Brain stimulation enhances dispositional mindfulness in PTSD: an exploratory sham-controlled rTMS trial.
Frontiers in psychiatry January 1, 2025 Kaveh Rayani, Andrea Grabovac, Peter Chan et al. 2 citations
In a pilot trial, 31 adults with PTSD received either real or sham repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Mindfulness scores, measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, did not improve significantly immediately after treatment when corrected for multiple comparisons. However, by three months after treatment, those who received real rTMS showed significant gains in total mindfulness and nonreactivity. The delayed improvement suggests the benefits of rTMS on dispositional mindfulness may take time to emerge. The findings indicate that brain stimulation might eventually help reduce PTSD-related suffering by boosting mindfulness.