After psychological trauma, recurrent intrusive visual memories may be distressing and disruptive. Preventive interventions post trauma are lacking. Here we test a behavioural intervention after real-life trauma derived from cognitive neuroscience. We hypothesized that intrusive memories would be significantly reduced in number by an intervention involving a computer game with high visuospatial demands (Tetris), via disrupting consolidation of sensory elements of trauma memory. The Tetris-based intervention (trauma memory reminder cue plus c. 20 min game play) vs attention-placebo control (written activity log for same duration) were both delivered in an emergency department within 6 h of a motor vehicle accident. The randomized controlled trial compared the impact on the number of intrusive trauma memories in the subsequent week (primary outcome). Results vindicated the efficacy of the Tetris-based intervention compared with the control condition: there were fewer intrusive memories overall, and time-series analyses showed that intrusion incidence declined more quickly. There were convergent findings on a measure of clinical post-trauma intrusion symptoms at 1 week, but not on other symptom clusters or at 1 month. Results of this proof-of-concept study suggest that a larger trial, powered to detect differences at 1 month, is warranted. Participants found the intervention easy, helpful and minimally distressing. By translating emerging neuroscientific insights and experimental research into the real world, we offer a promising new low-intensity psychiatric intervention that could prevent debilitating intrusive memories following trauma.

中文翻译：

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通过在急诊室进行涉及俄罗斯方块计算机游戏的简短干预来预防创伤后的侵入性记忆：概念验证随机对照试验。

心理创伤后，反复出现的侵入性视觉记忆可能令人痛苦和破坏性。缺乏创伤后的预防性干预措施。在这里，我们测试了源自认知神经科学的现实创伤后的行为干预。我们假设通过破坏创伤记忆的感觉元素的整合，涉及具有高视觉空间需求的电脑游戏 (俄罗斯方块) 的干预，侵入性记忆的数量会显着减少。基于俄罗斯方块的干预（创伤记忆提示加上 c. 20 分钟的游戏）与注意力安慰剂控制（相同持续时间的书面活动日志）均在机动车事故发生后 6 小时内在急诊室进行。随机对照试验比较了对随后一周侵入性创伤记忆数量的影响（主要结果）。结果证实了基于俄罗斯方块的干预与对照条件相比的有效性：总体而言，侵入性记忆较少，时间序列分析表明侵入发生率下降得更快。在 1 周时临床创伤后侵入症状的测量结果趋同，但在其他症状群或 1 个月时没有。这项概念验证研究的结果表明，有必要进行一项更大的试验，以便在 1 个月时检测出差异。参与者发现干预很容易，有帮助，而且痛苦最小。通过将新兴的神经科学见解和实验研究转化为现实世界，我们提供了一种有前途的新型低强度精神病干预措施，可以防止创伤后使人衰弱的侵入性记忆。