Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in PTSD
Collaborators: Khanna, R., Jensen, W., Berlowitz, D., Barnes, M., Newham, B., Oedeke, V., Kirsty, W., Jackson, M.
Funder: Estate of Shirley and James Riddell via the Austin Medical Research Fund - $24,000
Dr Rahul Khanna
Psychiatrist, researcher, educator, technologist. <br> Eternally curious. Let's connect ↓ Psychiatrist, researcher, educator, technologist.
Eternally curious. Let's connect ↓
Memflex: A Digital Innovation to Enhance Stepped Mental Health Care
Collaborators: C. Hitchcock, R. Khanna
Funder: University of Melbourne: MDHS Mid-Career Seeding Ideas Grants
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Creating a Computational Clinical Decision Tool for Treatment Selection in PTSD (DECODE-PTSD)
Collaborators: M. O’Donnell, K. Felmingham, S. Fuentes, R. Khanna, O. Metcalfe, K. Karstoft, P. Schnurr, A. Putica, A. Khoo
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) 2023 Ideas Grants - $1.68 million
About the trial
The DECODE trial is investigating what factors might predict recovery from PTSD in two different PTSD treatments – Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy or the Unified Protocol (UP). Our treatments are intensive – with sessions occurring daily across 10 weekdays.
PTSD symptoms can be diverse, and not everyone’s presentation of PTSD looks the same. Both UP and PE have been used to effectively treat PTSD, but they seem to work very differently. Therefore, it may be that some presentations of PTSD are better suited for one of these therapies over the other. The DECODE trial investigates how to better match people with PTSD to the treatment that is most likely to work for them.
Am I eligible to participate in DECODE?
To be eligible for the DECODE Trial, the following criteria need to be met:
- Aged 18 or over.
- Have been diagnosed with PTSD or suspect that they have PTSD following a traumatic event.
- Currently reside in Victoria.
- Access to equipment for video conferencing (ie computer and internet) for Telehealth.
- Able to attend daily sessions over two consecutive weeks (10 business days).
- Have good English comprehension.
You can find out more on the study website here.
Interoceptive Interventions for Posttraumatic Stress: A Systematic Review of Treatment and Interoception Outcomes
Summary
This study reviews how treatments that focus on interoception—the awareness of internal bodily sensations like heartbeat and breath—can help people with posttraumatic stress (PTS). The research finds that approaches like mindfulness and certain exercises are effective in improving PTS symptoms. Interventions that involve paying attention to bodily signals provide short-term relief, while integrated exercise routines offer longer-term benefits. Though promising, more studies are needed to understand exactly how these treatments work.