Hydrocortisone
Research Papers
Effects of a single session of SMR neurofeedback training on anxiety and cortisol levels
OBJECTIVES: According to some studies, a putatively calming effect of EEG neurofeedback training could be useful as a therapeutic tool in psychiatric practice. With the aim of elucidating this possibility, we tested the efficacy of a single session of ↑sensorimotor (SMR)/↓theta neurofeedback training for mood improvement in 32 healthy men, taking into account trainability, independence and interpretability of the results. METHODS: A pre-post design, with the following dependent variables, was applied: (i) psychometric measures of mood with regards to anxiety, depression, and anger (Profile of Mood State, POMS, and State Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI); (ii) biological measures (salivary levels of cortisol); (iii) neurophysiological measures (EEG frequency band power analysis). In accordance with general recommendations for research in neurofeedback, a control group receiving sham neurofeedback was included. RESULTS: Anxiety levels decreased after the real neurofeedback and increased after the sham neurofeedback (P<0.01, size effect 0.9 for comparison between groups). Cortisol decreased after the experiment in both groups, though with significantly more pronounced effects in the desired direction after the real neurofeedback (P<0.04; size effect 0.7). The group receiving real neurofeedback significantly enhanced their SMR band (P<0.004; size effect 0.88), without changes in the theta band. The group receiving sham neurofeedback did not show any EEG changes. CONCLUSIONS: The improvement observed in anxiety was greater in the experimental group than in the sham group, confirmed by both subjective (psychometric) measures and objective (biological) measures. This was demonstrated to be associated with the real neurofeedback, though a nonspecific (placebo) effect likely also contributed.
View Full Paper →Modulatory effects of aromatherapy massage intervention on electroencephalogram, psychological assessments, salivary cortisol and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor
OBJECTIVES: Aromatherapy massage is commonly used for the stress management of healthy individuals, and also has been often employed as a therapeutic use for pain control and alleviating psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression, in oncological palliative care patients. However, the exact biological basis of aromatherapy massage is poorly understood. Therefore, we evaluated here the effects of aromatherapy massage interventions on multiple neurobiological indices such as quantitative psychological assessments, electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectrum pattern, salivary cortisol and plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. DESIGN: A control group without treatment (n = 12) and aromatherapy massage group (n = 13) were randomly recruited. They were all females whose children were diagnosed as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and followed up in the Department of Psychiatry, Jeju National University Hospital. Participants were treated with aromatherapy massage for 40 min twice per week for 4 weeks (8 interventions). RESULTS: A 4-week-aromatherapy massage program significantly improved all psychological assessment scores in the Stat-Trait Anxiety Index, Beck Depression Inventory and Short Form of Psychosocial Well-being Index. Interestingly, plasma BDNF levels were significantly increased after a 4 week-aromatherapy massage program. Alpha-brain wave activities were significantly enhanced and delta wave activities were markedly reduced following the one-time aromatherapy massage treatment, as shown in the meditation and neurofeedback training. In addition, salivary cortisol levels were significantly reduced following the one-time aromatherapy massage treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that aromatherapy massage could exert significant influences on multiple neurobiological indices such as EEG pattern, salivary cortisol and plasma BDNF levels as well as psychological assessments.
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