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Evidence summaries

Psychological Interventions for Multiple Sclerosis

Cognitive behavioural approaches may be beneficial in helping people to adjust to and cope with having MS and in the treatment of associated depression. Other psychological interventions may also be helpful. Level of evidence: "C"

A Cochrane review 1 [Abstract] included 16 studies with a total of 1 006 subjects. There is some evidence that cognitive behavioural therapy may help people adjust to, and cope with, having MS (3 trials) and may bring significant improvements in depression (2 trials). There is also some evidence of effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation on cognitive outcomes (3 trials).

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear allocation concealment) and inconsistency (heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes).

References

  • Thomas PW, Thomas S, Hillier C, Galvin K, Baker R. Psychological interventions for multiple sclerosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2006 Jan 25;(1):CD004431. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords