Neurophysiological Mechanisms of Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)

Summary

In brief, ART is an innovative "mind-body" (body-centric) psychotherapy that makes use of established core components of trauma-focused therapy including imaginal exposure and imagery rescripting to promote memory reconsolidation, all facilitated as the patient is directed by the therapist to perform sets of lateral left-right eye movements similar to rapid eye movements (REM). The investigators propose to investigate how ART may directly influence heart rate variability (HRV), EEG power spectral densities, and sleep architecture in three aims. At the broadest level, the investigators postulate that both within individual ART sessions, and across the full course of treatment (e.g. up to 4 sessions), ART results in a profound shift from sympathetic (arousal) to parasympathetic (rest) nervous system balance, and that this shift can be reliably measured by neurophysiological assessment using electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement.

Conditions

• Depressive Symptoms
• Stress Disorder, Acute
• Prolonged Grief Disorder
• Alcohol Abuse
• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Accelerated Resolution Therapy

The ART protocol first uses the technique of imaginal exposure to elicit physiological reactions associated with patient recall from beginning to end (verbally or non-verbally) of a traumatic/distressing experience. As physiological reactions emerge, the participant is directed to focus their attention on the specific body-centric reactions while laterally performing smooth pursuit eye movements which are achieved by tracking the clinician's hand which oscillates from left-to-right at a short distance from the participant's eyes. Then the participant is directed to imagine a positive way in which they prefer to recall their experience(s), including emphasis on "replacing" negative images in the brain with positive images. This technique is based on the process of memory reconsolidation, which allows for "adding" of positive material to the recall of negative, highly emotional past experiences.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of South Florida

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Kevin E Kip, PhD · University of South Florida

• Paula L Cairns, PhD · University of South Florida

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-11-01

Primary Completion

2020-04-30

Completion

2020-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations