Meditation may lower risk of dementia, new study reveals – and experts say they now think they know why

The slow, deliberate breaths taken during meditation could lower your risk of developing dementia, new research suggests.

It has long been suggested that the practice, which has been around for thousands of years, could help keep the mind youthful but the biological processes to confirm it have remained unclear.

Now scientists in the US, whose findings were published in medical journal Psychophysiology, have linked regular meditation with reduced levels of the biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of the memory-robbing illness.

They meditation or mindfulness reduced levels of amyloid beta peptides in blood. 

These can form sticky clumps known as plaques in the brain, which is one of the reasons the disease develops.

Lead author Dr Mara Mather, a professor of gerontology, psychology and biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California said: ‘When you are relaxed, whenever you breathe in your heart rate increases and when you breath out it decreases.

‘We found that daily sessions involving breathing slowly to increase oscillations in heart rate tends to decrease levels of amyloid-beta in the blood.

‘Amyloid-beta is a peptide (a small protein) that is a normal byproduct of cellular activity that is, like other metabolic waste products, usually cleared out of the brain and body.

‘However, if production levels are too high or clearance rates are not high enough, amyloid-beta levels increase and can start to aggregate (stick together) in the brain, forming amyloid-beta plaque, a signature feature of Alzheimer’s disease.’ 

She told Psypost: ‘Slow breathing is an important feature of some types of meditative practices but not of other types.

‘We were interested in whether slow breathing during meditation would decrease plasma amyloid-beta levels more than meditating without slow breathing.’

Their analysis included 89 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 35 – an age range chosen so physiological changes not yet altered by age-related diseases could be observed – who hadn’t done regular meditation before.

The participants were randomly placed in to one of three groups; the first were told to inhale for a count of five and exhale for a count of five, resulting a pace of approximately six breaths per minute and in contrast, the second group practiced normal breathing without a specific count or rhythm to follow.

They were told to do the breathing exercises for 20 minutes twice a day, totalling 40 minutes of daily practice over a week.

Researchers measured the effects on the body using specialised heart rate sensors, confirming that the group who were breathing to a set slow rhythm had large oscillations in heart rate during sessions. 

This meant that they had successfully engaged their parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) – often called the ‘rest and digest’ system – which is responsible for several things including calming the body.

Meanwhile, the group that breathed as normal did not show these oscillations meaning that their physiological state was similar to their resting one.

Researchers also collected blood samples from all participants at the beginning and end of the study, and analysis revealed differences in amyloid beta levels levels between the groups.

Those who practiced mindfulness without slow breathing showed an increase in plasma amyloid beta levels.

Inversely, those who breathed slowly during mindfulness had decreased levels. 

Dr Mather said: ‘This raises the question of why mindfulness alone would increase amyloid-beta levels.

‘Mindfulness requires focused attention. Nonadrenaline is a neuromodulator that supports focused attention.

‘Different types of meditative practices can have quite different effects on your physiology and attention. Each type of practice may have different benefits. 

‘Our findings suggest that practices that include slow breathing are more likely to decrease plasma amyloid-beta than those that do not.’

However, it is important to note that a reduction in plasma amyloid beta doesn’t necessarily guarantee a reduction in Alzheimer’s risk.

The findings come as dementia cases continue to rise in the UK, with nearly one million Britons currently affected – a figure projected to reach 1.4 million by 2040. 

It can be caused by a number of factors, including genetics, brain changes, poor diet, smoking and lack of physical activity.

While the condition has no cure, early diagnosis can help slow progression and manage symptoms, which include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, mood changes and problems following conversations.

Growing evidence suggests changes in vision, hearing, taste, touch and balance can appear years before classic symptoms.

Experts have also warned that problems with spatial awareness, such as standing too close to others, may emerge up to 20 years earlier.