EPV1177 - Digital Vibroacoustic stimulation for Insomnia in Adults With PTSD in a War Zone: A Feasibility Study
EPV1177
Digital Vibroacoustic stimulation for Insomnia in Adults With PTSD in a War Zone: A Feasibility Study
U. Katz 1,*, S. Grinapol 2, R. Hazani 1, A. Paz 1, N. Strasberg 2, H. Shehade 2, S. Hevron 2, G. Zalsman 1
1Geha Mental Health Center, Petah Tikva, 2Maale Hacarmel Mental Health Center, tel aviv, Israel
Introduction: Insomnia is highly prevalent among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and is considered a hallmark symptom. Effective treatment of insomnia may improve both sleep and PTSD outcomes. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment, but its availability is limited, underscoring the need for scalable digital alternatives
Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of TuneMe, a personalized digital vibroacoustic intervention, for reducing insomnia symptoms in adults with PTSD in a war zone setting.
Methods: This was a prospective, single-arm, open-label feasibility study conducted at Geha Mental Health Center, Israel. Thirty adults (aged 18–65 years) with PTSD and comorbid insomnia were recruited. All patients developed PTSD in a war zone setting over the last two years. Participants used the TuneMe application nightly, which produces personalized auditory stimulation based on real-time voice analysis and physiological monitoring. All patients completed the 7-week intervention.
The primary outcomes were changes in Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scores from baseline to week 7. Secondary outcomes included physiological stress, assessed with the Garmin stress index derived from heart rate variability.
Results: Mean ISI scores decreased from 22.6 (SD, 3.4) to 16.2 (SD, 6.5), a significant improvement (p < .001). The proportion with severe insomnia declined from 68.2% to 27.3% (p = .015). PCL-5 scores improved from 55.3 (SD, 9.5) to 47.0 (SD, 12.9; p = .002), with the greatest effects in hyperarousal and intrusion domains. Physiological stress decreased from 51.2 (SD, 17.4) to 33.9 (SD, 12.9; p < .001).
Conclusions: This feasibility study suggests that a personalized digital vibroacoustic intervention may reduce insomnia and PTSD symptoms in adults with PTSD. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm efficacy and establish durability.
Disclosure of Interest: None Declared