Suchergebnisse

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Brain asymmetries are reported in posttraumatic stress disorder, but many aspects of laterality and traumatic stress remain underexplored. This study explores lateralization changes in resting state brain network functional connectivity in a cohort with symptoms of military-related traumatic stress, associated with use of a closed-loop neurotechnology, HIRREM. METHODS: Eighteen participants (17 males, mean age 41 years [SD = 7]) received 19.5 (1.1) HIRREM sessions over 12 days. Whole brain resting magnetic resonance imaging was done pre- and post-HIRREM. Laterality of functional connectivity was assessed on a whole brain basis, and in six predefined networks or regions. Laterality of connectivity within networks or regions was assessed separately from laterality of connections between networks or regions. RESULTS: Before HIRREM, significant laterality effects of connection type (ipsilateral for either side, or contralateral in either direction) were observed for the whole brain, within networks or regions, and between networks or regions. Post-HIRREM, there were significant changes for within-network or within-region analysis in the motor network, and changes for between-network or between-region analyses for the salience network and the motor cortex. CONCLUSIONS: Among military service members and Veterans with symptoms of traumatic stress, asymmetries of network and brain region connectivity patterns were identified prior to usage of HIRREM. A variety of changes in lateralized patterns of brain connectivity were identified postintervention. These laterality findings may inform future studies of brain connectivity in traumatic stress disorders, with potential to point to mechanisms of action for successful intervention.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Post‐traumatic stress disorder is associated with connectivity changes in the default mode, central executive, and salience networks, and other brain regions. This study evaluated changes in network connectivity associated with usage of High‐resolution, relational, resonance‐based electroencephalic mirroring (HIRREM(®); Brain State Technologies, Scottsdale, AZ), a closed‐loop, allostatic, acoustic stimulation neurotechnology, for military‐related traumatic stress. METHODS: Eighteen participants (17 males, mean age 41 years [SD = 7], 15 active duty) enrolled in an IRB approved pilot trial for symptoms of military‐related traumatic stress. Participants received 19.5 (1.1) HIRREM sessions over 12 days. Symptoms, physiological and functional measures, and whole brain resting MRI were collected before and after HIRREM. Six whole brain functional networks were evaluated using summary variables and community structure of predefined networks. Pre to postintervention change was analyzed using paired‐sample statistical tests. RESULTS: Postintervention, there was an overall increase in connectivity of the default mode network (P = .0094). There were decreases of community structure in both the anterior portion of the default mode (medial prefrontal cortex, P = .0097) and in the sensorimotor (P = .005) network. There were no statistically significant changes at the whole brain level, or in the central executive, salience, or other networks analyzed. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in clinical symptoms, as well as autonomic cardiovascular regulation, which have been reported previously. CONCLUSIONS: Use of closed‐loop, allostatic, acoustic stimulation neurotechnology (HIRREM) was associated with connectivity changes in the default mode and sensorimotor networks, in directions that may have explained the subjects' clinical improvements.