ADVERTISEMENT
Internet-Delivered Mindfulness-Based Intervention Beneficial for Patients With MS and Depression
For patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), internet-delivered mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) can improve symptoms of depression, according to recent findings published in Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
“Evidence shows small positive effects associated with psychological treatments for people with multiple sclerosis,” wrote Amy-Lee Sesel, PhD, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia, and co-researchers. “In a recent meta-analysis, the treatment with the largest effect size was a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI).”
Socioeconomic Disparities Associated With Retinal Neurodegeneration in Multiple Sclerosis
Sesel et al aimed to find if there were benefits of internet-delivered MBI for patients with MS, as well as to look into history of recurrent depression.
A total of 132 participants with MS were assessed based on history of recurrent depression. Participants were stratified and randomized to MBI or waitlist, and assessed at baseline, post-intervention, 3 months, and 6 months. The primary outcome was an improvement of depressive symptoms.
When compared with the waitlist, participants in the MBI group had improved depressive symptoms, while participants with a history of recurrent depression had higher levels of improvement when compared with participants without a history or recurrent depression. Regardless of depression history, participants saw improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
“The Internet-delivered MBI significantly improved depressive symptoms and HRQoL in PwMS (people with MS). For depression, the benefits were greater for those with a history of recurrent depression,” concluded Dr Sesel et al.
