Effects of Mindfulness Training on Depression and Cognition in Older People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness-based treatments for older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who also experience depression and cognitive difficulties. METHODS: Seven databases were searched: PubMed, EBSCOhost, CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Science, up to July 2025. PRISMA guidelines, the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine scale, the RoB 2 tool, and GRADEpro were employed to evaluate the methodological quality and evidence reliability. The review plan was pre-registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD420251080874). RESULTS: Initially, 1738 records were identified in the databases. Thirteen studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. The PICOS framework was employed for the subsequent analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that participants receiving mindfulness therapies experienced a significant reduction in depression symptoms, as assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS, p = 0.045). In contrast, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (p = 0.061) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (p = 0.713) did not demonstrate statistically significant changes in cognitive ability. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that mindfulness-based training may reduce depressive symptoms in older individuals with MCI; however, the impact on cognitive abilities remains inconclusive.