Mindfulness and meditation therapies improve motor symptoms and cognitive function in people with Parkinson's disease, based on a meta-analysis of eight randomized controlled trials involving 337 patients. The therapies significantly reduced Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale-Part III scores by an average of 6.31 points and improved cognitive function. However, no significant benefits were found for gait velocity, quality of life, daily living activities, depression, anxiety, pain, or sleep disturbance. The authors suggest these therapies may serve as complementary treatments for Parkinson's disease.
Meditation-based therapies reduce pain intensity and bothersomeness and improve quality of life for adults with chronic low back pain. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials involving 1,153 patients found that meditation-based therapies significantly lowered pain intensity compared with nonmeditation therapies, with a standardized mean difference of -0.27. They also reduced pain bothersomeness (SMD -0.21) and improved quality of life (SMD 0.27). The authors conclude that meditation-based therapies are a safe and effective alternative approach to managing chronic low back pain.