Rankins Ellen M, Quinn Andrea, McKeever Kenneth H, Malinowski Karyn
Equine Science Center, Department of Animal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States.
Center for Psychological Services, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States.
Front Psychiatry. 2024 May 28;15:1390212. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1390212. eCollection 2024.
Equine-assisted services (EAS) has received attention as a potential treatment strategy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as existing literature indicates that symptoms may decrease following EAS. Relatively little is known about the mechanisms at play during lessons and if physiological measures are impacted. The objectives of this pilot study were to 1) explore the effects of adaptive horsemanship (AH) lessons on symptoms of PTSD, hormone concentrations, and social motor synchrony; 2) determine if physiological changes occur as veterans interact with horses; and 3) explore if the interaction between veteran and horse changes over the 8-week session.
Veterans with PTSD were randomly assigned to control (CON, n = 3) or AH (n = 6) groups for an 8-week period (clinical trial; NCT04850573; clinicaltrials.gov). Veterans completed the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) at pre-, post-, and 2- and 6-month follow-up time points. They also completed a social motor synchrony test (pendulum swinging) and blood draw at pre- and post-time points. In weeks 1, 4, and 8, blood samples were drawn at 0 min, 3 min, 5 min, 25 min, and 30 min during the 30-min AH lessons. Veterans completed the Human-Animal Interaction Scale (HAIS) after each lesson. Blood samples were assayed for plasma cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and oxytocin. Data were analyzed with repeated measure ANOVAs. Changes in PTSD symptoms from pre- to post-time point were analyzed with paired t-tests.
Changes in PCL-5 scores tended to differ ( = 0.0989), and global BSI scores differed ( = 0.0266) between AH (-11.5 ± 5.5, mean ± SE; -0.5 ± 0.2) and CON (5.3 ± 5.4; 0.4 ± 0.2) groups. Social motor synchrony and hormone concentrations did not differ between groups or time points ( > 0.05). Cortisol, norepinephrine, and oxytocin concentrations did not differ across sessions ( > 0.05). Epinephrine concentrations tended ( = 0.0744) to decrease from week 1 to 4 of sessions. HAIS scores increased ( ≥ 0.0437) in week 3 and remained elevated as compared to week 1.
Participant recruitment was the greatest challenge. These preliminary results agree with the literature suggesting that EAS can reduce symptoms of PTSD.
马术辅助服务（EAS）作为创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的一种潜在治疗策略受到了关注，因为现有文献表明，接受EAS后症状可能会减轻。对于课程进行期间所涉及的机制以及生理指标是否受到影响，我们了解得相对较少。本试点研究的目的是：1）探讨适应性马术（AH）课程对PTSD症状、激素浓度和社会运动同步性的影响；2）确定退伍军人与马匹互动时是否会发生生理变化；3）探讨退伍军人与马匹之间的互动在为期8周的课程中是否会发生变化。
患有PTSD的退伍军人被随机分配到对照组（CON，n = 3）或AH组（n = 6），为期8周（临床试验；NCT04850573；clinicaltrials.gov）。退伍军人在课前、课后、2个月和6个月的随访时间点完成PTSD检查表（PCL - 5）和简明症状量表（BSI）。他们还在课前和课后完成了社会运动同步测试（摆锤摆动）并进行了血液采集。在第1、4和8周，在30分钟的AH课程期间的0分钟、3分钟、5分钟、25分钟和30分钟采集血样。退伍军人在每次课程后完成人 - 动物互动量表（HAIS）。对血样进行血浆皮质醇、肾上腺素、去甲肾上腺素和催产素的检测。数据采用重复测量方差分析进行分析。从课前到课后时间点PTSD症状的变化采用配对t检验进行分析。
AH组（-11.5 ± 5.5，均值±标准误；-0.5 ± 0.2）和CON组（5.3 ± 5.4；0.4 ± 0.2）之间，PCL - 5评分的变化存在差异趋势（P = 0.0989），总体BSI评分存在差异（P = 0.0266）。两组之间或各时间点的社会运动同步性和激素浓度没有差异（P > 0.05）。各课程期间皮质醇、去甲肾上腺素和催产素浓度没有差异（P > 0.05）。肾上腺素浓度在课程的第1周到第4周有下降趋势（P = 0.0744）。HAIS评分在第3周升高（P ≥ 0.0437），与第1周相比保持升高。
参与者招募是最大的挑战。这些初步结果与文献一致，表明EAS可以减轻PTSD症状。
