Mechanic pathways of mindfulness meditation in post-traumatic stress disorder.

创伤后应激障碍中正念冥想的机械途径。

基本信息

批准号：
7692955
负责人：
Helane O Wahbeh
金额：
$ 13.3万
依托单位：
OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
财政年份：
2008
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2008-09-30 至 2013-07-31
项目状态：
已结题

项目摘要

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall goals of the proposed project are 1) to develop Dr. Helane Wahbeh into an independent complementary and alternative physician researcher; and 2) to conduct a clinical research trial in mind-body medicine evaluating mechanisms of action. Dr. Wahbeh will develop her knowledge base, experience and skill in four key areas through mentored training: 1) design and implementation of randomized controlled trials; 2) neuroscience and collecting and analyzing electrophysiological data, 3) biostatistics, and 4) mindfulness meditation. The long term goal of the research training plan is to discover the mechanism of action of meditation therapy and thus improve its effective use. As a first step, the study will serve as a model study to carefully separate the mechanistic pathways of meditation components. The primary objectives of the proposed study are to evaluate two common parts of meditation, mindfulness and slowed breathing, and to characterize the mechanism by which they may affect clinical outcomes. In a randomized controlled trial, 100 veterans with PTSD will be allocated one of four groups 1) mindfulness meditation, 2) slowed breathing, 3) mindfulness meditation and slowed breathing, or 4) a sitting quietly control group. The participants will have one 20 minute laboratory session each week for six weeks with 20 minutes of daily home practice between sessions. Measures will be assessed before and after the intervention period. The specific aims are to assess the mechanism of action of meditation by observing differences among groups on measures within three physiological systems: the autonomic nervous system, frontal cortex activity, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We hypothesize that slowed breathing alone will affect autonomic nervous system measures and reduce hyper-arousal symptoms, whereas mindfulness meditation will influence cognitive function through frontal cortex activity and decreased intrusive thoughts. We predict that the combination of slowed breathing with the mindfulness component will show both autonomic and frontal cortex activity effects and that all interventions will influence the downstream pathway of HPA axis activity. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The study is important to public health because meditation is widely used without knowing exactly how it works. The study will help clinicians prescribe different types of meditation therapy to appropriate patient groups more effectively and adapt pieces of meditation therapy to match the illness being treated. Also, further clinical research is needed on treatments for veterans with PTSD, whom are a rapidly growing group.

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议项目的总体目标是1）将Helane Wahbeh博士发展成独立的补充和替代医师研究人员； 2）进行心理医学评估作用机制的临床研究试验。 Wahbeh博士将通过指导培训在四个关键领域发展自己的知识库，经验和技能：1）设计和实施随机对照试验； 2）神经科学和收集和分析电生理数据，3）生物统计学和4）正念冥想。研究培训计划的长期目标是发现冥想疗法的作用机理，从而改善其有效使用。作为第一步，该研究将作为模型研究，以仔细分离冥想成分的机械途径。拟议的研究的主要目标是评估冥想的两个共同部分，正念和呼吸缓慢，并表征它们可能影响临床结果的机制。在一项随机对照试验中，有100名具有PTSD的退伍军人将被分配为四组之一1）正念冥想，2）呼吸缓慢，3）正念冥想和呼吸缓慢，或4）静静对照组。参与者将每周进行一次20分钟的实验室课程，持续六周，并在两次会议之间进行20分钟的每日家庭练习。干预期之前和之后将评估措施。具体的目的是通过观察三个生理系统中的措施之间的差异来评估冥想的作用机理：自主神经系统，额叶皮层活性和下丘脑 - 垂体 - 肾上腺肾上腺（HPA）轴。我们假设单独呼吸减慢将影响自主神经系统的措施并减轻过度症状，而正念冥想将通过额叶皮层活动和侵入性思想降低影响认知功能。我们预测，放缓的呼吸与正念成分的组合将显示出自主神经和额叶的活动效应，并且所有干预措施都会影响HPA轴活动的下游途径。公共卫生相关性：这项研究对公共卫生很重要，因为冥想被广泛使用而不知道其工作原理。该研究将帮助临床医生对适当的患者组开出不同类型的冥想疗法，并适应冥想疗法以匹配所治疗的疾病。此外，还需要对具有快速发展群体的PTSD的退伍军人治疗进行进一步的临床研究。