Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: self-reported and autonomic improvements

Catherine L. Tegeler; Lee Gerdes; Hossam A. Shaltout; Jared F. Cook; Sean L. Simpson; Sung W. Lee; Charles H. Tegeler

doi:10.1186/s40779-017-0147-0

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Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: self-reported and autonomic improvements

RESEARCH | Updated：2026-03-12

- Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: self-reported and autonomic improvements
- Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: self-reported and autonomic improvements
- MMR 2018年5卷第1期页码：1-12
- Affiliations：
  
  1.Department of Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
  2.Brain State Technologies, LLC, 15150 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, USA
  3.Hypertension and Vascular Research Center, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
  4.Department of Biostatistical Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
- Author bio：
  
  *: ctegeler@wakehealth.edu
- Funds：
  
  the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration Program within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) via a contract with the U.S. Special Operations Command;The Susanne Marcus Collins Foundation, Inc;NIBIB K25 EB012236-01A1;the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs through the Psychological Health/Traumatic Brain Injury Research Program(W81XWH-17-2-0057)
- DOI：10.1186/s40779-017-0147-0
  中图分类号：
- 纸质出版：2018-03
- Accepted：
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Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: self-reported and autonomic improvements[J]. MMR, 2018,5(1):1-12.

Tegeler et al.: Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: selfreported and autonomic improvements. Mil Med Res, 2017, 4: 38
Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: self-reported and autonomic improvements[J]. MMR, 2018,5(1):1-12. DOI： 10.1186/s40779-017-0147-0.

Tegeler et al.: Successful use of closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for post-traumatic stress symptoms in military personnel: selfreported and autonomic improvements. Mil Med Res, 2017, 4: 38 DOI： 10.1186/s40779-017-0147-0.

摘要

Abstract

Background:

Military-related post-traumatic stress (PTS) is associated with numerous symptom clusters and diminished autonomic cardiovascular regulation. High-resolution

relational

resonance-based

electroencephalic mirroring (HIRREM

) is a noninvasive

closed-loop

allostatic

acoustic stimulation neurotechnology that produces real-time translation of dominant brain frequencies into audible tones of variable pitch and timing to support the auto-calibration of neural oscillations. We report clinical

autonomic

and functional effects after the use of HIRREM

for symptoms of military-related PTS.

Methods:

Eighteen service members or recent veterans (15 active-duty

3 veterans

most from special operations

1 female)

with a mean age of 40.9(SD=6.9) years and symptoms of PTS lasting from 1 to 25 years

undertook 19.5(SD=1.1) sessions over 12 days. Inventories for symptoms of PTS (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist – Military version

PCL-M)

insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index

ISI)

depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale

CES-D)

and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale

GAD-7) were collected before (Visit 1

V1)

immediately after (Visit 2

V2)

and at 1 month (Visit 3

V3)

3 (Visit 4

V4)

and 6 (Visit 5

V5) months after intervention completion. Other measures only taken at V1 and V2 included blood pressure and heart rate recordings to analyze heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS)

functional performance (reaction and grip strength) testing

blood and saliva for biomarkers of stress and inflammation

and blood for epigenetic testing. Paired t-tests

Wilcoxon signed-rank tests

and a repeated-measures ANOVA were performed.

Results:

Clinically relevant

significant reductions in all symptom scores were observed at V2

with durability through V5. There were significant improvements in multiple measures of HRV and BRS [Standard deviation of the normal beat to normal beat interval (SDNN)

root mean square of the successive differences (rMSSD)

high frequency (HF)

low frequency (LF)

and total power

HF alpha

sequence all

and systolic

diastolic and mean arterial pressure] as well as reaction testing. Trends were seen for improved grip strength and a reduction in C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

Angiotensin II to Angiotensin 1–7 ratio and Interleukin-10

with no change in DNA n-methylation. There were no dropouts or adverse events reported.

Conclusion:

Service members or veterans showed reductions in symptomatology of PTS

insomnia

depressive mood

and anxiety that were durable through 6 months after the use of a closed-loop allostatic neurotechnology for the auto-calibration of neural oscillations. This study is the first to report increased HRV or BRS after the use of an intervention for service members or veterans with PTS. Ongoing investigations are strongly warranted.

Trial registration:

NCT03230890

retrospectively registered July 25

2017.

关键词

Keywords

references

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