Protocol for a Pilot Study on the Neurocardiac Mechanism of an Interoceptive Compassion-Based Heart-Smile Training for Depression

Background Heart-Smile Training (HST) is an interoceptive compassion-based behavioral intervention that in case reports has been beneficial for depression. Interoception refers to the awareness and regulation of physiological signals from inside the body. Depressed patients often have diminished int...

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Published in:	Global advances in integrative medicine and health Vol. 13; p. 27536130241299389
Main Authors:	Kim, Eunmi, Joss, Diane, Marin, Frannie, Anzolin, Alessandra, Gawande, Richa, Comeau, Alexandra, Ellis, Seneca, Bumpus, Clare, Cahn, B. Rael, Kim, Misan W. D., Napadow, Vitaly, Schuman-Olivier, Zev
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-01-2024
Subjects:	Original
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	Background Heart-Smile Training (HST) is an interoceptive compassion-based behavioral intervention that in case reports has been beneficial for depression. Interoception refers to the awareness and regulation of physiological signals from inside the body. Depressed patients often have diminished interoceptive awareness and often experience disconnection from bodily needs and sensations. In addition to interoceptive dysfunction, depression often involves negative self-evaluation and self-critical rumination. HST is a compassion-based meditation training program that explicitly cultivates interoceptive awareness of the heart area. This study aims to investigate the possible neurocardiac mechanisms engaged through HST for depression patients. Methods We plan to enroll 50 subjects to be randomized into a 4-week HST intervention group and a waitlist group. A battery of psychological questionnaires will be administered at baseline and post-intervention timepoints, and electroencephalography (EEG) will be collected during compassion meditation guided by pre-recorded audio. The primary clinical outcome measures are on the feasibility of the intervention and research procedures, the primary mechanistic outcome measure is the post-intervention change in Heartbeat Evoked Potential (HEP) amplitude. Secondary outcome measures include changes in depression severity and EEG gamma spectral activity. Exploratory outcome measures include effects of HST on skin conductance response, heart rate variability, EEG spectral properties in other frequency bands, as well as a list of psychological questionnaires that measure depression and anxiety symptoms, emotion regulation, mindfulness, interoceptive awareness, self-compassion, gratitude, sleep quality, quality of life and social connectedness. Results Results not yet available. Conclusion This is the first study on the feasibility and interoceptive neurocardiac mechanism of HST. Our findings will provide frontier knowledge on the physiological working mechanism of behavioral interventions with an interoception-based meditative approach. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05564533 .
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	2753-6130 2753-6130
DOI:	10.1177/27536130241299389