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Mindfulness therapy improves PTSD symptoms in male combat veterans

PHILADELPHIA — Mindfulness therapy may be a valuable therapeutic option for PTSD in combat veterans, according to data presented at the Anxiety and Depression Association of America annual conference.

“The brain findings suggest that mindfulness training may have helped the veterans develop more capacity to shift their attention and get themselves out of being ‘stuck’ in painful cycles of thoughts,” Anthony King, PhD, of the VA Ann Arbor Health Care System and the University of Michigan, said in a press release.

To assess neural correlates of mindfulness training in combat veterans with PTSD, researchers assigned male Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans with PTSD to mindfulness-based exposure therapy (n = 14) or active control group therapy (n = 9). Functional MRI was conducted prior to and following therapy to examine resting-state functional connectivity in default mode network using posterior cingulate cortex and ventral medial prefrontal cortex seeds and salience network using anatomical amygdala seeds. PTSD was assessed pre- and post-therapy via the Clinician-Administered PTSD scale.

PTSD symptoms were reduced among participants who received mindfulness-based exposure therapy, though the effect was not significantly different from controls.

Researchers observed increased resting-state functional connectivity in the default mode network using posterior cingulate cortex seeds in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex regions was associated with executive control following mindfulness therapy.

Participants who received mindfulness therapy had increased connectivity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex following therapy.

Posterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex connectivity correlated with improvement in PTSD avoidant and hyperarousal symptoms.

“We were surprised by the findings, because there is thinking that segregation between the default mode network and the salience network is good,” King said in the release. “But now we are hopeful that this brain signature of increased connection to areas associated with volitional attention shifting at rest may be helpful for managing PTSD, and may help patients have more capacity to help themselves get out of being stuck in painful ruts of trauma memories and rumination.” – by Amanda Oldt

Reference:

King AP, et al. Depress Anxiety. 2016;doi:10.1002/da.22481. Presented at: Anxiety and Depression Association of America Conference; March 31-April 3, 2016; Philadelphia.

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