Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/30082
Title: Compassionate mind training for people with Parkinson's disease: A pilot study and predictors of response
Authors: Della Morte, S
Berti, E
Lalli, C
Modugno, N
Morgante, F
Schrag, A
Makovac, E
Ricciardi, L
Keywords: compassion;heart rate variability;neuropsychiatric symptoms;Parkinson's disease;stigma
Issue Date: 23-Mar-2024
Publisher: Wiley on behalf of European Academy of Neurology
Citation: Della Morte, S. et al. (2024) 'Compassionate mind training for people with Parkinson's disease: A pilot study and predictors of response', European Journal of Neurology, 31 (7), pp. 1 - 9. doi: 10.1111/ene.16286.
Abstract: Introduction: People with Parkinson's disease (PD) often present with disabling neuropsychiatric symptoms. Compassionate mind training (CMT) is a psychological approach effective in reducing stress and promoting psychological well-being. Heart rate variability (HRV), a measure reflecting sympathovagal balance, has been associated with psychological well-being and a compassionate attitude. Aim: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of CMT in enhancing the quality of life and psychological well-being in PD patients. Additionally, we evaluated HRV as a physiomarker for assessing the CMT outcomes. Methods: Twenty-four PD patients participated in the study. A 6-week online CMT intervention was delivered on a weekly basis. At baseline and post-intervention patients completed questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety and quality of life. In a subsample of 11 patients, HRV was measured at baseline and post-intervention in three conditions: at rest, during stress and after 3 min of deep breathing. Results: The attendance rate was 94.3%. Quality of life and perceived stigma improved post-intervention as compared with baseline (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03 for PD Questionnaire-39 total score and Stigma subscore, respectively). After CMT, patients presented better physiological regulation to stress, as measured by higher HRV as compared with baseline (p = 0.005). Notably, patients who were more resilient to stress at baseline (less decrease in HRV during stress) experienced a more substantial reduction in anxiety and depression following CMT. Conclusions: CMT is feasible and can improve quality of life and stigma in PD patients. HRV emerges as a promising physiomarker for predicting and measuring the outcomes of psychological interventions in PD.
Description: Data Availability Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Supporting Information is available online at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ene.16286#support-information-section .
Elena Makovac and Lucia Ricciardi share senior authorship.
URI: https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/30082
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.16286
ISSN: 1351-5101
Other Identifiers: ORCiD: Francesca Morgante https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9834-3639
ORCiD: Anette Schrag https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9872-6680
ORCiD: Elena Makovac https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0280-0485
ORCiD: Lucia Ricciardi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9401-3301
Appears in Collections:Dept of Life Sciences Research Papers

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