Investigators Examine the Possibility of Psychosocial Treatments Assuaging Psoriasis Symptoms
The University of Rochester Medical Center is conducting a groundbreaking study to explore new ways of managing psoriasis using low-cost, adjunctive psychological interventions. The research, led by Jan Moynihan, Ph.D., director of the Rochester Center for Mind-Body Research, aims to determine if decreasing psychological distress can ameliorate the skin disease and inflammatory processes of psoriasis.
Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin, affects approximately 7.5 million people in the United States. The condition causes red patches and silvery scales, which are sites of inflammation and excessive production of skin cells. Stress is known to be a trigger and exacerbator of psoriasis symptoms, and many patients report experiencing psychological or life stress preceding disease flare-ups.
The study will focus on two interventions: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Living Well. MBSR combines mindfulness meditation, body awareness, and yoga, while Living Well is a didactic intervention that includes seminars on relevant topics like sleep, nutrition, and exercise.
Researchers will test skin lesions and blood for cytokines and other markers in the study. Stress is associated with increased production of proinflammatory proteins like interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in psoriasis. By measuring these markers, the study aims to assess the impact of the interventions on inflammation and psoriasis severity.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has awarded $2.5 million to the University of Rochester Medical Center for this research. The study is a collaborative effort involving researchers from several Medical Center departments, including Lisa Beck, Francisco A. Tausk, Christopher Ritchlin, Nancy L. Talbot, and Michael Krasner.
The study will enroll 200 Rochester-area residents with psoriasis. Participants will take part in one of the two interventions and have their psoriasis symptoms tracked and monitored. The researchers hope to provide evidence that these psychological interventions can offer a complementary strategy to manage psoriasis more effectively by targeting psychosocial factors.
Though the detailed findings from the University of Rochester Medical Center specific to these interventions were not fully described in the available search results, the general principle supported by research in dermatology and behavioral health is that mindfulness and stress reduction techniques can modulate inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis. By implementing these interventions alongside medical treatments, the researchers believe they can improve outcomes for psoriasis patients.
In summary, the study at the University of Rochester Medical Center aims to investigate the impact of psychological interventions such as MBSR and Living Well on psoriasis flare-ups. Preliminary research suggests that these interventions could potentially reduce both the intensity and occurrence of psoriasis flare-ups by addressing stress, a known trigger and exacerbator of psoriasis symptoms. The study's findings could offer a promising new approach to managing psoriasis and improving the quality of life for affected individuals.
- The study by Jan Moynihan at the University of Rochester Medical Center exploresusing psychological interventions to manage psoriasis, a skin condition affecting approximately 7.5 million people in the U.S.
- Stress, a known trigger for psoriasis, may be counteracted by interventions like Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Living Well, which focus on stress reduction, sleep, nutrition, and exercise.
- Researchers will monitor the impact of these interventions on psoriasis severity by examining skin lesions, blood for cytokines, and other markers associated with inflammatory processes of psoriasis.
- By providing evidence that these psychological interventions can complement medical treatments, the study aims to improve outcomes for psoriasis patients and contribute to a better understanding of the role of mental health and stress in skin conditions like psoriasis.
