TITLE:
Mindfulness and Aerobic Exercise as an Intervention for Cognitive Dysfunction Following an Acquired Brain Injury: A Pilot Study
AUTHORS:
Lovisa Hellgren, Anna Lundqvist, Björn Börsbo, Richard Levi, Kersti Samuelsson
KEYWORDS:
Rehabilitation, Acquired Brain Injury, Mental Fatigue, Cognition
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation,
Vol.7 No.1,
February
27,
2019
ABSTRACT: Background: Cognitive impairments as sequelae of brain injury are common and can
negatively affect activities of everyday life, participation and quality of
life. Thus, finding ways to reduce cognitive impairments and ameliorate their
negative impact on everyday life is an important focus of research. Aim: The aim of this pilot study was to analyse the effects of a combination of
guided mindfulness and aerobic exercise on cognitive ability and mental fatigue
in patients with acquired brain injury (ABI). Design: Pilot study, with
a before-after design. Setting: Outpatient. Population: Twenty-one patients suffering from ABI, former patients of three rehabilitation
medicine departments. Methods: The intervention comprised a structured
combination of guided mindfulness program and outdoor walking, three times/week
for 12 weeks. The outcome measures included assessment of information
processing speed, working memory, oxygen uptake and self-reported mental
fatigue. Results: The main results showed improvements in cognitive
abilities related to information processing speed, perceived mental fatigue and
physical capacity. Conclusions: A combination of mindfulness and
physical activity can increase information processing speed and ameliorate
mental fatigue. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings. Clinical
Rehabilitation Impact: The combination of guided mindfulness and physical
activity shows promise as a treatment modality in rehabilitation of impaired
information processing speed and mental fatigue following ABI.