Changes in Prefrontal Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Perfusion After the Computerized Relaxation Training in Women With Psychological Distress: A Preliminary Report

Eun Namgung; Jungyoon Kim; Hyeonseok Jeong; Jiyoung Ma; Gahae Hong; Ilhyang Kang; Jinsol Kim; Yoonji Joo; Rye Young Kim; In Kyoon Lyoo

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.569113

Changes in Prefrontal Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Perfusion After the Computerized Relaxation Training in Women With Psychological Distress: A Preliminary Report

Eun Namgung, Jungyoon Kim, Hyeonseok Jeong, Jiyoung Ma, Gahae Hong, Ilhyang Kang, Jinsol Kim, Yoonji Joo, Rye Young Kim, In Kyoon Lyoo

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2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Computerized relaxation training has been suggested as an effective and easily accessible intervention for individuals with psychological distress. To better elucidate the neural mechanism that underpins the effects of relaxation training, we investigated whether a 10-session computerized relaxation training program changed prefrontal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in women with psychological distress. We specifically focused on women since they were reported to be more vulnerable to develop stress-related disorders than men. Nineteen women with psychological distress but without a diagnosis of psychiatric disorders received the 10-day computerized relaxation training program that consisted of 30-min cognitive-relaxation training and 10-min breathing-relaxation training per day. At baseline and post-intervention, perceived stress levels, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality were assessed by self-report questionnaires. Brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy and arterial spin labeling scans were also performed before and after the intervention to evaluate GABA levels and relative CBF in the prefrontal region. Levels of perceived stress (t = 4.02, P < 0.001), anxiety (z = 2.33, P = 0.02), fatigue (t = 3.35, P = 0.004), and sleep quality (t = 4.14, P < 0.001) improved following 10 sessions of computerized relaxation training, resulting in a significant relief in composite scores of stress-related symptoms (t = −5.25, P < 0.001). The prefrontal GABA levels decreased (t = 2.53, P = 0.02), while relative CBF increased (t = −3.32, P = 0.004) after the intervention. In addition, a greater increase in relative prefrontal CBF was associated with better composite scores of stress-related symptoms following the intervention (t = 2.22, P = 0.04). The current findings suggest that computerized relaxation training may improve stress-related symptoms through modulating the prefrontal GABA levels and CBF in women with psychological distress.

Original language	English
Article number	569113
Journal	Frontiers in Psychology
Volume	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.569113
State	Published - 13 Apr 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Korean Health Technology R&D Project funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare (A121080), by the Field-oriented Support of Fire Fighting Technology Research and Development Program funded by the National Fire Agency (MPSS-Fire Fighting Safety-2016-86), by the Brain Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (2015M3C7A1028373), and by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education (2020R1A6A1A03043528).

Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Namgung, Kim, Jeong, Ma, Hong, Kang, Kim, Joo, Kim and Lyoo.

Keywords

cerebral blood flow
gamma-aminobutyric acid
prefrontal cortex
relaxation training
stress

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10.3389/fpsyg.2021.569113

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title = "Changes in Prefrontal Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Perfusion After the Computerized Relaxation Training in Women With Psychological Distress: A Preliminary Report",

abstract = "Computerized relaxation training has been suggested as an effective and easily accessible intervention for individuals with psychological distress. To better elucidate the neural mechanism that underpins the effects of relaxation training, we investigated whether a 10-session computerized relaxation training program changed prefrontal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in women with psychological distress. We specifically focused on women since they were reported to be more vulnerable to develop stress-related disorders than men. Nineteen women with psychological distress but without a diagnosis of psychiatric disorders received the 10-day computerized relaxation training program that consisted of 30-min cognitive-relaxation training and 10-min breathing-relaxation training per day. At baseline and post-intervention, perceived stress levels, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality were assessed by self-report questionnaires. Brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy and arterial spin labeling scans were also performed before and after the intervention to evaluate GABA levels and relative CBF in the prefrontal region. Levels of perceived stress (t = 4.02, P < 0.001), anxiety (z = 2.33, P = 0.02), fatigue (t = 3.35, P = 0.004), and sleep quality (t = 4.14, P < 0.001) improved following 10 sessions of computerized relaxation training, resulting in a significant relief in composite scores of stress-related symptoms (t = −5.25, P < 0.001). The prefrontal GABA levels decreased (t = 2.53, P = 0.02), while relative CBF increased (t = −3.32, P = 0.004) after the intervention. In addition, a greater increase in relative prefrontal CBF was associated with better composite scores of stress-related symptoms following the intervention (t = 2.22, P = 0.04). The current findings suggest that computerized relaxation training may improve stress-related symptoms through modulating the prefrontal GABA levels and CBF in women with psychological distress.",

keywords = "cerebral blood flow, gamma-aminobutyric acid, prefrontal cortex, relaxation training, stress",

author = "Eun Namgung and Jungyoon Kim and Hyeonseok Jeong and Jiyoung Ma and Gahae Hong and Ilhyang Kang and Jinsol Kim and Yoonji Joo and Kim, {Rye Young} and Lyoo, {In Kyoon}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by the Korean Health Technology R&D Project funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare (A121080), by the Field-oriented Support of Fire Fighting Technology Research and Development Program funded by the National Fire Agency (MPSS-Fire Fighting Safety-2016-86), by the Brain Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (2015M3C7A1028373), and by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education (2020R1A6A1A03043528). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright {\textcopyright} 2021 Namgung, Kim, Jeong, Ma, Hong, Kang, Kim, Joo, Kim and Lyoo.",

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day = "13",

doi = "10.3389/fpsyg.2021.569113",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

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T1 - Changes in Prefrontal Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Perfusion After the Computerized Relaxation Training in Women With Psychological Distress

T2 - A Preliminary Report

AU - Namgung, Eun

AU - Kim, Jungyoon

AU - Jeong, Hyeonseok

AU - Ma, Jiyoung

AU - Hong, Gahae

AU - Kang, Ilhyang

AU - Kim, Jinsol

AU - Joo, Yoonji

AU - Kim, Rye Young

AU - Lyoo, In Kyoon

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by the Korean Health Technology R&D Project funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare (A121080), by the Field-oriented Support of Fire Fighting Technology Research and Development Program funded by the National Fire Agency (MPSS-Fire Fighting Safety-2016-86), by the Brain Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (2015M3C7A1028373), and by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education (2020R1A6A1A03043528). Publisher Copyright: © Copyright © 2021 Namgung, Kim, Jeong, Ma, Hong, Kang, Kim, Joo, Kim and Lyoo.

PY - 2021/4/13

Y1 - 2021/4/13

N2 - Computerized relaxation training has been suggested as an effective and easily accessible intervention for individuals with psychological distress. To better elucidate the neural mechanism that underpins the effects of relaxation training, we investigated whether a 10-session computerized relaxation training program changed prefrontal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in women with psychological distress. We specifically focused on women since they were reported to be more vulnerable to develop stress-related disorders than men. Nineteen women with psychological distress but without a diagnosis of psychiatric disorders received the 10-day computerized relaxation training program that consisted of 30-min cognitive-relaxation training and 10-min breathing-relaxation training per day. At baseline and post-intervention, perceived stress levels, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality were assessed by self-report questionnaires. Brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy and arterial spin labeling scans were also performed before and after the intervention to evaluate GABA levels and relative CBF in the prefrontal region. Levels of perceived stress (t = 4.02, P < 0.001), anxiety (z = 2.33, P = 0.02), fatigue (t = 3.35, P = 0.004), and sleep quality (t = 4.14, P < 0.001) improved following 10 sessions of computerized relaxation training, resulting in a significant relief in composite scores of stress-related symptoms (t = −5.25, P < 0.001). The prefrontal GABA levels decreased (t = 2.53, P = 0.02), while relative CBF increased (t = −3.32, P = 0.004) after the intervention. In addition, a greater increase in relative prefrontal CBF was associated with better composite scores of stress-related symptoms following the intervention (t = 2.22, P = 0.04). The current findings suggest that computerized relaxation training may improve stress-related symptoms through modulating the prefrontal GABA levels and CBF in women with psychological distress.

AB - Computerized relaxation training has been suggested as an effective and easily accessible intervention for individuals with psychological distress. To better elucidate the neural mechanism that underpins the effects of relaxation training, we investigated whether a 10-session computerized relaxation training program changed prefrontal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in women with psychological distress. We specifically focused on women since they were reported to be more vulnerable to develop stress-related disorders than men. Nineteen women with psychological distress but without a diagnosis of psychiatric disorders received the 10-day computerized relaxation training program that consisted of 30-min cognitive-relaxation training and 10-min breathing-relaxation training per day. At baseline and post-intervention, perceived stress levels, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep quality were assessed by self-report questionnaires. Brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy and arterial spin labeling scans were also performed before and after the intervention to evaluate GABA levels and relative CBF in the prefrontal region. Levels of perceived stress (t = 4.02, P < 0.001), anxiety (z = 2.33, P = 0.02), fatigue (t = 3.35, P = 0.004), and sleep quality (t = 4.14, P < 0.001) improved following 10 sessions of computerized relaxation training, resulting in a significant relief in composite scores of stress-related symptoms (t = −5.25, P < 0.001). The prefrontal GABA levels decreased (t = 2.53, P = 0.02), while relative CBF increased (t = −3.32, P = 0.004) after the intervention. In addition, a greater increase in relative prefrontal CBF was associated with better composite scores of stress-related symptoms following the intervention (t = 2.22, P = 0.04). The current findings suggest that computerized relaxation training may improve stress-related symptoms through modulating the prefrontal GABA levels and CBF in women with psychological distress.

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KW - gamma-aminobutyric acid

KW - prefrontal cortex

KW - relaxation training

KW - stress

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SN - 1664-1078

VL - 12

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ER -

Changes in Prefrontal Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Perfusion After the Computerized Relaxation Training in Women With Psychological Distress: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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