Clinical trial NCT03338036: The Effectiveness of Biofeedback for Individuals With Long-term Post-concussive Symptoms
Official title: The Effectiveness of Neurofeedback and Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Individuals With Long-term Post-concussive Symptoms
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Post-Concussion Syndrome
Keywords: Concussion
Post-Concussion Syndrome
Biofeedback
Heart Rate Variability
Neurofeedback
Lead sponsor: Western University, Canada
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Parkwood Hospital, London, Ontario
First posted: 2017-11-09
Enrollment: 31
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: This study will include two intervention arms and two control arms. The intervention arms will include 1) heart rate variability biofeedback, 2) a combination of heart rate variability biofeedback and neurofeedback. The control arms will be 1) age-matched post-concussive individuals and 2) age-matched individuals who have not been diagnosed with a concussion in the last two years.
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Most concussions resolve within 7-10 days, but approximately 40% of individuals do not fully recover and suffer from persistent post-concussive symptoms. This 8-week intervention study will evaluate the efficacy of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback and neurofeedback on reducing the number and severity of concussion symptoms.

Detailed description: 40% of minor head injuries are diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome 3 months after injury (Ingebrigtsen, Waterloo, Marup-Jensen, Attner, \& Romner, 1998). These individuals have persistent symptoms after completing conventional rehabilitation programs. Persistent post-concussion symptoms not only decrease quality of life (Ingebrigtsen et al, 1998), but also impair cognitive and motor performance and increase the likelihood of impaired driving performance (Preece, Horswill, \& Geffen, 2010) and motor vehicle accidents (Bivona et al, 2012). While case reports indicate that biofeedback can reduce the number and severity of post-concussive symptoms (Lagos, Thompson, \& Vaschillo, 2013; Thompson, Thompson, Reid-Chung, \& Thompson, 2013), no studies have systematically evaluated these biofeedback treatment programs.

HRV biofeedback works by displaying beat-to-beat heart rate data to the participant, and through operant conditioning with breathing techniques, the participant learns to control their HRV (Lehrer \& Gevirtz, 2014). This results in an increase in parasympathetic (PNS) activity and decrease in sympathetic (SNS) activity, which leads to reduced anxiety, and increased focus and concentration (Lagos, Bottiglieri, Vaschillo, \& Vaschillo, 2012). Neurofeedback works in a similar fashion, except it monitors brain wave power, frequency, and connectivity using quantitative electroencephalogram (EEG). Brain functioning is displayed while playing an electronic game, and the participant learns through operant conditioning to increase the amplitude of desired EEG frequencies, such as low beta waves that are associated with active problem solving, usually while simultaneously decreasing the amplitudes of undesired EEG frequencies (Conder \& Conder, 2014).

This will be an eight-week intervention where participants suffering from long-term post-concussion symptoms will be recruited using email from the cohort of individuals that have been discharged after completing a concussion rehabilitation protocol (BrainEx90) at Parkwood Institute in London, Ontario. Non-concussed control participants will be recruited using posters. Participants will complete pre, mid, and post-intervention driving simulation tasks, electrocardiogram and HRV measures, and subjective questionnaires. These will be utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of HRV biofeedback and neurofeedback in this difficult to treat population.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

Participants in HRV and the HRV/Neurofeedback intervention arms, and the post-concussion control arm:

1. Previously suffered a clinically diagnosed concussion
2. Participated in, completed, and have been discharged from the BrainEx90 outpatient concussion rehabilitation program at Parkwood Institute
3. Continued post-concussive symptoms
4. 18 years of age or older
5. Access to transportation
6. Capable of utilizing hand-held technology (ie. cell phone, tablet, etc.)
7. Holds a valid Driver's License
8. English speaking

Participants in the non-concussed control arm:

1. 18 years of age or older
2. Holds a valid driver's license
3. English speaking
4. Has not suffered a concussion in the last two years

Exclusion Criteria:

All participants:

1. Any heart disease, pacemaker, abnormal heartbeat patterns, coronary artery disease, or bypass surgery
2. Any mental health disorder that would interfere with participation in the study
3. Under 18 years of age
4. Unable to provide written informed consent or complete questionnaires due to language or cognitive difficulties
5. Inability to operate a motor vehicle
6. Inability to look at a digital screen for 30 minutes

Participants in the non-concussed control arm:

1. Suffered a concussion in the last two years

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change In SDNN
timeFrame: baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks)
measure: Number of Participants Making Driving Simulator Mistakes
timeFrame: baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks)
measure: Change In Electrocardiograph Amplitudes
timeFrame: baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change In Number and Severity of Post-concussive Symptoms
timeFrame: baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks)
measure: Change In Anxiety
timeFrame: baseline and post-intervention (8 weeks)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: London
country: Canada
facility: University of Western Ontario
state: Ontario
Study officials:
affiliation: Western University
name: James P Dickey, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Bivona U, D'Ippolito M, Giustini M, Vignally P, Longo E, Taggi F, Formisano R. Return to driving after severe traumatic brain injury: increased risk of traffic accidents and personal responsibility. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2012 May-Jun;27(3):210-5. doi: 10.1097/HTR.0b013e31822178a9.
citation: Conder RL, Conder AA. Heart rate variability interventions for concussion and rehabilitation. Front Psychol. 2014 Aug 13;5:890. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00890. eCollection 2014.
citation: Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Circulation. 1996 Mar 1;93(5):1043-65. No abstract available.
citation: Fisk GD, Schneider JJ, Novack TA. Driving following traumatic brain injury: prevalence, exposure, advice and evaluations. Brain Inj. 1998 Aug;12(8):683-95. doi: 10.1080/026990598122241.
citation: Gevensleben H, Holl B, Albrecht B, Schlamp D, Kratz O, Studer P, Rothenberger A, Moll GH, Heinrich H. Neurofeedback training in children with ADHD: 6-month follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2010 Sep;19(9):715-24. doi: 10.1007/s00787-010-0109-5. Epub 2010 May 25.
citation: Ingebrigtsen T, Waterloo K, Marup-Jensen S, Attner E, Romner B. Quantification of post-concussion symptoms 3 months after minor head injury in 100 consecutive patients. J Neurol. 1998 Sep;245(9):609-12. doi: 10.1007/s004150050254.
citation: Lagos, L., Bottiglieri, T., Vaschillo, B., & Vaschillo, E. (2012). Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Postconcussion Syndrome: Implications for Treatment. Biofeedback, 40(4), 150-153. doi:10.5298/1081-5937-40.4.05
citation: Lagos, L., Thompson, J., & Vaschillo, E. (2013). A Preliminary Study: Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Treatment of Postconcussion Syndrome. Biofeedback, 41(3), 136-143. doi:10.5298/1081-5937-41.3.02
citation: Lehrer PM, Gevirtz R. Heart rate variability biofeedback: how and why does it work? Front Psychol. 2014 Jul 21;5:756. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00756. eCollection 2014.
citation: Milleville-Pennel I, Pothier J, Hoc JM, Mathe JF. Consequences of cognitive impairments following traumatic brain injury: Pilot study on visual exploration while driving. Brain Inj. 2010;24(4):678-91. doi: 10.3109/02699051003692159.
citation: Munivenkatappa A, Rajeswaran J, Indira Devi B, Bennet N, Upadhyay N. EEG Neurofeedback therapy: Can it attenuate brain changes in TBI? NeuroRehabilitation. 2014;35(3):481-4. doi: 10.3233/NRE-141140.
citation: Preece MH, Horswill MS, Geffen GM. Driving after concussion: the acute effect of mild traumatic brain injury on drivers' hazard perception. Neuropsychology. 2010 Jul;24(4):493-503. doi: 10.1037/a0018903.
citation: Thompson, M., Thompson, L., Reid-Chung, A., & Thompson, J. (2013). Managing Traumatic Brain Injury: Appropriate Assessment and a Rationale for Using Neurofeedback and Biofeedback to Enhance Recovery in Postconcussion Syndrome. Biofeedback, 41(4), 158-173. doi:10.5298/1081-5937-41.4.07