Impact of Brief Mindfulness Intervention on Emotions, Sleep and Quality of Life in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Prospective Study

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disorder causing significant suffering and mental health problems for patients. Many patients with ALS have a severe psychological reaction to the serious diagnosis when they are first diagnosed. This study aims to investigate the impact of a brief mindfulness intervention on emotions, sleep, and quality of life (QOL) in patients with ALS who have recently been diagnosed. This prospective intervention study enrolled patients who had been newly diagnosed with ALS. Participants received cognitive training and audio-led mindfulness exercises involving breathing awareness and body scan sessions for 10 days. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated by several scales. Ninety-one patients (aged 54.15 [10.10] years, 52 male/39 female [57.10%/42.90%]) were finally enrolled in the analysis. The Chinese Version Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) (t = 2.05, P = 0.04) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) (Z = −2.03, P = 0.04) scores significantly decreased, and the 40-item Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Assessment Questionnaire (ALSAQ40) significantly increased (Z = −2.93, P < 0.01) following the brief mindfulness intervention. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) (Z = −2.97, P < 0.01) and the 17-Item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) (Z = −3.43, P < 0.01) were significantly reduced in patients with ALS diagnosed with depression. QOL was significantly improved in other patients with ALS (Z = −2.51, P = 0.01). Our study indicated that a brief mindfulness intervention could be a potential way to reduce depression and improve daytime sleepiness, while also improving the QOL for newly diagnosed patients with ALS.