Pilot Study of Mindfulness Training on the Self-Awareness of Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease – A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to evaluate feasibility and effects of a newly developed mindfulness intervention tailored to specific needs of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).Background: The phenomenon of impaired self-awareness of motor symptoms (ISAm) in PD might be reduced by increasing patients’ mindfulness. A PD-specific mindfulness intervention has been developed and evaluated as a potential treatment option: IPSUM (“Insight into Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms by using Mindfulness”).Methods: IPSUM’s effectiveness is evaluated by comparing an intervention with a waitlist-control group. Applying a pre-post design, patients were assessed before, directly after and 8weeks after treatment. The primary outcome was the change in a quantitative ISAm score from baseline to post-assessment. Secondary outcome measures were PD-related affective changes and neuropsychological test performance. Feasibility was evaluated via feedback forms.Results: In total, 30 non-depressed and non-demented PD patients were included (intervention: n=14, waitlist-control: n=16). ISAm score did not change significantly, but the training group showed greater performance in sustained attention and language tasks over time. Additional changes included greater mindfulness as well as less sleeping problems and anxiety. Cognitive disturbances, apathy, and sleeping problems worsened only in the waitlist-control group. Patients’ feedback regarding the training concept and material was excellent.Conclusion: Insight into Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms by using Mindfulness has not been capable of reducing ISAm in PD patients but appears to be a feasible and effective concept to, among others, support mental health in the mid-term. It has to be noted though that the study was stopped beforehand because of the SARS CoV-2 pandemic. The lack of findings might therefore be caused by a lack of statistical power. The need for further research to better understand the mechanisms of ISAm and its connection to mindfulness in PD is highlighted.

Vulnerability of Parkinson’s Patients to COVID-19 and Its Consequences and Effects on Them: A Systematic Review

“…In PD patients, experiencing fear can be associated with a greater risk of COVID-19 due to chronic comorbidity and is often attributed to anxiety [ 16 , 37 , 38 ]. During the pandemic, fear increases anxiety in healthy individuals and exacerbates the symptoms of individuals with previous psychiatric disorders [ 48 , 62 , 63 ]. Movement and lack of movement in patients also affect their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial health [ 56 ].…”

Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for People with Parkinson’s Disease and Their Caregivers: a Pilot Study

“…Three previous MBI studies (Dissanayaka et al, 2016 ; Kwok et al, 2019 ; Pickut et al, 2015 ) also reported motor benefits, although only two (Kwok et al, 2019 ; Pickut et al, 2015 ) had significant results. Other teams sought to improve awareness of motor symptoms by using mindfulness or a novel body awareness training (BEWARE) that combined physical therapy with acceptance and commitment therapy elements (Buchwitz et al, 2021 ; Ghielen et al, 2017 ). None of these trials found significant differences with regard to their primary outcomes, although they uncovered benefits in secondary outcomes such as emotional well-being, anxiety, and cognitive functioning.…”

Mindfulness Meditation Interventions for Long COVID: Biobehavioral Gene Expression and Neuroimmune Functioning

“…8 Patients with PASC who regularly practice meditation also evidence more dominant wave frequency due to a reorganization of specific cortical areas such as a hemispheric slowing and multifocal epileptiform discharges from the frontotemporal and temporoparietal head regions as well as decreased self-reported fatigue, sleeplessness, pain, and cognitive and motor dysfunction. 186,187 In one study 168 mentioned earlier in this article, participants with COVID-19 were provided a retreat and they reported positive immune-modulatory effects after 80 hours of meditation practice. The researchers concluded that findings support discrete benefits to those with COVID-19.…”

“…Patients with PASC who regularly practice meditation also evidence more dominant wave frequency due to a reorganization of specific cortical areas such as a hemispheric slowing and multifocal epileptiform discharges from the frontotemporal and temporoparietal head regions as well as decreased self-reported fatigue, sleeplessness, pain, and cognitive and motor dysfunction. 186 , 187 …”