Bifocal emotion regulation through acupoint tapping in fear of flying

Enhancing emotion regulation: investigating the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation at PC6 in reducing fear of heights

This study investigated the impact of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) at Neiguan acupoint (PC6) on the physiological and behavioral responses of participants exposed in virtual height. 40 participants were included in the study and were randomly assigned to either a control group or an intervention group. Participants had an immersive experience with a VR interactive platform that provided somatosensory interaction in height stimulation scenes. Psychological scores, behavioral and cognitive performance, and physiological responses were recorded and analyzed. The results indicated that the intervention group had significantly lower fear scores compared to the control group. Analysis of heart rate variability revealed that the intervention group exhibited improved heart rate variability, indicating enhanced cardiovascular function and emotion regulation. The behavioral and cognitive results demonstrated that the intervention group exhibited higher left eye openness, faster reaction times, and greater movement distance, suggesting enhanced attentional focus, cognitive processing, and reduced avoidance behaviors. These findings suggest that TEAS at PC6 can effectively reduce fear and improve the regulation of physiological and behavioral responses to negative emotional stimuli.

Emotional freedom techniques for treating post traumatic stress disorder: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is a psychophysiological intervention that includes cognitive and somatic elements, utilizing techniques from both Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE). Because only a single meta-analysis existed examining EFT for PTSD, this systematic review and meta-analysis represents an update.

Method

Ten databases were searched for quantitative reviews and randomised clinical trials, and six met inclusion criteria.

Results

Study quality and effect size were evaluated and the results demonstrated that treatment with Clinical EFT, when compared to wait list, usual care, or no treatment controls, resulted in significant and large effect sizes, ranging from 1.38 to 2.51. When compared to active controls, effect sizes ranged from -0.15 to 0.79, producing treatment results similar to other evidence-based therapies.

Discussion

Limitations are presented and considerations for further research are proposed.

Efficacy and Safety of a Novel Plum Blossom Needling with Mild Moxibustion Device for Upper Limb Pain Disorder and Motor Dysfunction in Patients with Stage 1 Post-Stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome: Study Protocol for a Multi-Center, Single-Blind, Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial

Background

Post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome (PS-SHS), a common neurological comorbidity after stroke episodes, poses a grave threat on patients' functional recovery. Preliminary trials have demonstrated that the acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, including a dermal acupuncture tapping method known as plum blossom needling (PBN) can improve pain and motor dysfunctions in patients with PS-SHS. However, there are few reports describing simultaneous moxibustion treatment in combination with PBN. Hence, a novel plum blossom needle device with mild moxibustion (PBNMM) was developed to evaluate its potential efficacy and safety in patients with stage 1 PS-SHS.

Materials and Methods

This multicenter, sham-controlled, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will recruit 102 eligible patients with stage 1 PS-SHS from three clinical centers, randomly allocated in a ratio of 1:1:1 to the PBNMM group, PBNMM with no moxa smoke (PBNMM-NMS) group and sham control group. Patients in each group will receive a 30-minute treatment once per day for 4 weeks, with 5 consecutive sessions per week, for a total of 20 sessions. The primary outcome measure will be defined as the decreased scores from baseline in the visual analog scale (VAS) assessment at week 4. Secondary outcome measures will include scores on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity Scale (FMA-UE), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and the somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) records. All outcomes will be evaluated at baseline and weeks 4, 5, 6 and 10, and the intention-to-treat analysis will be applied.

Conclusion

This study aims to provide robust evidence for the efficacy and safety of the PBNMM for PS-SHS treatment, as well as the specific impact of moxibustion smoke itself in dealing with PS-SHS.

Clinical Trial Registration

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry No. ChiCTR2200062441. Registered on 7 August 2022.

A Voxel-Based Morphometric Study of Gray Matter in Specific Phobia

The objective of this study was to analyze the neurostructural abnormalities of brain areas responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of fear in small animal phobia by comparing gray matter volume (GMV) in individuals with phobia and non-fearful controls. Structural magnetic resonance imaging was obtained from 62 adults (79% female) assigned to one of two groups: 31 were diagnosed with small animal phobia and 31 were non-fearful controls. To investigate structural alterations, a whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis was conducted to compare the GMV of the brain areas involved in fear between both groups. The results indicated that individuals with a small animal specific phobia showed smaller GMV in cortical regions, such as the orbitofrontal (OFC) and medial frontal cortex, and greater GMV in the putamen than non-fearful controls. These brain areas are responsible for avoidant behavior (putamen) and emotional regulation processes or inhibitory control (prefrontal cortex (PFC)), which might suggest a greater vulnerability of phobic individuals to acquiring non-adaptive conditioned responses and emotional dysregulation. The findings provide preliminary support for the involvement of structural deficits in OFC and medial frontal cortex in phobia, contributing to clarify the neurobiological substrates for phobias.

Clinical EFT as an evidence-based practice for the treatment of psychological and physiological conditions: A systematic review

Background

Since the turn of the century, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has come into widespread use in medical and psychological treatment settings. It is also used as self-help by tens of millions of people each year. Clinical EFT, the manualized form of the method, has been validated as an "evidence-based" practice using criteria published by the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 12 Task Force on Empirically Validated Therapies. Its three essential ingredients are exposure, cognitive framing, and acupressure.

Objectives

In 2013 we published a paper defining Clinical EFT and reviewing published research. It has been viewed or downloaded over 36,000 times, indicating widespread interest in this treatment modality. Here we update our findings based on subsequently published literature and propose directions for future research.

Method

We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses. Retrieval of 4,167 results resulted in the identification of 56 RCTs (n = 2,013), 41 of which were published subsequent to our earlier review, as well as eight meta-analyses.

Results

RCTs have found EFT treatment to be effective for (a) psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, phobias, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); (b) physiological issues such as pain, insomnia, and autoimmune conditions; (c) professional and sports performance; and (d) biological markers of stress. Meta-analyses evaluating the effect of EFT treatment have found it to be "moderate" to "large." Successful independent replication studies have been carried out for anxiety, depression, PTSD, phobias, sports performance, and cortisol levels. We outline the next steps in EFT research. These include determining its impact on cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive impairment; analysis of the large-scale datasets made possible by mobile apps; and delivery through channels such as virtual practitioner sessions, artificial intelligence agents, online courses, apps, virtual reality platforms, and standardized group therapy.

Conclusions

Subsequent research has confirmed the conclusions of earlier studies. These find Clinical EFT to be efficacious for a range of psychological and physiological conditions. Comparatively few treatment sessions are required, treatment is effective whether delivered in person or virtually, and symptom improvements persist over time. Treatment is associated with measurable biological effects in the dimensions of gene expression, brain synchrony, hormonal synthesis, and a wide range of biomarkers. Clinical EFT is a stable and mature method with an extensive evidence base. Its use in primary care settings as a safe, rapid, reliable, and effective treatment for both psychological and medical diagnoses continues to grow.