Digitally recording HRV during EMDR with or without eye movements
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Digitally recording heart rate variability via the patient's finger: Is there a difference between eye movements and no eye movements during EMDR treatment for PTSD?
IRAS ID
173479
Contact name
Karim Baxter
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, days
Research summary
The purpose of the study is to gain greater insight into Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR). EMDR is an NHS recommended treatment, which can significantly reduce trauma symptoms. There is some debate regarding how it actually works, however there is evidence to suggest that the eye movements component helps reduce anxiety and increase relaxation levels. To measure these arousal levels during EMDR previous research has used electrocardiography (ECG) to measure heart rate, which offers insight into the effectiveness of eye movements (EM). All studies to date have used ECG to measure arousal levels which requires technical knowledge to administer and interpret. Furthermore, applying electrodes to a patient experiencing PTSD may heighten anxiety. The present study will use new technology which is a small device that would be gently attached to the end of the patient’s index finger. This device is very similar to one that measures oxygen levels in the blood and therefore is a very simple piece of equipment and should cause no discomfort to the patient. The study also requires patient’s faces to be video recorded throughout and it will only be their face that is recorded. This is to match the stages of treatment (i.e. when EM starts and stops) to their corresponding arousal level outcome. The new technology will digitally measure the patient’s anxious and relaxed arousal levels during EM and no EM treatment sessions. 10 NHS patients would be recruited to receive two treatment sessions; one with EM and one without and then continue with treatment as usual without any of the recording devices. EM and no EM phases occur at least three times within a treatment session and therefore several measurements can be taken and analysed.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
15/ES/0141
Date of REC Opinion
24 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion