Therapeutic Effects of Meditation, Yoga, and Mindfulness‐Based Interventions for Chronic Symptoms of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Abstract

Background Chronic symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) vary greatly and are difficult to treat; we investigate the impact of meditation, yoga, and mindfulness‐based interventions on this treatment group. Method Search included four databases, allowing studies of any design containing pre/post outcomes for meditation, yoga, or mindfulness‐based interventions in people suffering from brain injury acquired by mechanical force. Analyses used robust variance estimation to assess overall effects and random‐effects models for selected outcomes; we evaluated both between‐ and within‐group changes. Results Twenty studies (N = 539) were included. Results revealed significant improvement of overall symptoms compared to controls (d = 0.41; 95% CI [0.04, 0.77]; τ2 = 0.06), with significant within‐group improvements in mental health (d = 0.39), physical health (d = 0.39), cognitive performance (d = 0.24), quality of life (d = 0.39), and self‐related processing (d = 0.38). Symptoms showing greatest improvement were fatigue (d = 0.96) and depression (d = 0.40). Findings were homogeneous across studies. Study quality concerns include lack of randomisation, blinding, and recording of adverse events. Conclusions This first‐ever meta‐analysis on meditation, yoga, and mindfulness‐based interventions for chronic symptoms of mTBI offers hope but highlights the need for rigorous new trials to advance clinical applications and to explore mechanistic pathways.

Effects of animal-assisted psychotherapy incorporating mindfulness and self-compassion in neurorehabilitation: a randomized controlled feasibility trial

“…These results provide evidence for the effectiveness of the MSCBI. Our finding is in line with several studies showing that transdiagnostic treatment approaches significantly reduce emotional distress for patients with neurological conditions 23 , 30 . Moreover, our result indicates that the adapted, shortened, and intense MSCBI for patients with acquired brain injury is feasible and that this population can benefit from the injury-adjusted format.…”

“…As defined by Neff and Dahm 19 , one core element of self-compassion is mindfulness. Practicing mindfulness shows beneficial effects for patients with acquired brain injury regarding overall symptom load, mental health and quality of life 23 , as well as in perceived self-efficacy 24 . It is also associated with a reduction in symptoms of post-traumatic stress 25 , depression 26 and mental fatigue 27 – 29 .…”

Feasibility of a Combined Neuromodulation and Yoga Intervention for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Chronic Pain: Protocol for an Open-label Pilot Trial

“…Studies of yoga for chronic pain have found yoga to be the most effective for improving headaches and low back pain relative to pain in other areas of the body; headaches and low back pain are the most common types of chronic pain sequelae after mTBI [ 6 , 15 , 19 - 26 ]. The effects of yoga on various outcomes among individuals with mTBI have previously been assessed [ 27 ]. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 studies on yoga for mTBI revealed significant improvements in fatigue, depression, physical health, cognitive performance, and QoL [ 27 ].…”

“…The effects of yoga on various outcomes among individuals with mTBI have previously been assessed [ 27 ]. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 studies on yoga for mTBI revealed significant improvements in fatigue, depression, physical health, cognitive performance, and QoL [ 27 ]. One specific adaptive yoga program, LoveYourBrain yoga, is a hatha yoga program created and tested specifically for TBI and designed to be modifiable to serve people of all ability levels [ 28 ].…”

Yoga for Healthy Aging: Science or Hype?

“…The Pradīpikā , a Sanskrit manual written in 1350 describes fifteen primary postures, seven performed while seated, and eight in other positions, along with 69 combined postures for a total of 84 asanas [ 2 ]. Recent interventions have adapted these for a variety of health conditions problems in aging [ 3 ], pregnancy [ 4 ], chronic pain [ 5 ], diabetes [ 6 ], stroke [ 7 ], heart failure, mild traumatic brain injury and brain health in addition to many others [ 8 , 9 ]. More recent styles of yoga including Vinyasa , Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini , and others have refined these postures, or put a varying emphasis on alignment, breath control, speed, and flow from one posture to another, adding various non-physical elements including meditation, relaxation, guided imagery, and commitments to particular diets and lifestyles [ 10 ].…”