Motor Interference Therapy For Traumatic Memories (TIMCO)

El Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia Manuel Velasco Suarez

Status: Completed

Conditions: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; Trauma, Psychological

Treatments: Other: motor interference therapy; Other: Relaxation exercises

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03627078

69/17

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the study is to compare the effect of motor interference therapy (TIM) to reduce the intensity of discomfort (distress) generated by a traumatic memory compared to a relaxation control maneuver, immediately after the intervention, a week, a month and six months after intervention.

Full description

The investigators treated 10 patients with autobiographical traumatic memories using finger tapping tasks, (Motor Interference Therapy <TIM>)in a pilot study with amazing results and a solid size effect. The investigators decided to challenge the intervention using a control task (Jacobson´s progressive relaxation exercises) The hypothesis consists in achieving a 30% reduction of the distress, (measured with Visual Analogue Scale) by using TIM compared with the control task. Patients with traumatic memories will be enrolled in to one of two treatment modalities. The first group will receIve motor interference therapy and the second group will receive a control task (relaxation exercises). Both groups will be assessed using the Spanish version of the PTSD Symptom Severity Scale-Revised (EGS-R), the visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) from EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D), and a simple visual-analogue scale (VAS) immediately after, a week after, a month after and six months after the treatment for follow up.

Enrollment: 28 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients older than 16 years
• Spanish as a native language
• Give written informed consent
• having at least 1 traumatic memory causing distress

Exclusion criteria

• Neurological or psychiatric disorders that affect the capacity of verbal comprehension and judgment, such as dementia, psychosis, mental retardation or other cognitive alteration that does not allow them to perform the tasks indicated in the TIM or SHAM
• History of recent substance abuse
• Patients with significant hearing loss or some other hearing impairment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

28 participants in 2 patient groups

Motor Interference Therapy

Experimental group

Description:

Initial interview applying the Spanish version of the PTSD Symptom Severity Scale-Revised (EGS-R), the visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) from EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D), and a simple visual-analogue scale (VAS). After that, patients will listen to an audio track twice and follow the instructions. The first four minutes of the audio track instruct the subjects to tap their fingers in response to specific sounds. During the remaining ten minutes, the patients will be asked to recall a traumatic memory while simultaneously are tapping their fingers. Patients must complete at least 80% of the motor task in order to be included. We will reassess a week, a month and six months after the intervention, using all three scales.

Treatment:

Other: motor interference therapy

Relaxation Exercise

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Initial interview applying the Spanish version of the PTSD Symptom Severity Scale-Revised (EGS-R), the visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) from EuroQol 5D (EQ-5D), and a simple visual-analogue scale (VAS). After that, patients will listen to an audio track twice and follow the instructions. The first four minutes of the audio track instruct the subjects in how to do the exercises. During the remaining 10 minutes will hear commands for performing progressive muscle tension-relaxation exercises while the patient evoked the traumatic memory. Patients must complete at least 80% of the motor task in order to be included. We will reassess a week, a month and six months after the intervention, using all three scales.

Treatment:

Other: Relaxation exercises