Mind-body Interventions for Healthy Aging

Inclusion Criteria: * Between ages 65-85 years * Capable of attending the assessment and the majority of intervention sessions * Right-handed * Fluent English speaker * Corrected (near and far) visual acuity of 20/40 or better * Normal color vision * Adequate hearing for experimental purposes * Absence of diagnosed terminal illness * Absence of diagnosed neurological disorders * No history of psychotic disorder or substance abuse disorder * Absence of any psychiatric disorder that was 1) diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist and 2) diagnosed within the past 2 years OR symptoms and/or treatment is ongoing * Score less than 20 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) * Absence of medication use that significantly alters brain activity * No history of diagnosed learning disability that would interfere with the completion of cognitive tasks * No evidence of dementia: No scores below 2 standard deviations from the mean on neuropsychological battery AND adequate self-reported performance of instrumental activities of daily living * To be included in the MRI portion of the study (not exclusionary for study participation): Absence of any non-MRI safe objects that cannot be removed, not pregnant and not attempting to become pregnant, and absence of self-reported claustrophobia * Able to engage in light stretching exercises with or without assistive devices * No regular practice of meditation or yoga (defined as once or more per week) AND no previous participation in a structured mindfulness class such as MBSR * Access to the internet Exclusion Criteria: * Not between the ages of 65-85 * Any physical limitation or pragmatic limitation that prohibits attendance at assessment sessions and intervention sessions * Left-handed or ambidextrous * No fluency in English * Corrected (near or far) visual acuity worse than 20/40 * All types of color blindness * Self-reported hearing impairment that would affect their ability to hear the experimenter * Diagnosis of terminal illness * Presence of diagnosed neurological disorders * History of psychotic disorder or substance abuse disorder diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist * History of psychotic disorder or substance abuse disorder diagnosed by a psychologist of psychiatrist * Presence of any psychiatric disorder that was 1) diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist and 2) diagnosed within the past 2 years OR symptoms/treatment is on going * Score greater than or equal to 20 on the CES-D * Medication use that significantly alters brain activity * History of diagnosed learning disability that would interfere with completion of the cognitive tasks * Evidence of dementia: one or more memory scores below 2 standard deviations from the mean AND one or more non-memory scores below 2 standard deviations from the mean on neuropsychological battery OR total score below 2 standard deviations from the mean on neuropsychological battery OR inadequate self-reported performance of instrumental activities of daily living * Presence of non-MRI safe objects that cannot be removed, pregnant or attempting to become pregnant, or self-reported claustrophobia (exclusionary for MRI portion of the study only) * Actual or perceived limitation that prohibits engaging in light stretching exercises with or without assistive devices * Any regular practice of meditation or yoga (defined as once or more per week) OR previous participation in a structured mindfulness class such as MBSR * No access to the internet