Abstract
Objective: Evaluate changes in network connectivity on fMRI associated with the use of High-resolution, relational, resonance-based, electroencephalic mirroring (HIRREM®), among subjects enrolled in a pilot study for symptoms of military-related traumatic stress (MTS). Background: Traumatic stress is a major concern in military populations. HIRREM is a closed-loop acoustic stimulation technology that identifies dominant brain frequencies and translates them in real time into audible tones of variable pitch and timing, to support self-optimization of brain activity. We report interim pre and post-HIRREM fMRI results in 12 subjects with symptoms of MTS. Methods: Twelve male service members (10) or Veterans (2), median age 43.5 (29-50), with symptoms of MTS lasting from 2-12 years, received 20 (17-21) HIRREM sessions over 12 days. Outcomes included resting brain MRI for network connectivity analysis. Results: Interim network analysis was performed on whole-brain, resting MRI data, with a focus on the Central Executive Network (CEN), Salience Network (SN), and Default Mode Network (DMN), community structure. Intervention-related trends are seen in all networks. Overall the DMN had the highest consistency across the group for the three sub-networks, and also exhibited intervention-related reductions in frontal connectivity and increases in posterior connectivity. The CEN showed an overall increase in connectivity throughout the network following the intervention. The SN exhibited substantial increases in the connectivity to the frontal lobes and reduced connectivity to insula. A permutation statistic showed statistical trends for changes in all three networks (DMN, p = 0.11, CEN, p = 0.059, and SN, p = 0.14). Conclusions: These interim results suggest substantial shifts in connectivity across three key large-scale brain networks associated with the use of HIRREM. Confirmation of these findings in this, and future studies, may provide important insights into functional changes associated with beneficial effects of HIRREM, as well as functional disturbances underlying MTS.
Disclosure: Dr. Tegeler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tegeler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cook has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lee has received personal compensation for with activities with Brain State Technologies, LLC., as an employee. Dr. Shaltout has nothing to disclose. Dr. Laurienti has nothing to disclose.
Monday, April 18 2016, 1:00 pm-5:30 pm
- Copyright © 2016 by AAN Enterprises, Inc.
Disputes & Debates: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
If you are uploading a letter concerning an article:
You must have updated your disclosures within six months: http://submit.neurology.org
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.