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Noninvasive technology improves PTSD symptoms

A closed-loop, allostatic, acoustic stimulation neurotechnology improved posttraumatic stress symptoms among individuals who reported high levels of stress.

“The effects of chronic stress are killing people and the medical profession has not yet found an answer for how best to treat them,” Charles H. Tegeler, MD, of Wake Forest School of Medicine, said in a press release. “We believe there is a need for effective, noninvasive, nondrug therapies for symptoms of posttraumatic stress, which is why we conducted this trial.”

Charles H. Tegeler

To assess efficacy of closed-loop, allostatic, acoustic stimulation neurotechnology for individuals with posttraumatic stress, researchers evaluated 19 individuals who reported high scores on the PTSD Checklist (PCL). Brain activity was monitored noninvasively at high spectral resolutions, with software algorithms translating selected brain frequencies into acoustic stimuli that were delivered back to participants in real time. Participants completed symptom measures before and after the intervention and a subset had their blood pressure recorded for heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity. Study participants had a mean age of 47 years. A median of 16 sessions occurred over 16.5 days.

Following the intervention, 89% of the cohort reported clinically significant decreases in posttraumatic stress symptoms, indicated by at least a 10-point change in PCL scores.

Participants with a rightward or leftward dominant baseline asymmetry in temporal lobe high frequency activity exhibited statistically significant reductions in asymmetry scores during the first four sessions.

Heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity statistically significantly increased.

Researchers observed no adverse events.

“This study found that individuals with self-reported symptoms of posttraumatic stress who undertook use of a closed-loop, allostatic, acoustic stimulation neurotechnology, reported significant reductions in clinical symptomatology that were accompanied by reductions in temporal lobe high frequency electrical asymmetry, and increased heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity,” the researchers wrote. “These improvements, in conjunction with the absence of adverse events or significant drop-outs, suggest that neurotechnology-assisted auto calibration of neural oscillations holds promise as an innovative therapeutic strategy for individuals with symptoms related to posttraumatic stress.” – by Amanda Oldt

Disclosure: Tegeler reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for a full list of relevant financial disclosures.