Cardiac Coherence Training to Reduce Anxiety in Remitted Schizophrenia, a Pilot Study

Abstract

Health care that addresses the emotional regulation capacity of patients with schizophrenia confronted with daily stress may contribute to a less anxious life. A psycho-physiological training [cardiac coherence training (CCT)] focusing on emotion regulation is known to decrease anxiety for healthy individuals. We performed a pilot cross sectional survey to explore the benefits of CCT for clinically stable patients with schizophrenia. Ten patients were enrolled in the program consisting of twelve weekly 1-h session programs monitored over a 2-month period. Standardised questionnaires were used before and after the intervention to assess anxiety, well-being outcomes, and how patients deal with stress and stressors. Results showed that this quite-well accepted intervention improved (or tended to improve) well-being outcomes, state-anxiety, and emotional stressors evaluation. The successful transformations were higher for patients with the highest clinical and emotional suffering. Thus, this pilot study revealed that CCT may help patients with schizophrenia to deal with anxiety in daily life.

Problem solving, biofeedback, and severe brain injury: The moderating role of positive affect.

“…Increases yield greater reflex efficiency and hence greater modulation of autonomic activity (Lehrer et al, 2003) and improved emotional regulation, cognitive functioning, and quality of life (Kim et al, 2015). HRV patterns characterized by high-amplitude oscillations (sinusoidal waves) have been associated positively with attention, flexibility of behavior, and control of emotions (Hansen, Johnsen, & Thayer, 2003; McCraty, Atkinson, Tomasino, & Bradley, 2009; Trousselard et al, 2016). Consistent with theoretical contributions on the association of HRV patterns and cognition and behavior (Thayer, Hansen, Saus-Rose, & Johnsen, 2009), a number of studies have found that higher levels of HRV (“enhanced” HRV) have been associated with improved executive functioning (Hansen, Johnsen, Sollers, Stenvik, & Thayer, 2004; Mezzacappa, Kindlon, Saul, & Earls, 1998).…”

Cognitive and Social Rehabilitation in Schizophrenia—From Neurophysiology to Neuromodulation. Pilot Study

“…The basic goal of BF therapy is to restore normal activity to dysfunctional brain areas. Many publications confirm this dependency, among others works by Trousselard et al [50] and Scheinost et al [51]. These authors believe that regulation of brain waves positively affects the levels of anxiety and uneasiness, symptoms that often accompany schizophrenia.…”

Initial Results of Tests Using GSR Biofeedback as a New Neurorehabilitation Technology Complementing Pharmacological Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia

“…The high effectiveness of Biofeedback therapy is also emphasised by other authors, who note that regulation of brain waves based on regular training reduces fear, anxiety, and stress levels, that is, those symptoms which are frequently a problem for patients with mental disorders [43][44][45]. It is possible that this relationship is an effect of mental status modulation, and the process of instrumental conditioning is associated with morphological and functional changes in dendrites and neuroplasticity of the brain [46].…”