Redefining Research: Completing clinical trials in humans to test lifestyle or behavioral interventions for chronic diseases can lead to the discovery of more cost-effective treatments faster without the need to conduct preclinical testing in animals.