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Tue Dec 3 06:34:57 PST 2024

PsyPost – Psychology News Daily Digest (Unofficial)

(https://www.psypost.org/new-psychology-research-confirms-a-troubling-fact-about-dark-triad-personality-traits/) New psychology research confirms a troubling fact about Dark Triad personality traits
Dec 3rd 2024, 08:00

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and neurotypical peers exhibit opposing patterns in empathy and Dark Triad traits, situated 180 degrees apart within a shared psychological space, according to a study published in the (https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000422) Journal of Individual Differences.
Empathy—the ability to understand and share others’ feelings is often studied alongside contrasting personality traits, such as the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy). Past research highlights how the Dark Triad traits are negatively associated with empathy, especially affective empathy, which involves emotional resonance.
In this work, Efrat Weisman Openhaim and colleagues explored this relationship using a novel approach to clarify whether empathy and the Dark Triad are diametrically opposed within a multidimensional personality framework.
The study also investigated these traits in adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD), whose cognitive empathy (i.e., understanding others’ thoughts) is often impaired but affective empathy remains intact. By comparing this group to neurotypical adolescents, the researchers hoped to enhance understanding of empathy and personality constructs in distinct populations.
The study involved 120 participants: 60 adolescents (29 with ASD and 31 neurotypical) and one of their parents each. Adolescents provided self-reports using the Basic Empathy Scale (BES) to measure cognitive and affective empathy, and the Dark Triad Dirty Dozen (DTDD) to assess Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy. Parents completed the Adolescent Empathy Quotient and a parent-report version of the DTDD, offering an external perspective on their child’s traits.
The BES evaluated empathy on two subscales: cognitive (the ability to understand another’s perspective) and affective (emotional resonance with others). The DTDD assessed the three components of the Dark Triad through a set of 12 items. The questionnaires were translated into Hebrew and back-translated for accuracy and cultural relevance.
Data were collected and structured for analysis using Smallest Space Analysis, a technique that visualizes correlations between variables in a two-dimensional space. This method enabled the researchers to identify spatial relationships among empathy and Dark Triad traits, focusing on whether these constructs were oppositely aligned within a shared psychological framework.
The study revealed that empathy and Dark Triad traits occupied opposing regions in a shared two-dimensional psychological space, separated by an angle of 180 degrees. This pattern was consistent across both adolescents with ASD and neurotypical adolescents, indicating a fundamental divergence between these constructs.
Key findings included a significant negative correlation between psychopathy and affective empathy, suggesting that emotional deficits in psychopathy are particularly pronounced. In the neurotypical group, there was a stronger alignment between parent-reported empathy and self-reported cognitive empathy, reflecting the ability of neurotypical adolescents to accurately self-assess their cognitive understanding of others.
In contrast, adolescents with ASD showed a closer alignment between parent-reported empathy and their self-reported affective empathy, consistent with the preservation of emotional resonance often observed in ASD.
Despite these broad patterns, parent-reported empathy measures did not differentiate between cognitive and affective components, highlighting differences in how empathy manifests and is perceived across the two groups.
Overall, the results supported the hypothesis that empathy and Dark Triad traits are psychologically opposed constructs.
The study’s small sample size limited the statistical power to detect smaller correlations and generalizability of findings.
The research, “(https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000422) Empathy and the Dark Triad: A Difference of 180 Degrees,” was authored by Efrat Weisman Openhaim, Yaarit Amram, and Joseph Glicksohn.

(https://www.psypost.org/ancient-viral-dna-in-the-human-genome-protects-against-neurodegenerative-diseases/) Ancient viral DNA in the human genome protects against neurodegenerative diseases
Dec 3rd 2024, 06:00

Scientists have uncovered a link between ancient viral elements embedded in human DNA and the genetic risk for two major neurodegenerative diseases: multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease or motor neuron disease. By analyzing genetic and brain tissue data, researchers identified specific viral sequences that may influence disease development, offering a new perspective on the role of dormant viral DNA in the human genome.
The findings have been published in (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.10.020) Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
The human genome contains remnants of ancient retroviruses, called human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), which make up about 8% of our DNA. These sequences entered our ancestors’ genomes through infections millions of years ago. While most HERVs are inactive, some retain the ability to influence genetic activity and immune responses.
Past studies have suggested that abnormal HERV activity may be linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson’s. However, these studies struggled to distinguish whether HERVs play a causal role in disease or simply react to disease-related processes.
The new study sought to clarify the potential role of HERVs in disease development by using a cutting-edge approach called retrotranscriptome-wide association studies (rTWAS). This method integrates genetic risk data with HERV activity in brain tissue, allowing researchers to investigate whether HERVs contribute to the genetic basis of neurodegenerative diseases.
“A large portion of our genome—about 8%—is made up of ancient viral DNA sequences, which research suggests may influence human health and disease. Over the past decade, there has been a surge in the development of specialized tools to study their expression with precision. Our group is using these tools to understand how these elements contribute to complex medical conditions,” said study author (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/rodrigo-duarte) Rodrigo Duarte, a research fellow at King’s College London.
The researchers conducted the study using data from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for four major neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. These datasets contained genetic information from tens of thousands of participants, primarily of European ancestry, with a smaller subset of data from individuals of African and East Asian ancestry. The researchers integrated these genetic data with information about gene expression in brain tissue, obtained from the CommonMind Consortium, a resource that includes genetic and gene expression data from postmortem human brain samples.
“Using large genetic datasets and a new analysis pipeline, this study is well equipped at pinpointing which specific HERVs are important in increasing susceptibility for neurodegenerative diseases,” explained co-author (https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/timothy-powell) Timothy Powell, a senior lecturer at King’s College London.
The researchers identified 12 HERV sequences associated with genetic risk for neurodegenerative diseases. Among these, two sequences stood out for their strong and independent links to specific conditions. A HERV located on chromosome 12 showed reduced expression in individuals with a higher genetic risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Another HERV on chromosome 1 was associated with multiple sclerosis, also showing decreased activity in individuals with greater genetic susceptibility. These findings suggest that genetic risk factors for these diseases may exert their effects, at least in part, by influencing the activity of these specific HERVs.
“We were surprised to discover that genetic risk for motor neuron disease and multiple sclerosis is linked to the decreased expression of two HERVs, suggesting these elements might play a protective role in brain function,” Duarte told PsyPost. “This raises important questions about the potential benefits of HERVs in fundamental processes like cell adhesion. While future studies may also identify HERVs with negative effects on neurobiology, more research is ultimately needed to confirm their function.”
Preliminary analyses suggested that the HERVs identified in the study might influence biological processes such as cell adhesion, a critical function for maintaining neural networks and synaptic stability. While these findings offer initial evidence for the involvement of HERVs in disease mechanisms, the precise molecular and cellular pathways remain unclear, requiring further research.
“By exploring how genetic risk factors interact with this often-overlooked portion of our genome, we’re gaining a deeper understanding of the factors underlying these conditions,” Duarte said. “This knowledge could eventually inform new approaches for diagnosis and treatment.”
However, “it’s important to understand that our results relate to broader processes underlying these diseases rather than having specific implications for individual patients,” Duarte added. “These findings highlight one piece of a much larger puzzle, as conditions like motor neuron disease and multiple sclerosis are highly polygenic, meaning many genes contribute to susceptibility.”
“The HERVs we identified represent only a small fraction of the overall genetic component. This underscores the complexity of these diseases and the need for further research to fully understand how these elements interact with other genetic and environmental factors.”
Long-term, the findings may open new doors for therapeutic strategies. If HERVs contribute to disease processes, targeting their activity with drugs or gene editing tools could become a novel approach to treatment.
“Our long-term goal is to deepen our understanding of the non-coding genome, particularly the role of HERVs in health and disease,” Duarte explained. “In the future, clinical studies could investigate whether changes in HERV expression are linked to disease progression or clinical outcomes, and whether these elements could serve as biomarkers for early diagnosis or treatment response. Ultimately, we hope to translate these insights into new tools for understanding and potentially treating complex diseases.”
The study, “(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159124006615) Ancient viral DNA in the human genome linked to neurodegenerative diseases,” was authored by Rodrigo R.R. Duarte, Douglas F. Nixon, and Timothy R. Powell.

(https://www.psypost.org/adolescent-binge-drinking-long-term-effects-on-brain-structure-and-function/) Adolescent binge drinking: Long-term effects on brain structure and function
Dec 2nd 2024, 16:00

Alcohol is deeply rooted in our cultures and habits, and in most Western countries, its significant economic weight grants it a much more favourable legal status and social perception than other drugs.
This is likely why teenagers consider it (https://pnsd.sanidad.gob.es/profesionales/sistemasInformacion/sistemaInformacion/pdf/ESTUDES_2023_Informe.pdf) the safest drug they can take, despite the fact that it is the (https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2818%2931310-2) leading risk factor for premature death and disability in people aged 15-49, and that myths like “a glass of wine a day is good for your health” (https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(18)31571-X/fulltext?utm_source=guelphtoday.com&utm_campaign=guelphtoday.com%3A%20outbound&utm_medium=referral) have been thoroughly debunked. This perception is only reinforced by its central role in many traditions and celebrations, which link it to social success.
Alcohol is the most widely consumed drug among young people in Western countries. In Europe, (http://www.espad.org/espad-report-2019) around 8 out of 10 students aged 15-16 have had a drink in the last year. Even more alarming is the early age of alcohol onset – 33% of under-13s in various European countries have already consumed alcohol – as well as high rates of binge drinking, which 34% of 15-16 year olds in Europe report doing in the last month.
Binge drinking, (https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/377960/9789240096745-eng.pdf?sequence=1) the most common form of drinking among 15-19 year olds, involves ingesting large amounts of alcohol in short periods of time: usually 5 or more drinks within a period of 2-3 hours. This kind of drinking is typical of teenage parties, as well as holidays and festivities like weddings, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Saturating the liver
Many of us know the negative consequences of consuming alcohol, such as getting into fights, risky sexual behaviour, or traffic accidents. However, fewer of us consider how a few binge drinking sessions can affect the brain, especially when it is still developing.
To understand these effects, we need to look at two key elements: how alcohol is metabolised, and how it affects the developing adolescent brain.
Alcohol is mainly metabolised in the liver, which processes the drink after it has been absorbed from the digestive tract. There, (https://socidrogalcohol.org/wp-content/Pdf/publicaciones/alcohol/socidrogalcohol/Monografia-Alcohol-2002.pdf#page=25) alcohol is broken down by various enzymes, transforming it into less toxic substances that the body can then eliminate. When alcohol is not fully metabolised, it passes into the brain, disrupting the delicate balance of neurotransmitters that regulate its functioning.
We can think of the liver as a sponge that absorbs alcohol. However, when it becomes saturated, it loses this capacity for absorption and elimination, causing the well known effects of drunkenness: disinhibition, euphoria, lack of coordination, and so on.
Vulnerable teenage brains
Unfortunately, alcoholic beverages not only have temporary impacts on the functioning of our brains, they also have (https://theconversation.com/asi-dana-el-alcohol-al-cerebro-198833) long-lasting effects on various aspects of the nervous system, and can also affect the immune system, (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.11.006) triggering inflammatory processes that damage brain development.
It is important to note that during its development – up to the age of 25-30 – (https://theconversation.com/consumo-de-alcohol-en-jovenes-y-riesgo-de-demencia-estamos-mirando-para-otro-lado-195756) the brain is at its most vulnerable to the effects of drugs. During this period, alcohol is particularly harmful, as it can interfere with two (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352154616300894?casa_token=4iKRL5LoBoMAAAAA:qM77BTIxhDhREO2Z55PIKSe6hix1zs6dEv4Zig5wrgF7gKqpT06kr1BuTc7c2Xg47rHzFZ5T#fig0005) key neurodevelopmental phenomena: myelination, the process by which neurons coat their axons with myelin to improve signal transmission, and synaptic pruning, which removes unnecessary neuronal connections to optimise brain function.
Moreover, these changes cause certain areas of the brain to (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149763416301270) mature earlier than others. Specifically, the areas responsible for reward processing (such as the ventral striatum) develop more quickly than those responsible for decision-making and long-term planning (such as the prefrontal cortex). This mismatch between the development of the brain’s reward, impulse control and decision-making systems may explain why adolescents are more likely to engage in risky behaviour.
Assessing the damage
Neuroimaging studies have shown that the brains of young people who often engage in binge drinking are structurally and functionally different.
Among the most prominent structural findings is (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763422001269) reduced integrity of white matter, an element of the nervous system that is crucial for efficiently transmitting information.
Alterations in grey matter have also been identified, with increases or decreases in areas such as the ventral striatum, anterior cingulate cortex and medial frontal gyrus, which are critical for reward processing, monitoring of important stimuli and working memory.
In terms of functional connectivity – the way different areas of the brain interact – binge drinking is associated with (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763422001269) abnormalities in the configuration of several networks, such as salience and/or frontoparietal networks. These guide our attention to where it needs to be, and regulate our behaviour to achieve both short and long term goals.
In addition, (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763422001269?via%3Dihub) neuroimaging studies show excessive activation in brain structures involved in impulse control, decision-making, and processing of alcohol-related stimuli.
We have to stress the relationship between the age of starting alcohol consumption and later problems, which can include substance abuse, early onset dementia, or heart disease. The data is clear: (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02176.x) the earlier someone starts drinking, the higher their risk of developing these conditions.
This highlights the fact that there is no such thing as a healthy dose of alcohol, and no such thing as harmless binge drinking. It is crucial that we pay especially close attention to teenage drinking.

This article is republished from (https://theconversation.com) The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the (https://theconversation.com/the-effects-of-binge-drinking-on-teenagers-brain-development-241637) original article.

(https://www.psypost.org/study-links-prenatal-stress-to-inflammation-and-mental-health-issues-in-offspring/) Study links prenatal stress to inflammation and mental health issues in offspring
Dec 2nd 2024, 14:00

An analysis of data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) found that children of mothers who experienced higher stress during pregnancy tended to have elevated levels of an inflammation marker, interleukin-6 (IL-6), at age 9. These children were also more likely to exhibit more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety during adolescence. The findings were published in (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306453024002075) Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Stress is the body’s natural response to challenges or demands, often referred to as the “fight-or-flight” reaction. It is triggered by real or perceived threats, activating the release of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to prepare the body for action. While this response can enhance focus, energy, and performance in the short term, prolonged or chronic stress can disrupt bodily systems. This disruption can lead to physical, emotional, and mental health problems, such as high blood pressure, anxiety, or weakened immunity.
According to the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis, exposure to stress during pregnancy can lead to physiological changes in the fetus. These stress-induced alterations may have long-lasting effects on the mental health and well-being of the child later in life. Several studies have demonstrated associations between maternal stressful life events and psychopathology during pregnancy and children’s mental health outcomes.
Study author Zahra M. Clayborne and her colleagues aimed to explore how maternal prenatal stress relates to inflammation processes and mental health outcomes in children. The researchers also examined whether these associations differed between sexes, given that symptoms of depression and anxiety often become more severe in girls than boys starting in middle childhood.
The study analyzed data from ALSPAC, a large dataset comprising women residing in Avon County, southwest England, who were pregnant between 1991 and 1992, and their children. The initial cohort included 14,541 pregnancies, which resulted in 14,062 live births. For this study, data from 3,723 mother-child pairs were used, as these participants provided the necessary information over nearly two decades.
The data used in the study included assessments of maternal stress during pregnancy (measured using a custom-designed index incorporating life stress, contextual stress, personal stress, and interpersonal stress), child inflammation at 9 years of age (measured by concentrations of IL-6 and C-reactive protein in blood serum), anxiety symptom severity at 16 years of age (assessed using the Development and Well-being Assessment), and depression symptom severity at 18 years of age (assessed using the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised).
IL-6 is a type of protein called a cytokine. It plays a role in immune responses, inflammation, and the regulation of various biological processes, including metabolism. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein produced by the liver in response to inflammation. The concentrations of both proteins tend to rise during inflammatory conditions, making them valuable biomarkers for measuring the intensity of inflammation in the body.
The results showed that higher maternal prenatal stress was associated with elevated concentrations of IL-6 in children and more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. Specifically, children of mothers who experienced more stress during pregnancy had higher levels of IL-6 at age 9 and exhibited more severe symptoms of anxiety and depression at ages 16 and 18, respectively. No significant differences were found between boys and girls in these associations, and no relationships were observed between inflammation markers at age 9 and later anxiety or depression symptoms.
“Our findings suggest that prenatal maternal stress is associated with IL-6 in childhood, and with depression and GAD [generalized anxiety disorder] in adolescence. Results highlight the importance of early-life strategies to minimize children’s risk towards mental disorders. The prenatal and postnatal periods may be sensitive windows to reduce the potential impacts of chronic stress on mothers and children given that pregnant individuals and new parents may experience more contacts with health care systems,” the study authors concluded.
The study provides valuable insights into the links between maternal prenatal stress and the health of their children. However, the study design does not allow for definitive cause-and-effect conclusions. Therefore, it remains unclear whether maternal stress directly caused the observed associations with inflammation and mental health symptoms or if other factors were responsible for both maternal stress and the children’s health outcomes.
The paper, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107162) Associations between prenatal stress with offspring inflammation, depression and anxiety,” was authored by Zahra M. Clayborne, Stephen E. Gilman, Golam M. Khandaker, Ian Colman

(https://www.psypost.org/neuroscience-research-finds-brain-changes-linked-to-improvements-during-hoarding-disorder-treatment/) Neuroscience research finds brain changes linked to improvements during hoarding disorder treatment
Dec 2nd 2024, 12:00

A new study published in the (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.11.017) Journal of Psychiatric Research sheds light on how cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for hoarding disorder influences brain activity, reflecting reductions in maladaptive beliefs about possessions. Researchers found that adults undergoing group CBT showed increased brain activity in regions associated with decision-making and emotional processing when discarding items, aligning with improvements in their beliefs about the necessity of keeping possessions.
Hoarding disorder involves extreme difficulty discarding possessions, leading to clutter that disrupts daily life and causes significant distress. While CBT is a recognized treatment, its effectiveness varies, with many individuals showing improvement but not complete resolution of symptoms. To enhance treatment outcomes, researchers need a deeper understanding of how therapy fosters these changes.
Past research highlighted the role of maladaptive beliefs—such as excessive emotional attachment to objects or fear of losing control over possessions—in maintaining hoarding behaviors. Reducing these beliefs during CBT has been associated with symptom improvement. However, less is known about how these belief changes correspond to neural activity, particularly in regions activated during decisions about discarding items.
“There’s a lot we don’t yet know about hoarding disorder, which is estimated to affect 2–6% of the population and is more common among older adults,” said study author Kelly Knowles, a clinical psychologist at the Institute of Living at Hartford Hospital. “We know that cognitive-behavioral therapy for hoarding disorder leads to symptom improvement for most patients, which is great news, but not everyone experiences clinically significant improvement, so we have more work to do.”
“In particular, we’ve noticed that the individuals we work with in hoarding treatment seem to think differently than the average older adult – they tend to endorse beliefs such as ‘I am responsible for the well-being of my possessions’ and ‘I could not tolerate it if I had to throw this item away.’ Our study allowed us to look more closely at specific brain changes from pre-treatment to post-treatment and explore associations between brain changes and these beliefs.”
The study analyzed data from 58 adults diagnosed with hoarding disorder who participated in group CBT. Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after therapy to measure brain activity during a simulated discarding task. In this task, participants viewed images of items and decided whether to “keep” or “discard” them, imagining the process as part of “spring cleaning.”
The researchers focused on brain areas previously associated with hoarding disorder, including the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, which are involved in processing emotional significance and decision-making. Changes in participants’ beliefs about possessions were measured using a validated questionnaire. These beliefs were grouped into categories such as emotional attachment, memory concerns, control over possessions, and feelings of responsibility toward objects.
Before therapy, participants with stronger maladaptive beliefs about possessions showed heightened activity in brain regions such as the left middle insula and the left anterior cingulate cortex when deciding to discard items. These findings align with previous research suggesting that these areas are hyperactive in individuals with hoarding disorder, reflecting the heightened emotional and cognitive burden of discarding possessions.
After therapy, participants reported significant reductions in maladaptive beliefs, such as feeling overly responsible for their belongings or fearing that discarding items would lead to unbearable distress. These belief changes were linked to increased activity in regions associated with decision-making and processing emotional salience, including the right anterior ventral insula, left middle frontal gyrus, and bilateral inferior temporal lobe.
Interestingly, brain activity in visuospatial areas also increased, suggesting that participants were better able to visually evaluate items during the discarding task. This shift may indicate a more balanced approach to decision-making, with less emotional interference.
The findings suggest that therapy not only reduces problematic beliefs but also reshapes the brain’s response to emotionally charged decisions about possessions. For individuals with hoarding disorder, discarding possessions may feel “risky,” but therapy appears to help them reinterpret these decisions as less threatening, supported by changes in brain activity.
“The average person probably has a relative or family friend who has hoarding symptoms,” Knowles told PsyPost. “People should know that treatment for hoarding disorder—cognitive-behavioral therapy—is available and effective, though we still have more work to do in the scientific community to improve treatment.”
“The good news is that the beliefs that maintain hoarding disorder, such as excessive emotional attachment to objects, do change over the course of CBT treatment. These changes are also associated with changes in brain activity when patients are discarding their possessions.”
The researchers controlled for variables such as overall emotional distress and psychiatric medication use to isolate the effects of therapy on hoarding-specific beliefs and brain activity. But as with all studies, there are some caveats.
While it identified significant changes in neural activity, the results need replication in larger and more diverse samples to confirm the associations between belief changes and brain activity. Future research could also explore how these neural changes relate to long-term treatment outcomes and whether they can predict who will respond best to therapy.
“I always give the caveat that while neuroimaging (fMRI) research is exciting, there are still a lot of unknowns – just because our study found changes in brain activity during a laboratory task does not necessarily mean that these changes are stable, enduring, or are the reason behind clinical improvement,” Knowles explained.
“As I’m sure your readers have heard, ‘correlation is not causation’ – we know that changes in brain activity during a specific task are associated with cognitive changes, but we don’t know for sure that cognitive change is causing brain changes or that brain changes are causing symptom improvement.”
“There’s still so much we don’t know about how beliefs are represented in the brain. The story is never as simple as ‘this part does this thing, and doing this treatment fixes brain functioning.’ That’s what makes it such an exciting area to explore in future research.”
The study, “(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002239562400637X) Changes in hoarding-related beliefs and associated neural changes during a simulated discarding task after cognitive behavioral treatment for hoarding disorder,” was authored by Kelly A. Knowles, Michael C. Stevens, Hannah C. Levy, and David F. Tolin.

(https://www.psypost.org/virtual-reality-biofeedback-effectively-reduces-depression-and-anxiety-symptoms-study-finds/) Virtual reality biofeedback effectively reduces depression and anxiety symptoms, study finds
Dec 2nd 2024, 10:00

New groundbreaking research, published in the (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.06.031) Journal of Affective Disorders finds that virtual reality (VR)-based biofeedback is effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Traditional biofeedback has been used to help individuals regulate physiological responses, but struggles to maintain user engagement given its abstract and repetitive nature. Biofeedback has shown promise in managing depression and anxiety symptoms by helping individuals regulate physiological responses like heart rate and breathing.
By integrating VR, Yaehee Cho and colleagues sought to enhance engagement and effectiveness through an immersive and controlled environment.
The study employed a randomized controlled trial to compare the efficacy of VR-based biofeedback with conventional biofeedback for reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. A total of 131 participants were recruited from the community, but 13 were excluded due to psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., phobic disorders).
Ultimately, 118 participants were included, divided into three groups: individuals with depressive and anxiety symptoms (DAS) receiving VR-based biofeedback (DAS/VR, 40 participants), DAS receiving conventional biofeedback (DAS/BF, 38 participants), and a healthy control group receiving VR-based biofeedback (HC/VR, 40 participants).
Eligibility for the DAS groups required a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score of 10 or higher, or a Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS) score of 9 or higher, while healthy controls were required to have lower scores and no history of major depressive or anxiety disorders.
Participants in both DAS groups and the HC group underwent three sessions over four weeks. The VR-based biofeedback intervention involved participants using a head-mounted display to experience immersive natural environments, such as forests, valleys, and oceans. These environments were accompanied by guided relaxation instructions, breathing exercises, and soothing nature sounds. Physiological data, including heart rate and pulse oxygen saturation, were monitored using blood volume pulse sensors.
On the other hand, conventional biofeedback involved a therapist-guided session where participants observed real-time feedback on physiological parameters such as skin conductance and respiration. Both interventions had a goal of helping participants regulate physiological activity through relaxation techniques.
The researchers found that both VR-based and conventional biofeedback were effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. The DAS/VR group experienced significant improvements, with a 70% reduction in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores, a 64% reduction in PHQ-9 scores, a 29.5% reduction in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores, and a 61.7% reduction in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores.
The DAS/BF group exhibited comparable reductions, indicating that VR-based biofeedback was as effective as conventional methods. Interestingly, participants in the HC/VR group, who had subthreshold symptoms, also demonstrated significant decreases in depression and anxiety scores, though the improvements were less pronounced compared to the DAS groups.
Despite the lack of significant differences in clinical outcomes between the two biofeedback approaches, participants in the VR-based sessions reported high levels of engagement, suggesting the potential of VR to sustain motivation and attention during therapy. The results also highlight the broader applicability of VR-based biofeedback, as even healthy participants showed measurable psychological benefits from the intervention.
One limitation is the study’s short duration and limited number of sessions, which may not fully capture the long-term benefits of VR-based biofeedback. Further, the lack of a passive control group limits comparisons against natural symptom progression.
The research, “(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.06.031) Effect of virtual reality-based biofeedback for depressive and anxiety symptoms: Randomized controlled study,” was authored by Yaehee Cho, Hyewon Kim, Sisu Seong, Karam Park, Jooeun Choi, Min-Ji Kim, Dokyoon Kim, and Hong Jin Jeon.

Forwarded by:
Michael Reeder LCPC
Baltimore, MD

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