Effects of multisensory stimulation in people with Huntington's disease: a randomized controlled pilot study

To investigate whether behavioural, motor and physiological responses of individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) to a controlled multisensory environment (MSE) are effective as a therapeutic (sustained effects) or leisure (immediate effects) activity.

Pilot study--a randomized, controlled, two-group design.

Specialist residential unit for people with mid-late stage HD.

Twelve patients with HD (one subject from each group dropped out during the study after week 8 due to medical complications).

Patients attended eight, 30-minute sessions over a four-week period, of multisensory stimulation (MSE, treatment group) or relaxation activities (control group).

Between-group comparisons for changes between assessment sessions for two behavioural assessments: Rehabilitation Evaluation--Hall and Baker (REHAB), Behaviour and Mood Disturbance Scale (BMD); a motor assessment: the dyskinesia section of the St Hans Rating Scale (SHRS); physiological measures: blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate. Secondary measures during intervention sessions included behavioural assessment using the Interact.

There were no significant differences found between the groups for any main outcome measures made between sessions. The MSE group showed some positive effects within-sessions, with the Interact showing significant between-group differences in immediate effects on mood (p = 0.028). There was also a significantly different change over time for within-session changes in stimulation levels (p = 0.0002) and mood (p = 0.0001) between the groups. No physiological effects were observed in relation to sessions in either group. Two MSE subjects underwent changes in medication during the study period.

There was no therapeutic effect of MSEs over the four-week study period. MSEs appear to be more effective thanconventional relaxation techniques as a leisure activity.