Culturally adapted mindfulness to support thinking and memory in Latino older adults
Official title: Mindfulness to Enhance Cognitive Health in Latinx Older Adults
Run by Washington University School of Medicine · NCT07040904 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will test whether an 8-week culturally adapted mindfulness program can improve cognitive function, daily mindfulness, and brain/blood markers related to Alzheimer’s in Latino adults aged 65 and older.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 65 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Washington University School of Medicine Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (St Louis, Missouri) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | December 10, 2024 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | May 11, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07040904 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are community-dwelling Hispanic/Latino adults aged 65 or older who are medically stable, have little prior mindfulness experience, and can attend in-person visits and complete EEG, blood draws, and EMA prompts.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with advanced dementia, unstable psychiatric illness, significant sensory impairments, terminal medical conditions, or who are using other interventions that strongly affect neuroplasticity are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized, mixed between- and within-subject trial will enroll 60 Latino older adults who complete baseline testing including EEG, cognitive control tasks, and blood-based Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, then be randomized 1:1 to an 8-week mindfulness program or a wait-list control. During the 8-week period both groups will complete ecological momentary assessment (EMA) prompts 4 times per day on 3 random days per week, and all participants will repeat the baseline assessments after the intervention period. EEG measures and theoretically optimized cognitive tasks are used to probe neurocognitive mechanisms, and biomarker status will be tested as a moderator of training effects. The protocol emphasizes feasibility, culturally sensitive delivery, and mechanistic signals in a community-dwelling Latino older adult sample.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could improve attention, memory-related function, and daily wellbeing and potentially reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk markers in Latino older adults.
How similar studies have gone: Previous mindfulness trials in older adults have shown modest gains in attention, mood, and self-reported cognition, but applying culturally tailored mindfulness with EEG and blood AD biomarker measures in Latino older adults is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Hispanic/Latino * Age 65 and older * Male, female, or non-binary * Community living * Medically stable and willing to undergo the study procedures * No extensive mindfulness training experience Exclusion Criteria: * Clinically unstable psychiatric disorder that requires immediate treatment (e.g., ECT) * Medical conditions suggesting significantly shortened lifespan (e.g., metastatic cancer) or prohibiting safe participation in the interventions/assessments (e.g., Parkinson's disease, musculoskeletal conditions) * Sensory impairment (hearing, vision) preventing participation * Current alcohol or substance abuse * Current/concurrent cognitive training known to affect neuroplasticity (e.g., brain-training programs), or other interventions expected to affect neuroplasticity significantly (e.g., psychedelics, cholinesterase inhibitors, high-dose sedatives).
Where it's running
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Washington University
St Louis, Missouri, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Todd S Braver, Ph.D.
- Email: tbraver@wustl.edu
- Phone: 800-438-0445
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.