Biofeedback neurotraining in the correction of emotional changes in early cerebral small vessel disease

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) associated with age and vascular risk factors has a high prevalence and social significance. Psychoemotional changes are an early manifestation of CSVD that require methods for their correction. Objective: to evaluate and compare the efficacy of biofeedback (BF) at infra-low frequencies and alpha waves frequencies in correcting emotional changes in patients with early CSVD. Material and methods. The study included 71 patients (85% women; mean age 52.8±6.3 years) with early CSVD and 21 healthy volunteers (71% women; mean age 53.2±4.8 years). Patients were randomized into three groups using the envelope method with double-blind placebo control: BF-neurotraining at infra-low frequencies (n=25), alpha waves (n=22) and imitation of BF based on electroencephalography parameters (placebo; n=24). Fifteen 30-minute individual sessions were conducted 2–5 times per week. Clinical symptoms, brain MRI data and psychoemotional status were assessed in all participants before and immediately after the BF course and 6–8 weeks later. Results. Patients with early-stage CSVD were characterized by an medium level of situational and a high level of personal anxiety, mild symptoms of depression and an medium level of alexithymia. Infra-low frequencies and alpha waves BF-neurotrainings were comparable in terms of their efficacy in reducing personal anxiety. Alpha waves training also showed an effect in reducing situational anxiety in the long term. Infralow frequencies training also reduced the level of depression. Placebo training had no effect on the parameters studied. Conclusion. In patients with early CSVD, BF-neurotraining at infra-low frequencies and alpha waves may be one of the methods for correcting the emotional changes associated with CSVD.

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