Using mental visual imagery to improve autobiographical memory and episodic future thinking in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients: A randomised-controlled trial study
Affiliations: [a] Cognitive Neuropsychology and Physiopathology of Schizophrenia (INSERM UMR 1114), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France | [b] Department of Neurology and Centre Mémoire de Ressources et de Recherche (CMRR), University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France | [c] ICube (CNRS UMR 7357), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France | [d] Fédération de Médecine translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France | [e] Clinical Investigation Centre (CIC, INSERM 1434), University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Dr L. Manning, Psychology Department. University of Strasbourg, 12, rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France. Tel.: +33 663 276 369; Fax: +33 368 851 958; manning@unistra.fr
Abstract:
Purpose: The co-occurrence of autobiographical memory (AM) and episodic future thinking (EFT) impairment has been documented in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS) patients. On these bases, we aimed at probing the efficacy of a mental visual imagery (MVI)-based facilitation programme on AM and EFT functioning in the context of a randomised-controlled trial study in RR-MS patients.
Methods: Using the Autobiographical Interview (AI), 40 patients presenting with an AM/EFT impairment were randomly assigned in three groups: (i) the experimental (n = 17), who followed the MVI programme, (ii) the verbal control (n = 10), who followed a sham verbal programme, and (iii) the stability groups (n = 13), who underwent the AM/EFT test twice, with no intervention in between.
Results: AI’s second assessment scores showed a significant improvement of AM and EFT performance only for the experimental group, with a long-term robustness of treatment benefits.
Conclusions: The control and stability groups’ results ruled out nursing and test learning effects as explanations of AM/EFT improvement. These benefits were corroborated by the patients’ comments, which indicated an effective MVI strategy transfer to daily life. Our results suggest that the MVI programme tackles a common cognitive process of scene construction present in AM and EFT.
