People with Parkinson's disease who took an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy course reported changing their coping patterns, consolidating existing coping skills in the face of loss, benefiting from group support in a society that stigmatizes difference, and experiencing a dualism between Parkinson's and mindful meditation. The findings suggest MBCT is an acceptable group intervention that may benefit people with Parkinson's disease.
People with premanifest Huntington's disease who completed a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) course reported benefits including reduced psychological distress, greater calm, and improved emotion regulation, with some changes noticed by family or friends. Four themes emerged: the group provided mutual support; mindfulness was challenging but enabled better emotional management; it changed relationships with self and others; and persistence was key to benefiting. The authors argue MBCT merits further study for this population.