Approximately 31 percent of Vietnam veterans, 10 percent of Gulf War (Desert Storm) veterans and 11 percent of veterans of the war in Afghanistan experience PTSD, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
A noninvasive brainwave mirroring technology significantly reduced symptoms of post-traumatic stress in military personnel in a pilot study conducted at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The study is published in the online edition of the journal Military Medical Research.
Cancer Survivors May Experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Nearly one-fifth of patients with cancer experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), finds a study.
Advertisement
‘After the use of an intervention for veterans with ongoing symptoms of post-traumatic stress, study reported improvement in heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity.’
Tweet it Now
"Ongoing symptoms of post-traumatic stress, whether clinically diagnosed or not, are a pervasive problem in the military," said the study's principal investigator, Charles H. Tegeler, M.D., professor of neurology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, a part of Wake Forest Baptist.
"Medications are often used to help control specific symptoms, but can produce side effects. Other treatments may not be well tolerated, and few show a benefit for the associated sleep disturbance. Additional noninvasive, non-drug therapies are needed."
![Gut Microbiome May Cause Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)]( "Gut Microbiome May Cause Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)")
Stress and emotions can change the composition of the gut microbiome. Research discovered role of the gut microbiome in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Symptoms can include insomnia, poor concentration, sadness, re-experiencing traumatic events, irritability or hyper-alertness, as well as diminished autonomic cardiovascular regulation.
The neurotechnology used in this study - High-resolution, relational, resonance-based, electroencephalic mirroring (HIRREM) - is a noninvasive, closed-loop, acoustic stimulation approach, in which computer software algorithms translate specific brain frequencies into audible tones in real time.
Figuratively speaking, this provides a chance for the brain to listen to itself through an acoustic mirror, Tegeler said. Likely through resonance between brain frequencies and the acoustic stimulation, the brain is supported to make self-adjustments towards improved balance and reduced hyperarousal, with no conscious, cognitive activity required. The net effect is to support the brain to reset stress response patterns that have been rewired by repetitive traumatic events, physical or nonphysical.
HIRREM is a registered trademark of Brain State Technologies based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has been licensed to Wake Forest Baptist for collaborative research since 2011.
In this single-site study, 18 service members or recent veterans, who experienced symptoms over one to 25 years, received an average of 19½ HIRREM sessions over 12 days. Symptom data were collected before and after the study sessions, and follow-up online interviews were conducted at one-, three- and six-month intervals. In addition, heart rate and blood pressure readings were recorded after the first and second visits to analyze downstream autonomic balance with heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity.
"We observed reductions in post-traumatic symptoms, including insomnia, depressive mood and anxiety that were durable through six months after the use of HIRREM, but additional research is needed to confirm these initial findings," he said.
"This study is also the first to report improvement in heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity - physiological responses to stress - after the use of an intervention for service members or veterans with ongoing symptoms of post-traumatic stress."
Limitations of the study include the small number of participants and the absence of a control group. It also was an open-label project, meaning that both researchers and participants knew what treatment was being administered.
The study was supported through the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration Program within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, as well as through a grant from The Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation, Inc. to the Department of Neurology at Wake Forest Baptist. More information about this research program can be found at www.wakehealth.edu/HIRREM.
Co-authors include: Jared F. Cook, M.A., Catherine L. Tegeler, B.S., Hossam A. Shaltout, Ph.D., Sean L. Simpson, Ph.D., of Wake Forest Baptist; and Lee Gerdes and Sung W. Lee, M.D., of Brain State Technologies.
Source: Newswise
Gut Microbiome May Cause Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Stress and emotions can change the composition of the gut microbiome. Research discovered role of the gut microbiome in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Advertisement
Symptoms can include insomnia, poor concentration, sadness, re-experiencing traumatic events, irritability or hyper-alertness, as well as diminished autonomic cardiovascular regulation.
The neurotechnology used in this study - High-resolution, relational, resonance-based, electroencephalic mirroring (HIRREM) - is a noninvasive, closed-loop, acoustic stimulation approach, in which computer software algorithms translate specific brain frequencies into audible tones in real time.
Figuratively speaking, this provides a chance for the brain to listen to itself through an acoustic mirror, Tegeler said. Likely through resonance between brain frequencies and the acoustic stimulation, the brain is supported to make self-adjustments towards improved balance and reduced hyperarousal, with no conscious, cognitive activity required. The net effect is to support the brain to reset stress response patterns that have been rewired by repetitive traumatic events, physical or nonphysical.
HIRREM is a registered trademark of Brain State Technologies based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has been licensed to Wake Forest Baptist for collaborative research since 2011.
In this single-site study, 18 service members or recent veterans, who experienced symptoms over one to 25 years, received an average of 19½ HIRREM sessions over 12 days. Symptom data were collected before and after the study sessions, and follow-up online interviews were conducted at one-, three- and six-month intervals. In addition, heart rate and blood pressure readings were recorded after the first and second visits to analyze downstream autonomic balance with heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity.
"We observed reductions in post-traumatic symptoms, including insomnia, depressive mood and anxiety that were durable through six months after the use of HIRREM, but additional research is needed to confirm these initial findings," he said.
"This study is also the first to report improvement in heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity - physiological responses to stress - after the use of an intervention for service members or veterans with ongoing symptoms of post-traumatic stress."
Limitations of the study include the small number of participants and the absence of a control group. It also was an open-label project, meaning that both researchers and participants knew what treatment was being administered.
The study was supported through the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration Program within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, as well as through a grant from The Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation, Inc. to the Department of Neurology at Wake Forest Baptist. More information about this research program can be found at www.wakehealth.edu/HIRREM.
Co-authors include: Jared F. Cook, M.A., Catherine L. Tegeler, B.S., Hossam A. Shaltout, Ph.D., Sean L. Simpson, Ph.D., of Wake Forest Baptist; and Lee Gerdes and Sung W. Lee, M.D., of Brain State Technologies.
Source: Newswise
MiRNA Expression Linked to Changes in Combat Veterans With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder. Changes in blood-based miRNA in veterans affected with combat-related PTSD
Advertisement
 Is There a Link Between Dementia and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder?Individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder are more prone to acquiring Alzheimer's disease later in their lives. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Readings
Latest Research News
New study sheds light on the intrinsic, yet often overlooked, role of sleep preparation as a hardwired survival strategy.
Microgravity-induced bone loss in space, can be reduced by systemic delivery of NELL-1, a protein required for bone growth and its maintenance.
Researchers establish connections between Alzheimer's-linked genetic alterations and the functioning of brain cells.
Team at NeuroRestore introduces a groundbreaking gene therapy that has effectively promoted nerve regrowth and reconnection, post spinal cord injury.
Scientists aim to pinpoint particular functional pathways affected by these bacteria that may have an impact on skeletal health.
