Into the Moment: Does Mindfulness Affect Biological Pathways in Multiple Sclerosis?
Barbara M. P. Willekens, Gaetano Perrotta, Patrick P Cras, Nathalie Cools
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience May 22, 2018 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00103 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key points | Argues that although several studies since 2010 indicate mindfulness improves quality of life, depression, and fatigue in MS patients, research on laboratory biomarkers and neuroimaging is largely lacking, and proposes that future studies include immunological and neuroimaging biomarkers as standard outcomes, examine cognitive reserve and cognitive function, and investigate effects on the disease course. |
Abstract
Mindfulness was introduced in the Western world by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979. He defined it as "awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally." Since then, research on mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) has increased exponentially both in health and disease, including in patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson's disease. Research on the effect of mindfulness and multiple sclerosis (MS) only recently gained interest. Several studies completed since 2010 provided evidence that mindfulness improves quality of life (QoL), depression and fatigue in MS patients. In addition to patient-reported outcome measures, potential effects on cognitive function have been investigated only to a very limited extent. However, research on laboratory biomarkers and neuroimaging, capable to deliver proof-of-concept of this behavioral treatment in MS, is mainly lacking. In this perspective, we illustrate possible neurobiological mechanisms, including the tripartite interaction between the brain, the immune system and neuroendocrine regulation, through which this treatment might affect multiple sclerosis symptoms. We propose to (1) include immunological and/or neuroimaging biomarkers as standard outcome measures in future research dedicated to mindfulness and MS to help explain the clinical improvements seen in fatigue and depression; (2) to investigate effects on enhancing cognitive reserve and cognitive function; and (3) to investigate the effects of mindfulness on the disease course in MS.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- A supplementary training program integrating cold exposure, breathing exercises and mindfulness as a complementary treatment for neuropsychological aspects of multiple sclerosis - a pilot interventional study. Multiple sclerosis and related disorders July 1, 2025
- The Associations of Mindfulness and Self-Compassion on Quality of Life for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis, a Cross-Sectional Study from Turkey. Psychiatry March 18, 2025
Cites 21
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Is mindfulness research methodology improving over time? A systematic review PLoS One October 31, 2017
- Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World Mindfulness June 29, 2017
- The Effectiveness of a Body-Affective Mindfulness Intervention for Multiple Sclerosis Patients with Depressive Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Frontiers in Psychology November 30, 2017
- Online meditation training for people with multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled trial. Multiple Sclerosis Journal April 2019
and 16 more in the library