Mindfulness intervention improves cognitive function in older adults by enhancing the level of miRNA-29c in neuron-derived extracellular vesicles.

Research Objectives: To investigate that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) improves cognitive function and affects the microRNA in neuron-derived extracellular vesicles.

Design: Longitudinal study. A linear mixed model was used to analyze data.

Setting: Community.

Participants: Participants aged 65 years and older were recruited from the three communities in Chitose City, Japan (n = 46).

Interventions: Any intervention was not done in the non-MBSR group (n=21). On the other hand, the MBSR program was done in the MBSR group for four weeks (n = 25).

Main Outcome Measures: Before and after the intervention, the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J) was administered, and blood samples were collected. Then, neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NDEVs) were isolated from blood samples, and microRNAs, as well as the target mRNAs, were evaluated in NDEVs. The protocols were approved by the Sapporo Medical University Ethics Committee (code: 30-2-17).

Results: The linear mixed model showed significant effects of the MBSR x time interaction on the MoCA-J score. The linear mixed model showed a significant effect of the MBSR x time interaction on the expression of miRNA (miR)-29c, and its target genes DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha (DNMT3A), and DNMT3B in NDEVs.

Conclusions: These results indicate that MBSR can improve cognitive function by increasing the expression of miR-29c and decreasing the expression of DNMT3A, as well as DNMT3B, in neurons.

Author(s) Disclosures: The authors declare no competing interests.