Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Physiological Response to Unpredictable Stimuli

NCT ID: NCT03206437

Last Updated: 2022-12-23

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

45 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2017-06-20

Study Completion Date

2022-11-25

Brief Summary

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This study will evaluate the effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on physiological reactivity. This study will focus on individuals with anxiety who will participate in an 8-week MBSR class. The investigators will test participants' reactivity to both predictable and unpredictable stimuli before and after the class to understand the physiological changes that may occur after to the intervention. Secondary measures include psychometric instruments and a delay discounting task.

Detailed Description

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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a manualized, systematic training in mindfulness meditation that has been found to have beneficial health effects, such as decreased stress and anxiety. The current protocol aims to examine the effects of MBSR on several physiological and behavioral measures in people with anxiety disorders, which may help us understand the effects of the intervention on anxiety. The investigators will use the NPU task as developed by the NIH, which measures an individual's response to threatening stimuli (mild shock) paired with non-threatening stimuli (geometric shapes). Individuals with anxiety disorders will be recruited to participate in this study, and will be randomized to a control (waitlist) or MBSR intervention group. Other secondary measures will examine the effects of mindfulness meditation on decision-making, and stress and anxiety symptoms.

Conditions

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Anxiety Disorders Generalized Anxiety Disorder Social Anxiety Disorder Panic Disorder Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Agoraphobia Simple Phobia

Keywords

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mindfulness meditation

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Investigators Outcome Assessors
Since this study is focusing on a mind-body skill as a treatment it will be impossible to mask the participant.

Study Groups

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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

This group will take the 8 week MBSR course within 4 weeks of their first testing visit. When the course is finished they will come in for their second testing visit. The course meets once a week in person for 2.5 hours and participants are expected to do practices at home.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The MBSR course teaches mindfulness meditation skills. This 8-week course meets in person once a week for 2.5 hours. Participants are expected to complete practice assignments at home.

Waitlist

The wait-list group will not participate in the MBSR course within 4 weeks of their first testing visit. They will wait 8-16 weeks and come on for a second testing visit. After their data is collected they will be offered an MBSR course to take.

Group Type OTHER

Waitlist

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

This group will wait 8-16 weeks after their first testing visit and after their second study visit is completed they will be able to participate in an 8-week MBSR course.

Interventions

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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

The MBSR course teaches mindfulness meditation skills. This 8-week course meets in person once a week for 2.5 hours. Participants are expected to complete practice assignments at home.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Waitlist

This group will wait 8-16 weeks after their first testing visit and after their second study visit is completed they will be able to participate in an 8-week MBSR course.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Men and women from 18-65 years of age.
2. Have an anxiety disorder, including: social anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), agoraphobia, or simple phobia.
3. Must understand study procedure and willing to participate in 2 testing visits, and MBSR course as assigned.
4. Participants must be able to give informed consent to the study procedures.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Subjects experiencing a current depressive episode or other axis I psychiatric disorders such as psychotic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, current eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and current substance use disorders.
2. Lack of measurable eye blink/eye twitch response (3 times the baseline eye blink muscle activity as measured by electromyography) for at least 5 of 9 startles used during the habituation visit.
3. A serious medical condition that may result in surgery or hospitalization.
4. Subjects who will be non-compliant with the study procedures. This may include planned travel out of town.
5. Women who are pregnant.
6. Current evidence of median nerve entrapment or carpal tunnel syndrome.
7. Subject who has resting blood pressure outside of a systolic blood pressure range of 90-140 mmHg, or a diastolic blood pressure outside a range of 50-90 mmHg on two consecutive measurements, taken up to 10 minutes apart.
8. Subjects taking benzodiazepines, barbiturates, antidepressants, antipsychotics, or sedative medications
9. Subjects currently receiving concomitant psychotherapy directed at treating anxiety symptoms (i.e. CBT).
10. Individuals with implanted electronic devices, such as a cardiac pacemaker.
11. Individuals who have completed a full course of MBSR, an equivalent meditation training, or have a daily meditation practice.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Georgetown University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Elizabeth A Hoge

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Georgetown University

Locations

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Georgetown University Medical Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Schmitz A, Grillon C. Assessing fear and anxiety in humans using the threat of predictable and unpredictable aversive events (the NPU-threat test). Nat Protoc. 2012 Feb 23;7(3):527-32. doi: 10.1038/nprot.2012.001.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 22362158 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2017-0698

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id