Work

Amelioration of Anxiety Associated with Opioid Withdrawal by Activation of Spinal Mechanoreceptors Via Novel Heterodyned Whole Body Vibration

Year: 2024

Type: article

Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial

Abstract: Objectives: Opioid use disorder (OUD)-associated overdose deaths have reached epidemic proportions worldwide.An important driving force for relapse is anxiety associated with opioid withdrawal.We hypothesized that our new technology, termed heterodyned whole-body vibration (HWBV) would ameliorate anxiety associated with OUD.Methods:Using a randomized, placebo (sham)controlled, double-blind study design in an NIH-sponsored Phase 1 trial, we evaluated 60 male and 26 female participants diagnosed with OUD and undergoing treatment at pain and rehabilitation clinics.We utilized the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and a daily visual analog scale anxiety rating (1-10) to evaluate anxiety.Subjects were treated for 10 min 5X/week for 4 weeks with either sham vibration (no interferential beat or harmonics) or HWBV (beats and harmonics).The participants also completed a neuropsychological test battery at intake and discharge.Results: In OUD subjects with moderate anxiety, there was a significant improvement in daily anxiety scores in the HWBV group compared to the sham treatment group (p=3.41 × 10 -7 ).HAM-A scores in OUD participants at intake showed moderate levels of anxiety in OUD participants (HWBV group: 15.9 ± 1.6; Sham group: 17.8 ± 1.6) and progressively improved in both groups at discharge, but improvement was greater in the HWBV group (p=1.37 × 10 -3 ).Furthermore, three indices of neuropsychological testing (mental rotations, spatial planning, and response inhibition) were significantly improved by HWBV treatment.Conclusions: These findings support HWBV as a novel, non-invasive, nonpharmacological treatment for anxiety associated with OUD.

Source: Journal of Psychiatry and Cognitive Behaviour

DOI: 10.29011/2574-7762.000073