ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9406-7542
Current Organisation
UNSW Sydney
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Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-04-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-03-2021
DOI: 10.1186/S12889-021-10529-X
Abstract: Globally COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the psychological wellbeing of millions of people, and there is an urgent imperative to address elevated levels of distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed Problem Management Plus (PM+), a low intensity psychological intervention for adults experiencing psychological distress. This paper outlines the study protocol for a trial that tests the effectiveness of an adapted version of PM+ to reduce distress associated with COVID-19. A single-blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial will be carried out for distressed people across Australia. via video conferencing on a small group basis. Following informed consent, adults that screen positive for levels of psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12 score ≥ 3) and have access to videoconferencing platform will be randomised to an adapted version of gPM+ ( n = 120) or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) (n = 120). The primary outcome will be reduction in psychological distress including anxiety and depression at 2-months post treatment. Secondary outcomes include worry, sleep problems, anhedonia, social support, and stress in relation to COVID-19. The trial aims assess whether an adapted version of videoconferencing PM+ that is specifically designed to target COVI-19 related distress will result in reduced distress relative to enhanced usual care. This trial was prospectively registered on the ANZCTR on 14/4/20 ( ACTRN12620000468921 ).
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-02-2023
DOI: 10.1186/S12888-023-04592-4
Abstract: The mental health impacts of workers within correctional settings has been of increasing focus over the past number of years. This paper outlines the study protocol for a trial that tests the efficacy of a brief resilience program, relative to a no intervention control in reducing general psychological distress and absenteeism in a cohort of correctional personnel in NSW, Australia. A, parallel, randomized controlled trial will be carried out in a small group format. Following informed consent, corrective personnel within prisons across NSW will volunteer to either attend a clinician delivered resilience program on stress management skills or not ( N = 600). The primary outcome will be change in psychological distress including anxiety and depression at 2-months post intervention. Secondary outcomes include help-seeking behaviours and absenteeism. This prevention focused treatment trial will assess whether a brief clinician delivered resilience program will reduce absenteeism and mitigate psychological distress in a cohort of corrective personnel within NSW, Australia. This study will yield insights into the role of a brief psychological program in mitigating the psychological distress reported by personnel in correctional settings. This trial was prospectively registered on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12622000029796). Ethics approval has been obtained from University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee. Results of the trial will be submitted for publication in peer reviewed journals and findings presented at scientific conferences and to key service providers and policy makers.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.NLM.2017.03.012
Abstract: Brief physical exercise enhances memories for neutral events, and recently has been shown to modulate fear learning in animals. To date there is no evidence pertaining to the impact of exercise on emotional memories in humans. Accordingly, this study investigated the role of brief exercise in the development of emotional intrusive memories. Forty-nine university students (18-29year olds) viewed a car accident film depicting accident and injury, and were then randomly assigned to engage in either 10min of intense exercise or easy walking. Two days following the experiment participants were assessed for both intrusive memories of the film and intentional recall of film details. Results indicated that participants in the exercise relative to the walking condition reported more intrusive memories, but not voluntarily recalled memories, of the car accident film two days later. These findings are consistent with recent evidence of exercise-induced emotional learning in animals, and point to the potential for physical activity to contribute to the development of intrusions in the context of encoding emotionally-laden information.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.NEUBIOREV.2019.09.033
Abstract: Anxiety disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, are underpinned by fear learning mechanisms. This review outlines how acute bouts of exercise can moderate fear memory acquisition, consolidation, and extinction. These fear memory mechanisms are central to the development and treatment of anxiety disorders. We propose that the documented effects of acute exercise directly impact key neurobiological processes implicated in fear memory modulation. Central to the relationship between acute exercise and fear memory is brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is augmented following acute exercise and is involved in synaptic plasticity and associative learning and memory. BDNF is a likely candidate for how acute exercise may moderate fear memories via key glucocorticoid and noradrenergic systems. Recent work has extended animal studies on acute exercise and fear memory to human populations, and has replicated the effects of exercise on emotional memories and extinction consolidation. This accumulative evidence suggests that the role of acute exercise in fear memory modulation may have significant potential benefits for how anxiety disorders are managed.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-12-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12888-022-04471-4
Abstract: The mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been profound. This paper outlines the study protocol for a trial that tests the efficacy of a brief group-based psychological intervention ( Coping with COVID CWC ) , relative to Supportive Counselling, to reduce distress associated with COVID-19 in a young adult population in Bangalore, India. A single-blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial will be carried out via video conferencing in a small group format. Following informed consent, adults that screen positive for levels of psychological distress (Kessler 10 (K-10 score ≥ 20) and have access to a videoconferencing platform will be randomised to an adapted version of CWC ( n = 90) or Supportive Counselling (SC) ( n = 90). The primary outcome will be reduction in psychological distress including anxiety and depression at 2-months post treatment. Secondary outcomes include worry, positive wellbeing, and stress in relation to COVID-19. This treatment trial will assess whether CWC will result in reduced distress relative to Supportive Counselling in a young adult population in Bangalore, India. This study will yield important insights into the role of nonspecific factors versus the intervention’s components in impacting COVID-19 related distress. This trial was prospectively registered on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621001064897). Ethics approval has been obtained from the participating institution, CHRIST University in Bangalore. Results of the trial will be submitted for publication in peer reviewed journals and findings presented at scientific conferences and to key service providers and policy makers.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.PSYNEUEN.2017.09.019
Abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that when a memory is reactivated through retrieval, it becomes temporarily vulnerable to environmental or pharmacological manipulation, which can consequently update or strengthen the memory. Physical exercise has been shown to modulate the maintenance of fear memories in animals following memory reactivation. This study investigated the effect of intense exercise in modulating the reconsolidation of trauma memories. Fifty-four undergraduate students watched a trauma film depicting the aftermath of a highway car crash. Two days later, participants engaged in either (a) 20-25min of incremental cycling following a memory reactivation induction (Reactivation/Exercise), (b) 20-25min of mild cycling (Reactivation/No Exercise) following memory reactivation, or (c) 20-25min of incremental cycling but no memory reactivation (No Reactivation/Exercise). Saliva s les were collected to index salivary amylase and cortisol at baseline and post activity. Participants completed memory questionnaires relating to declarative and intrusive memory recall two days after memory reactivation. Reactivation/Exercise participants recalled more central details of the trauma film relative to other participants. Increased cortisol predicted better total memory recall in the Reactivation/Exercise, but not in the other conditions. These findings suggest that intense exercise during the period of memory reactivation enhances subsequent trauma memory, and provides human evidence consistent with recent findings of exercise-induced fear reconsolidation in animals.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2015
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.PSYNEUEN.2016.12.013
Abstract: Brief physical exercise enhances memories for neutral events, and modulates fear learning in animals. Exercise-induced arousal induces the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which may moderate memory-enhancing effects. This study investigated the effect of exercise, and the extent to which the BDNF val66met polymorphism (which limits BDNF activity-dependent secretion) influenced emotional memories. Sixty-two healthy participants were randomly assigned to either 10min of intense exercise (n=31) or slow walking (control condition n=31), and then immediately viewed positive and negative images. Saliva s les were collected to index salivary cortisol, and to determine BDNF val66met genotype. Participants completed memory questionnaires two days later. Participants in the exercise had a significant increase in cortisol, and recalled more emotional images relative to the walking condition. Regression analyses indicated that the interaction between the BDNF val/val allele and cortisol response predicted stronger emotional memory in the exercise condition. These findings are consistent with evidence of acute exercise-induced emotional learning in animals, and suggests that a genetic predisposition involving BDNF may be important in determining the impact of acute exercise on emotional memory formation.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-04-2019
DOI: 10.1038/S41398-019-0464-Z
Abstract: Rodent research indicates that acute physical exercise facilitates fear learning and inhibition. Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may moderate the memory enhancing effects of acute exercise. We assessed the role of acute exercise in modulating extinction retention in humans, and investigated the extent to which the BDNF polymorphism influenced extinction retention. Seventy non-clinical participants engaged in a differential fear potentiated startle paradigm involving conditioning and extinction followed by random assignment to either intense exercise ( n = 35) or no exercise ( n = 35). Extinction retention was assessed 24 h later. Saliva s les were collected to index BDNF genotype. Exercised participants displayed significantly lower fear 24 h later relative to non-exercised participants. Moderation analyses indicated that after controlling for gender, the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism moderated the relationship between exercise and fear recovery 24 h later, such that exercise was associated with greater fear recovery in in iduals with the Met allele. These findings provide initial evidence that acute exercise can impact fear extinction in humans and this effect is reduced in Met-allele carriers. This finding accords with the role of BDNF in extinction learning, and has implications for augmenting exposure-based therapies for anxiety disorders.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2023
Publisher: S. Karger AG
Date: 07-12-2021
DOI: 10.1159/000520283
Abstract: b i Introduction: /i /b Anxiety and depression have increased markedly during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a lack of evidence-based strategies to address these mental health needs during the pandemic. b i Objective: /i /b We aim to conduct a proof-of-concept trial of the efficacy of a brief group-based psychological intervention delivered via videoconferencing for adults in Australia distressed by the pandemic. b i Methods: /i /b In this single-blind, parallel, randomised controlled trial, adults who screened positive for COVID-related psychological distress across Australia were randomly allocated to either a 6-session group-based program based on behavioural principles ( i n /i = 120) or enhanced usual care (EUC, i n /i = 120). Primary outcome was total score on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS) anxiety and depression subscales assessed at baseline, 1 week posttreatment, 2 months (primary outcome time point), and 6 months after treatment, as well as secondary outcome measures of worry, sleep impairment, anhedonia, mood, and COVID-19-related stress. b i Results: /i /b Between May 20, 2020, and October 20, 2020, 240 patients were enrolled into the trial. Relative to EUC, at 2 months participants receiving intervention showed greater reduction on anxiety (mean difference, 1.4 [95% CI, 0.3 to 2.6], i /i = 0.01 effect size, 0.4 [95% CI, 0.1 to 0.7]) and depression (mean difference, 1.6 [95% CI, 0.4 to 2.8], p = 0.009 effect size, 0.4 [95% CI, 0.2 to 0.7]) scales. These effects were maintained at 6 months. There were also greater reductions of worry, anhedonia, COVID-19-related fears, and contamination fears. b i Conclusions: /i /b This trial provides initial evidence that brief group-based behavioural intervention delivered via videoconferencing results in moderate reductions in common psychological problems arising during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program may offer a viable and scalable means to mitigate the rising mental health problems during the pandemic.
No related grants have been discovered for Dharani Keyan.