Citation

Polich G, Gray S, Tran D, Morales-Quezada L, Glenn M. Brain Inj. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/02699052.2020.1802781

PMID

32783645

Abstract

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated whether a meditation practice incorporating mobile neurofeedback (mNF) offers any advantage over a more traditional form of focused attention (FA) meditation in managing persistent symptoms after traumatic brain injury (TBI) (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02615535).

RESEARCH DESIGN: Pilot randomized clinical trial, exploring feasibility of mNF in TBI.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Participants included adults with chronic mood and/or cognitive complaints following mild-moderate TBI. Subjects practiced either FA (n = 10) or mNF (n = 10) meditation 12 minutes daily for 6 weeks. Pre-post intervention difference on the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) was the primary outcome variable. Secondary outcomes included the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), amongst other scales and neurocognitive tests.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: No significant pre-post between-group differences were found on the NSI (p =.838) nor other assessments. In an exploratory analysis combining FA and mNF data, meditation was associated with significant improvements on the NSI (p =.04), BAI (p =.012) and BDI (p =.037).

CONCLUSIONS: Meditating with neurofeedback does not appear to provide an advantage over meditating on one's own for chronic post-TBI symptoms. Further research on home-based meditation following TBI, whether self-directed or technologically facilitated, is warranted.

Language: en

Keywords

Traumatic brain injury; depression; anxiety; meditation; neurofeedback