Mindfulness Training In Parkinson's disease: Clinical outcomes and structural imaging correlates
Speaker: Barbara Pickut MD, MPH
Format: Audio & Slides

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate possible clinical changes in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) after participating in an 8-week mindfulness based intervention (MBI) and to correlate any changes with structural longitudinal differences on brain MRI.

Methods: A total of 27 of 30 PD patients completed a randomized controlled longitudinal trial. Fourteen patients participated in an 8-week MBI and 13 patients received usual care (UC). A battery of questionnaires and brain MRI data sets were obtained at baseline and after 8-weeks follow-up. A repeated measures ANOVA was carried out on data obtained from the questionnaires. MRI VBM analysis was performed using DARTEL from the SPM8 software. Longitudinal gray matter density (GMD) differences were compared between the MBI and UC group and correlated with data obtained from the questionnaires.

Results were reported at p<0.001, uncorrected for multiple comparisons. Results: The repeated measures ANOVA revealed a statistically significant interaction effect after MBI indicating a clinically moderate improvement as a decrease on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score, an increase on the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) pain item and an increase in the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Observe Facet. Preliminary correlations of GMD with these clinical measures were found.

Conclusions: The preliminary data may indicate neurobiological effects of MBI in PD based on clinical measures and correlations with structural imaging. Further research is warranted.