A randomized controlled safety and feasibility trial of floatation-REST in anxious and depressed individuals

Background: Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy via floatation (floatation- REST) is a behavioral intervention designed to attenuate exteroceptive sensory input to the nervous system. Prior studies in anxious and depressed individuals demonstrated that single sessions of floatation-REST are safe, well-tolerated, and associated with an acute anxiolytic and antidepressant effect that persists for over 48 hours. However, the feasibility of using floatation-REST as a repeated intervention in anxious and depressed populations has not been well-investigated.
Methods: In this single-blind safety and feasibility trial, 75 individuals with anxiety and depression were randomized to complete six sessions of floatation-REST in different formats: pool-REST (weekly 1-hour float sessions), pool-REST preferred (float sessions with flexibility of duration and frequency), or an active comparator (chair- REST; weekly 1-hour sessions in a Zero Gravity chair). Feasibility (primary outcome) was ass..., , , # General Information

1\. Title of Dataset: A randomized controlled safety and feasibility trial of floatation-REST in anxious and depressed individuals

2\. Author Information

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A. Principal Investigator Contact Information

Name: Sahib Khalsa, M.D., Ph.D.

Institution: Laureate Institute for Brain Research

Address: 6565 S Yale Ave. Tulsa, OK 74136

Email: [e-mail]
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3\. Date of data collection: February 2019 - October 2021

4\. Geographic location of data collection: Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK

5\. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: This research was supported by an award from the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (R34AT009889). The authors were also supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH127225, K23MH112949 to SSK), National Institute of General Medical Sciences Center Grant Award Number (1P20GM121312 to MPP, JSF, SSK), and The William K. Warren ...