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Cited by 63Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ResearchCancer survivorship and care

Meditation training for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A randomized clinical trial

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Pagnini, F., Marconi, A., Tagliaferri, A., Manzoni, G. M., Gatto, R., Fabiani, V., Gragnano, G., Rossi, G. +10 more·2017·European Journal of Neurology
DOI 10.1111/ene.13246
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Abstract

Background and purpose: Studies investigating psychological interventions for the promotion of well‐being in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are lacking. The purpose of the current study was to examine the use of an ALS‐specific mindfulness‐based intervention for improving quality of life in this population. Methods: A randomized, open‐label and controlled clinical trial was conducted on the efficacy of an ALS‐specific meditation programme in promoting quality of life. Adults who received a diagnosis of ALS within 18 months were randomly assigned either to usual care or to an 8‐week meditation training based on the original mindfulness‐based stress reduction programme and tailored for people with ALS. Quality of life, assessed with the ALS‐Specific Quality of Life Revised scale, represented the primary outcome, whilst secondary outcomes included anxiety and depression, assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and specific quality of life domains. Participants were assessed at recruitment and after 2, 6 and 12 months. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed on an intention‐to‐treat basis of a linear mixed model. Results: A hundred participants were recruited between November 2012 and December 2014. Over time, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of quality of life (β = 0.24, P = 0.015, d = 0.89). Significant differences between groups over time were also found for anxiety, depression, negative emotions, and interaction with people and the environment. Conclusions: An ALS‐specific meditation programme is beneficial for the quality of life and psychological well‐being of people with ALS.

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Crossref · 10.1111/ene.13246

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  • Our findings extend those of previously underpowered studies 10,11 in providing crucial high-quality evidence of the clinical effectiveness of a psychological intervention for people with motor neuron disease.

    “Our findings extend those of previously underpowered studies 10,11 in providing crucial high-quality evidence of the clinical effectiveness of a psychological intervention for people with mo”

    From Acceptance and Commitment Therapy plus usual care for improving quality of life in people with motor neuron disease (COMMEND): a multicentre, parallel, randomised controlled trial in the UK (2024) · cites this paper as [10]

    Citation 10 or 11 is attached to the description of the earlier studies as “underpowered,” not to the citing authors’ claim about their own findings. The cited trial’s Power analysis and sample size section reports a target of 95% power and a planned recruitment of 100 patients; its Results section says 100 were recruited. Although the Discussion reports improved quality of life, our copy does not characterize this trial as underpowered. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Yoga and mindfulness meditation improve health-related quality of life by reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases.

    “To attenuate this effect, both yoga and mindfulness meditation have been shown to improve health-related quality of life by reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases [216,217].”

    From The Impact of Neurotoxin Proteins Trafficked by Primary Cilia and Extracellular Vesicles in Neurodegenerative Diseases (2025) · cites this paper as [217]

    The Discussion reports that ALS-specific meditation training improved quality of life and that participants had lower anxiety and depression than those receiving usual care. But the Introduction says Hatha yoga postures were removed or changed for this intervention. The trial studied people with ALS, not neurodegenerative diseases generally, and does not establish that reduced symptoms caused the quality-of-life improvement. (LLM, conf=0.89)

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  • An attrition rate of 57% by 6 months was reported in an RCT of meditation training, with disease progression and death being given as reasons for drop out.

    “For example, an attrition rate of 57% by 6 months was reported in an RCT of meditation training, with disease progression and death being given as reasons for drop out [21].”

    From Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people living with motor neuron disease: an uncontrolled feasibility study (2023) · cites this paper as [21]

    The Discussion reports a high attrition rate and says it may be expected given the degenerative nature of ALS. The Results refer readers to Figure 1 for dropout rates, but the text available in our copy does not give a 57% rate by six months or identify death as a reason for dropout. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The previous RCT of meditation training reported that quality of life, depression and anxiety remained stable from baseline to 12 months in the meditation arm, but declined across time in the usual care arm.

    “This RCT reported that quality of life, depression and anxiety remained stable from baseline to 12 months in the meditation arm, but declined across time in the usual care arm.”

    From Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people living with motor neuron disease: an uncontrolled feasibility study (2023) · cites this paper as [21]

    Table 2 (Conditional growth models; page unavailable) supports a decline in quality of life under usual care and approximately stable outcomes in the meditation arm through the 12-month assessment. But depression and anxiety scores increased under usual care—they did not decline. Higher scores indicate worse symptoms, so the claim captures worsening in that arm but states the direction of those two measures incorrectly. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • These results are consistent with a previous RCT of meditation training compared to usual care in plwMND.

    “In support of the latter interpretations, these results are consistent with a previous RCT of meditation training compared to usual care in plwMND [21].”

    From Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people living with motor neuron disease: an uncontrolled feasibility study (2023) · cites this paper as [21]

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Pagnini F, Simmons Z, Corbo M, Molinari E. Amy- otrophic lateral sclerosis: time for research on psycho- logical intervention? Amyotroph Lateral Scler 2012; 13: 416-417.
  2. Simmons Z, Felgoise SH, Bremer BA, et al. The ALSS- QOL: balancing physical and nonphysical factors in assessing quality of life in ALS. Neurology 2006; 67: 1659-1664.

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Authors
Pagnini, F., Marconi, A., Tagliaferri, A., Manzoni, G. M., Gatto, R., Fabiani, V., Gragnano, G., Rossi, G., Volpato, E., Banfi, P., Palmieri, A., Graziano, F., Castelnuovo, G., Corbo, M., Molinari, E., Riva, N., Sansone, V., & Lunetta, C.
Affiliations
  • Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT)
  • NEuroMuscular Omnicentre (NEMO) − Fondazione Serena Onlus Milan Italy
  • Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda (IT)
  • Università degli Studi eCampus (IT)
  • Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation (IT)
  • University of Padua (IT)
  • University of Pavia (IT)
  • Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences Casa Cura Policlinico Milan Italy
  • IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele (IT)
Corresponding author
Pagnini, F.
ORCID
Venue
European Journal of Neurology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2017-02-23
Volume
24
Issue
4
Pages
578-586
ISSN
  • 1351-5101 (ISSN-L)
  • 1468-1331
DOI
10.1111/ene.13246
OpenAlex
W2589667202
Cited by
63
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 1
FWCI
8.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • European Journal of Neurology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • BOA (University of Milano-Bicocca) (submittedVersion)
  • IRIS eCampus Telematic University (Università degli Studi eCampus) (submittedVersion)
  • Lirias (submittedVersion)
  • PubliCatt (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Ministero della Salute (GR‐2009‐1607388)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
Keywords
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, mindfulness meditation, mindfulness-based stress reduction, quality of life, psychological well-being, anxiety, depression, negative emotions, psychological intervention
MeSH terms
Aged, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Anxiety, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Stress, Psychological, Treatment Outcome, Meditation

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