Noninvasive radioelectric asymmetric brain stimulation in the treatment of stress-related pain and physical problems: psychometric evaluation in a randomized, single-blind placebo-controlled, naturalistic study

Abstract

Vania Fontani1, Salvatore Rinaldi1,2, Lucia Aravagli1, Piero Mannu1, Alessandro Castagna1, Matteo Lotti Margotti11Rinaldi-Fontani Institute, 2Medical School of Occupational Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, ItalyBackground: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of noninvasive radioelectric asymmetric conveyer brain stimulation (REAC-BS) on pain and physical problems, a measurement cluster of the Psychological Stress Measure (PSM) test. When the symptoms of pain and physical problems do not respond to various therapeutic approaches such as medication, physiotherapy, and psychotherapy, they are often called medically unexplained symptoms. As such, these symptoms are reported to be a response to stressful situations or emotional states, often unknown to patients themselves. To explore the effectiveness of noninvasive radioelectric brain stimulation in the amelioration of symptoms of pain and physical problems, we administered a neuropsychophysical optimization protocol using a REAC device.Methods: The PSM, a self-administered questionnaire, was used to measure psychological stress and pain and physical problems in a group of 888 subjects. Data were collected immediately prior to and following a 4-week REAC treatment cycle.Results: There was a significant reduction in scores measuring subjective perceptions of stress for subjects treated with one cycle of neuropsychophysical optimization REAC-BS. At the end of the study, the number of treated subjects reporting symptoms of stress-related pain and physical problems on the PSM test was significantly reduced, whereas there was no difference in placebo-treated subjects.Conclusion: One cycle of neuropsychophysical optimization REAC-BS appears to reduce subjective perceptions of stress as measured by the PSM, particularly on the pain and physical problems cluster.Keywords: stress disorders, adaptation disorders, medically unexplained symptoms