Mind Training Benefits MS Approaches

Neuromyofascial training produces optimal results:

Results showed that people in the mindfulness training group reported they were more able to manage their emotions at the end of the study when compared to those in the other two groups.

This included the group that received adaptive cognitive training (ACT), which has shown promise for MS patients in other studies. This ACT program used computerized games to help MS patients overcome some of their cognitive deficits that make everyday functioning more difficult, such as problems with paying attention, switching focus, and planning and organizing.

“Our results provide promising evidence that mindfulness training can help MS patients deal with their emotions in a more constructive and positive way,” Prakash said.

In a secondary analysis of the same study, led by doctoral student Heena Manglani, participants were assessed on their processing speed and working memory, two cognitive functions that often decline in MS patients. They also completed additional measures of cognitive functioning.

Processing speed is the time it takes a person to complete mental tasks and is related to how well they can understand and react to the information they receive.

Findings showed that after four weeks of mindfulness training, MS patients showed significantly improved processing speed based on the tests used in the study — more so than those in the other two groups.

“This is an exciting finding because processing speed is a core cognitive domain impacted in multiple sclerosis,” Prakash said.

“We were somewhat surprised that this training intervention that we thought would mostly impact emotion regulation also enhanced processing speed.”

Gains in working memory were similar in all three groups and there were no mindfulness-specific changes in other measures of cognitive functioning.

One of the reasons that mindfulness training is so promising is because it is an easily accessible treatment for all patients.

“Anyone can use mindfulness — even individuals with limited mobility, who often find other training techniques, like exercise training, to be more challenging,” Prakash said.

Prakash and her team are now working on replicating this pilot study with a larger sample.