Title | Pilot Trial of a Noninvasive Closed-Loop Neurotechnology for Stress-Related Symptoms in Law Enforcement: Improvements in Self-Reported Symptoms and Autonomic Function. | ||
Author | Tegeler, Catherine L; Shaltout, Hossam A; Lee, Sung W; Simpson, Sean L; Gerdes, Lee; Tegeler, Charles H | ||
Journal | Glob Adv Health Med | Publication Year/Month | 2020 |
PMID | 32426179 | PMCID | PMC7218336 |
Affiliation + expend | 1.Department of Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. |
BACKGROUND: Law enforcement officers have decreased life expectancy, attributed to work-related exposure to traumatic stress and circadian disruption. Autonomic dysregulation is reported with traumatic stress and chronic insomnia. OBJECTIVE: We explore potential benefits for reduced symptoms related to stress and insomnia and improved autonomic function associated with open label use of high-resolution, relational, resonance-based, electroencephalic mirroring (HIRREM(R)), in a cohort of sworn law enforcement personnel. METHODS: Closed-loop noninvasive therapies utilizing real-time monitoring offer a patient-centric approach for brain-based intervention. HIRREM(R) is a noninvasive, closed-loop, allostatic, neurotechnology that echoes specific brain frequencies in real time as audible tones to support self-optimization of brain rhythms. Self-report symptom inventories done before and after HIRREM included insomnia (ISI), depression (CES-D), traumatic stress (PCL-C), anxiety (GAD-7), perceived stress (PSS), and quality of life (EQ-5D). Ten-minute recordings of heart rate and blood pressure allowed analysis of baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and heart rate variability (HRV). RESULTS: Fifteen participants (1 female), mean (SD) age 45.7 (5.6), received 12.2 (2.7) HIRREM sessions, over 7.9 in-office days. Data were collected at baseline, and at 22.8 (9.2), and 67.2 (14.1) days after intervention. All symptom inventories improved significantly (P < .01), with durability for 2 months after completion of the intervention. The use of HIRREM was also associated with significant increases (P < .001) in HRV measured as rMSSD and BRS measured by high-frequency alpha index. There were no serious adverse events or drop outs. CONCLUSION: These pilot data provide the first report of significant symptom reductions, and associated improvement in measures of autonomic cardiovascular regulation, with the use of HIRREM in a cohort of law enforcement personnel. Randomized clinical trials are warranted.