Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trial
ObjectivePost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, negative mood, and avoidant behaviors. Therapies involving mindfulness have been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms and modulate brain function. Pharmacological and brain stimulation interventions are a...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1494567/full |
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| author | Kaveh Rayani Andrea Grabovac Peter Chan Peter Chan Stefanie Montgomery Mohammad-Reza Ghovanloo Matthew D. Sacchet |
| author_facet | Kaveh Rayani Andrea Grabovac Peter Chan Peter Chan Stefanie Montgomery Mohammad-Reza Ghovanloo Matthew D. Sacchet |
| author_sort | Kaveh Rayani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectivePost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, negative mood, and avoidant behaviors. Therapies involving mindfulness have been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms and modulate brain function. Pharmacological and brain stimulation interventions are also effective for treating PTSD. Non-invasive repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been shown to regulate mood and improve PTSD symptoms.MethodsThis is a retrospective chart analysis of data collected pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at three-month follow-up in a single-site, double-blind, sham-controlled trial of right DLPFC rTMS. 31 participants diagnosed with PTSD were recruited for this pilot study. Over two weeks, 19 participants received ten sessions of either 1 Hz or 10 Hz stimulation, and nine received sham treatment.ResultsParticipants in the rTMS group had a significant reduction in total Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) scores from baseline to post-treatment, this difference was no longer observed when a false discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied. However, a significant improvement was observed in the rTMS group from baseline to the three-month follow-up in total FFMQ score and nonreactivity. This change in mindfulness scores suggests a potential delay in onset of benefits.ConclusionsBased on our preliminary data, rTMS may improve levels of dispositional mindfulness and its specific subcomponents. Future studies could investigate brain stimulation to assess its utility for improving mindfulness and related health outcomes to reduce suffering related to PTSD. Moreover, application of this neurostimulation modality for improving mental illness and well-being more generally merits further exploration.Clinical trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/study, identifier NCT01806168. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-59e38cd50a8b4ebbb1af6677f7e936ba |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-59e38cd50a8b4ebbb1af6677f7e936ba2025-08-20T02:29:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-04-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.14945671494567Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trialKaveh Rayani0Andrea Grabovac1Peter Chan2Peter Chan3Stefanie Montgomery4Mohammad-Reza Ghovanloo5Matthew D. Sacchet6Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaNeurostimulation Program, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDepartment of Neurology, Center for Neuroscience and Regeneration Research, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, Meditation Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United StatesObjectivePost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, negative mood, and avoidant behaviors. Therapies involving mindfulness have been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms and modulate brain function. Pharmacological and brain stimulation interventions are also effective for treating PTSD. Non-invasive repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been shown to regulate mood and improve PTSD symptoms.MethodsThis is a retrospective chart analysis of data collected pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at three-month follow-up in a single-site, double-blind, sham-controlled trial of right DLPFC rTMS. 31 participants diagnosed with PTSD were recruited for this pilot study. Over two weeks, 19 participants received ten sessions of either 1 Hz or 10 Hz stimulation, and nine received sham treatment.ResultsParticipants in the rTMS group had a significant reduction in total Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) scores from baseline to post-treatment, this difference was no longer observed when a false discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied. However, a significant improvement was observed in the rTMS group from baseline to the three-month follow-up in total FFMQ score and nonreactivity. This change in mindfulness scores suggests a potential delay in onset of benefits.ConclusionsBased on our preliminary data, rTMS may improve levels of dispositional mindfulness and its specific subcomponents. Future studies could investigate brain stimulation to assess its utility for improving mindfulness and related health outcomes to reduce suffering related to PTSD. Moreover, application of this neurostimulation modality for improving mental illness and well-being more generally merits further exploration.Clinical trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/study, identifier NCT01806168.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1494567/fullmindfulnessrTMSPTSDdorsolateral prefrontal cortexFFMQ |
| spellingShingle | Kaveh Rayani Andrea Grabovac Peter Chan Peter Chan Stefanie Montgomery Mohammad-Reza Ghovanloo Matthew D. Sacchet Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trial Frontiers in Psychiatry mindfulness rTMS PTSD dorsolateral prefrontal cortex FFMQ |
| title | Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trial |
| title_full | Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trial |
| title_fullStr | Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trial |
| title_short | Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trial |
| title_sort | brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in ptsd an exploratory sham controlled rtms trial |
| topic | mindfulness rTMS PTSD dorsolateral prefrontal cortex FFMQ |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1494567/full |
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