Improving cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment using meditation and brain stimulation
Official title: Accelerating Cognitive Gains from Digital Meditation with Noninvasive Brain Stimulation: A Pilot Study in MCI
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-10783766 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to help older adults with mild cognitive impairment feel better and think more clearly by using a gentle brain stimulation technique along with a special meditation program, and it aims to see how these methods can improve their memory, stress levels, sleep, and overall health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $524,623 |
| NIH project number | 5R61AG080528-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10783766 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 21 and above who have been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with severe cognitive impairment or those not diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance cognitive abilities and overall wellbeing in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) through a combination of non-invasive brain stimulation and a unique digital meditation program called MediTrain. Participants will receive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) while engaging in this closed-loop meditation, which is designed to target specific brain networks associated with attention. The study will involve a randomized controlled trial with 90 older adults, assessing improvements in cognition, stress, sleep, and biological markers of aging. By exploring this innovative approach, the research seeks to provide valuable insights into effective interventions for those at risk of progressing to Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new, effective treatments that improve cognitive function and quality of life for patients with mild cognitive impairment.
How similar studies have gone: While some studies have explored the combination of brain stimulation and meditation in younger populations, this specific approach in older adults with MCI is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ziegler, David a — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Ziegler, David a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How cancer cells use exosomes to evade the immune system
This study is looking at how cancer cells use tiny bubbles called exosomes to hide proteins that can keep your immune system from fighting the tumor, and by figuring this out, the researchers hope to help doctors understand why some people respond well to cancer treatments while others don’t, ultimately aiming to creat
-
Reducing harm from smoking using electronic cigarettes
This study is looking at whether using electronic cigarettes can be a safer option for people who smoke traditional cigarettes, by comparing the health effects and exposure to harmful substances between the two.
-
Understanding how knee pain and knee obesity and muscle loss affect knee osteoarthritis
This project looks at how knee swelling, excess knee fat, and muscle loss relate to pain and structural changes in knee osteoarthritis in adults.
-
Cutaneous opioid signals in skin inflammation
A mentor-identified clinician-researcher at UCSF is studying how natural skin opioids regulate itch and pain in inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and hidradenitis, with plans to map where these opioids come from and how they affect skin nerves.
-
Pooling international data to understand long-term bisphosphonate use and atypical femur fractures
This project combines large patient datasets from multiple countries to understand how long-term bisphosphonate use relates to rare hip and thigh bone fractures, helping doctors and patients make safer treatment choices.
-
Airway cell and immune cell talks in lung transplant failure
This grant tests how airway cells and immune cells interact to drive chronic rejection after lung transplant, with the goal of slowing or preventing scar-like damage.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.