OBJECTIVES: Little is known about who benefits most from Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), and whether certain groups differentially benefit from different types of MBI formats (group-based versus non-group based). The present study uses data from a three-arm randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTials.gov ID: NCT04526158) of two MBIs (self-paced and group) to test moderating effects by...
Meditation-based interventions are novel and effective non-pharmacologic treatments for veterans with PTSD. We examined relationships between treatment response, early life trauma exposure, DNA polymorphisms, and methylation in the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) and FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5) genes. DNA samples and clinical outcomes were examined in 72 veterans with PTSD who received...
Importance Although mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are evidence-based treatments for chronic pain and comorbid conditions, implementing them at scale poses many challenges, such as the need for dedicated space and trained instructors. Objective To examine group and self-paced, scalable, telehealth MBIs, for veterans with chronic pain, compared to usual care. Design, Setting, and...
The 2023 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of PTSD recommends individual, manualized trauma-focused such as Prolonged Exposure (PE) over pharmacologic interventions for the primary treatment of PTSD. Unfortunately, clinical trials of trauma-based therapies in the military and veteran population showed that 30% to 50% of patients did not demonstrate clinically meaningful...
This study evaluates the effects of treatment with mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) compared to the active control, present-centered group therapy (PCGT), on morning plasma cortisol, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a post hoc exploratory analysis, we pooled biomarkers and clinical outcomes of...
BACKGROUND Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are evidence-based nonpharmacological treatments for treating chronic pain. However, the predominant MBI, mindfulness-based stress reduction, has features that pose significant implementation barriers. OBJECTIVES This study will test two approaches to delivering MBIs for improving Veterans' chronic pain and mental health comorbidities. These two...
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a mental technique using a mantra to facilitate meditation. TM has a potential for treating symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but its clinical efficacy remains to be clarified. This pilot study evaluated the acceptability, preliminary effectiveness, and neurophysiology of TM for veterans with PTSD. Twenty-nine veterans (20.7% female) were...
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for veterans with PTSD. Extensive work has identified epigenetic factors related to PTSD disease risk and pathophysiology, but how these factors influence treatment response is unclear. Serotonin signaling and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis functioning may be perturbed in PTSD and are molecular...