| dc.description.abstract | <Background>
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, and
it is commonly associated with a variety of cardinal motor symptoms
including akinesia/ bradykinesia, tremor and rigidity. There are also additional
motor deficits like gait disturbance, impaired handwriting, grip force and
speech deficits. Furthermore, PD has many non-motor symptoms such
as anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances and cognitive decline. All these
disease symptoms can occur years before the main motor features become
apparent.
Various studies prove that these symptoms have a serious effect on the quality of
life (QoL) in PD patients. The dopaminergic therapies are considered the first-line
treatments as they adequately manage the psychological and nonmotor
symptoms associated with PD. However, at present, complementary
therapies such as mindfulness interventions (e.g., meditation, yoga, and
mindfulness-based stress reduction [MBSR], etc) have been taken into
consideration with their beneficial effects. This research delivers a narrative
review of mindfulness interventions in PD patients from an Asian perspective and a summary of the results of the latest studies on the effects of organizing
information with readers about potential benefits and applications.
<Methods>
A thorough literature review was conducted on randomized controlled
trials (RCTs) and feasibility studies which explored mindfulness therapies
on PD in Asian populations. The search terms “Asia,” “Mindfulness,” and
“Parkinson’s disease” were used to find the studies while Hinari, Emerald
Insight, PubMed, and Google Scholar were the used databases for the study.
Studies which have evaluated QoL, psychological distress, and motor and
nonmotor symptoms of PD patients were considered. The information
such as study design, demographic variables, type of intervention, outcome
measurements, and key findings were retrieved from the seven
studies found through the vigorous search. Further, a comprehensive
analysis was conducted on seven studies that reported various mindfulness-based
techniques and their effects on the symptoms of PD among various
populations.
<Results>
This review examined various mindfulness treatments (i.e., mindfulness
meditation, yoga, and MBSR) that were carried out in various Asian nations
out of the seven studies. It was found that these therapies were linked to a
substantial improvement in both motor and nonmotor symptoms among
PD patients. Further, it was noted that practising mindfulness meditation
improves emotional nonreactivity and lessens depression symptoms among
PD patients. Subsequently, Mindfulness Yoga therapies led to substantial
improvements in motor dysfunction, disease-specific health-related quality
of life (HRQoL), equanimity, depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. Also, a
feasibility study carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic using health-delivered
mindfulness yoga found high adherence rates and notable
improvements in HRQoL and mental health were found. Furthermore,
complicated exercise programs based on mindfulness meditation
substantially improved both motor and nonmotor symptoms. Overall QoL
was markedly enhanced by MBSR, especially in terms of social support.
<Discussion>
The reviewed literature has consistently shown that mindfulness therapies
can considerably reduce motor and nonmotor symptoms in individuals with
PD. These interventions include meditation, yoga, and mindfulness-based
stress reduction, or MBSR. Significant improvements were noted in QoL,
emotional well-being, cognitive abilities, and psychological discomfort
(depression and anxiety, etc.).
Emotional nonreactivity is improved, and depression symptoms are
lessened when mindfulness meditation is practised. Yoga therapies led
to significant improvements in motor dysfunction as well as depression,
anxiety, equanimity, perceived difficulty, and disease-specific HRQoL. The
potential for mHealth-delivered mindfulness interventions—which have high
rates of compliance and significantly enhance mental health and HRQoL—
was highlighted by feasibility research conducted during the COVID-19
pandemic.
Complex exercise programs based on mindfulness meditation have been
linked to significant enhancements in nonmotor symptoms (such as anxiety,
depression, cognitive function, sleep disruption, QoL, and activities of daily
living) as well as motor symptoms (such as muscular strength, endurance,
and balance). MBSR had a particularly noteworthy affect on increasing social
support and overall QoL.
The results of the current study imply that there are significant advantages
in incorporating mindfulness techniques into PD therapy, especially in terms of
improving resilience and treating psycho-cognitive comorbidities. However,
longitudinal studies which consist of larger populations are required to confirm these results and improve intervention strategies. Further, these
studies can be expanded in the search for other mindfulness-based therapies,
such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based
art therapy (MBAT), despite these encouraging findings on MBSR. In
the global context of research, MBCT is found to be a successful treatment
for depression that avoids recurrence by combining mindfulness techniques
with the concepts of cognitive therapy. Considering the higher rates of depression among PD patients as per the previous studies, MBCT could be
really helpful in controlling the psychological symptoms of PD patients and
further enhancing the QoL among them.
Similarly, the MBAT, which combines mindfulness practices with creative
artmaking could provide a novel approach to enhancing emotional
expression, reducing stress, and improving cognitive functions in PD patients.
Exploring these and other mindfulness-based interventions could provide a
broader understanding of the potential therapeutic benefits for PD patients
and help tailor individualized treatment approaches.
<Conclusion>
In Asian cultures, mindfulness techniques show promise as useful adjunctive
treatments for PD management. They provide significant advantages in
lowering psychological distress, addressing both motor and nonmotor
symptoms, and increasing general QoL. Larger, longer-term studies should
be the focus of future research to confirm these results and improve
intervention strategies. Incorporating mindfulness techniques into routine PD
treatment may greatly enhance patient outcomes and overall well-being. | en_US |
