ABSTRACT

Background

While difficulties regulating emotions are almost ubiquitous after traumatic brain injury (TBI), remediation techniques are limited. Heart-rate variability (HRV) is a physiological measure of emotion regulation and can be modified using biofeedback training. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of repeated biofeedback training for improving emotion regulation difficulties following TBI.

Design

Fifty adults with severe TBI were allocated to either biofeedback or waitlist conditions. Treatment consisted of six biofeedback sessions whereby participants were taught to breathe at their resonant frequency. Outcomes included changes in physiological and subjective reactivity to anger-induction, emotional well-being, and physiology at rest, together with symptoms of psychological distress and sleep disturbances (ACTRN12618002031246).

Results

While biofeedback led to reduced skin conductance, it did not affect any other objective or subjective response to the mood induction procedure. Biofeedback led to fewer sleep disturbances, and reduced negative mood valence and depression during follow-up.

Conclusions

HRV biofeedback training is a feasible technique following TBI that transfers to improved symptoms of general emotional well-being, psychological distress, and sleep. Biofeedback does not transfer to a laboratory-based emotional provocation task. HRV biofeedback training may represent a novel adjunct for generalized emotional difficulties following injury.

中文翻译：

---

严重创伤性脑损伤后的情绪调节：心率变异性生物反馈训练的随机对照试验

摘要

背景

虽然创伤性脑损伤 (TBI) 后情绪调节困难几乎无处不在，但补救技术是有限的。心率变异性 (HRV) 是情绪调节的生理指标，可以使用生物反馈训练进行修改。本研究的目的是评估重复生物反馈训练对改善 TBI 后情绪调节困难的功效。

设计

五十名患有严重 TBI 的成年人被分配到生物反馈或候补名单条件。治疗包括六个生物反馈会议，参与者被教导以他们的共振频率呼吸。结果包括对愤怒诱发的生理和主观反应的变化、情绪健康和休息时的生理机能，以及心理困扰和睡眠障碍的症状 (ACTRN12618002031246)。

结果

虽然生物反馈导致皮肤电导降低，但它不会影响对情绪诱导程序的任何其他客观或主观反应。生物反馈减少了睡眠障碍，并减少了随访期间的负面情绪效价和抑郁。

结论

HRV 生物反馈训练是 TBI 之后的一种可行技术，可转移到改善一般情绪健康、心理困扰和睡眠的症状。生物反馈不会转移到基于实验室的情绪挑衅任务。HRV 生物反馈训练可能代表受伤后普遍情绪困难的一种新辅助手段。