Research on EFT in DNA Papers

This area represents the clinical research conducted on Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in DNA papers. Explore by title below. Where the paper is available free of charge in an open access journal, you can download it and use freely (on website, social media, newsletters). If it is behind a pay wall, you can freely share the abstract and reference but cannot share the full article, due to copyright.

Epigenetic Effects of PTSD Remediation in Veterans Using Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of measuring changes in gene expression associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment using emotional freedom techniques (EFT).

Design: Participants were randomized into an EFT group receiving EFT and treatment as usual (TAU) throughout a 10-week intervention period and a group receiving only TAU during the intervention period and then receiving EFT.

Setting: A community clinic and a research institute in California.

Participants: Sixteen veterans with clinical levels of PTSD symptoms.

Intervention: Ten hour-long sessions of EFT.

Measures: Messenger RNA levels for a focused panel of 93 genes related to PTSD. The Symptom Assessment 45 questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Insomnia Severity Scale, SF-12v2 for physical impairments, and Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire.

Analysis: Pre-, posttreatment, and follow-up mean scores on questionnaires were assessed using repeated measures 1-way analysis of variance. A Student t test and post hoc analyses were performed on gene expression data.

Results: Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms declined significantly in the EFT group (-53%, P < .0001). Participants maintained their gains on follow-up. Significant differential expression of 6 genes was found ( P < .05) when comparing the expression levels before and after the intervention period in participants receiving EFT.

Conclusion: Study results identify candidate gene expression correlates of successful PTSD treatment, providing guidelines for the design of further studies aimed at exploring the epigenetic effects of EFT.

Citation (APA Style): Church, D., Yount, G., Rachlin, K., Fox, L., & Nelms, J. (2018). Epigenetic effects of PTSD remediation in veterans using clinical emotional freedom techniques: A randomized controlled pilot study. American Journal of Health Promotion, 32(1), 112–122. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890117116661154

Direct link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0890117116661154

Differential Gene Expression after Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Treatment: A Novel Pilot Protocol for Salivary mRNA Assessment

Abstract

Biopsychology is a rapidly expanding field of study since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003. There is little data measuring the effect of psychotherapeutic interventions on gene expression, due to the technical, logistical, and financial requirements of analysis. Being able to measure easily the effects of therapeutic experiences can validate the benefits of intervention. In order to test the feasibility of gene expression testing in a private practice setting, this study compared messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and gene expression before and after psychotherapy and a control condition. With four non-clinical adult participants, it piloted a novel methodology using saliva stored at room temperature. A preliminary test of the interleukin- 8 (IL8) gene in both blood and saliva was performed in order to determine equivalency in the two biofluids; convergent validity was found. Following saliva test validation, a broad, genome-wide analysis was performed to detect differential gene expression in samples collected before and after treatment with Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), an evidence-based practice combining acupressure and cognitive exposure. The control treatment was non-therapeutic social interaction. To establish a baseline, participants received the control first, followed a week later by EFT. Analysis of samples was performed at three time points: immediately before treatment, immediately after, and 24 hours later. Differential expression between EFT and control was found in numerous genes implicated in overall health (p < 0.05). Further, the differentially expressed genes in this study were shown to be linked to immunity, pro or anti-inflammatory, as well as neuronal processes in the brain. Ten of the 72 differentially expressed genes are identified as promising targets for downstream research. The data show promise for the future use of salivary samples to determine the effects of therapy; this pilot protocol also illustrated the challenges and limitations of novel technologies employed in biopsychology.

Citation (APA Style): Maharaj, M. E. (2016). Differential gene expression after emotional freedom techniques (EFT) treatment: A novel pilot protocol for salivary mRNA assessment | energy psychology journal. Energy Psychology Journal, 8, 17–32. https://doi.org/10.9769/EPJ.2016.8.1.MM

Direct link: https://energypsychologyjournal.org/differential-gene-expression-emotional-freedom-techniques-eft-treatment-novel-pilot-protocol-salivary-mrna-assessment/

Do Noncoding RNAs Mediate the Efficacy of Energy Psychology?

Abstract

Background: There are over 100 published studies of a therapy called Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). This popular form of energy psychology combines elements of established methods like cognitive therapy with acupressure. Our group reported the first evidence of its mechanisms of action at the molecular level, showing that it can influence levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Objectives: Given recent advances in molecular genomics that have identified noncoding ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules as important regulators of gene expression, the aim of this study is to explore the possibility that microRNAs play a role in mediating the effects of EFT.
Methods: We measured microRNA levels in stored blood samples from our previous study in which veterans were randomized into an EFT group receiving EFT and treatment as usual throughout a 10-week intervention period, and a control group receiving only treatment as usual during the intervention period and then receiving EFT. A broad panel of 800 microRNAs was probed using a multiplexed, direct hybridization, and detection system.
Results: All of the microRNA targets were expressed at low levels and most were below thresholds established by negative control probes. Baseline variability was determined using samples collected from the control group at the start and end of the intervention period, and used to filter out targets that were too noisy under control conditions to be able to distinguish a response to treatment. Analysis of the remaining viable targets found a general trend of reduced expression following EFT, compared to expression levels in samples from the control group during the intervention period. The most notable decreases in expression levels were found for 2 microRNAs: let-7b and let-7c, although no significance was found after adjusting for multiple comparisons.
Conclusions: These preliminary data support the feasibility of measuring microRNA expression level changes that correlate with effective EFT therapy.

Citation (APA Style): Yount, G., Church, D., Rachlin, K., Blickheuser, K., & Ippolito Cardonna. (2019). Do noncoding RNAs mediate the efficacy of energy psychology? Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 8, 216495611983250-216495611983250. https://doi.org/10.1177/2164956119832500

Direct link: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2164956119832500

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