Feasibility and efficacy of an at-home, technology-supported mindfulness
program in people with Multiple Sclerosis: a proof-of-principle study
Abstract
Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease with a high
prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Mindfulness is a practice that
encourages individuals to cultivate a present-focused, acceptance-based
approach for managing neuropsychiatric symptoms. Its positive effect on
MS has been demonstrated, but learning such technique is expensive and
time-consuming. In this study, we investigated the feasibility and
efficacy of an 8-week, at-home, technology-supported mindfulness program
in a cohort of MS patients. Methods: The study included two visits, one
at baseline and another after the mindfulness program. We measured
adherence to the proposed mindfulness treatment and its effect on
different neuropsychological scales and in terms of quantitative EEG
parameters. All participants received a smart biofeedback device to be
used during the therapeutic program consisting of daily meditative
exercises. Results: Twenty-nine patients were recruited for the present
study. Among them, 27 (93%) completed the entire program and 17 (63%)
completed more than 80% of the scheduled sessions. We observed a
statistically significant reduction of the Ruminative Response Scale
score and a significant increase in the Digit Span Backward. Regarding
neurophysiological data, we found a significant reduction of the
whole-scalp beta and parieto-occipital theta power post intervention.
Conclusion: Our results show that an at-home, technology-supported
mindfulness program is feasible for people with MS. The efficacy in
terms of reappraisals of stress, cognitive and emotional coping
responses is also supported by our neurophysiological data. Further
studies are warranted to better explore the role of such approaches in
managing the psychological impact of MS diagnosis.