The Neuro-Existential Architecture System (NEAS): A Heuristic Framework and Proposed RCT for Meaning-Mediated Trauma Recovery

The long-term outcomes of individuals exposed to similar traumatic events often diverge dramatically: while some succumb to chronic despair, others achieve posttraumatic growth. This “resilience paradox” highlights a limitation of current trauma therapies. Although Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and EMDR reliably reduce symptoms such as hyperarousal and intrusive memories, many patients remain existentially fragmented, reporting a loss of purpose despite substantial symptom and functional improvement. This gap suggests that standard protocols—focused on sensorimotor stabilization, narrative coherence, and functional restoration—may systematically neglect a vital fourth meta-level: the capacity for non‑identified awareness.This paper introduces the Neuro-Existential Architecture System (NEAS), a theoretical framework that hypothesizes that meaning is not merely a psychological variable but a fundamental neurobiological organizing principle structuring resilience. NEAS proposes four complementary, hierarchically organized neurobiological mechanisms: (1) hierarchical recalibration via meaning-priors, using top-down signals to reorganize the brain’s predictive hierarchy; (2) emotional criticality via limbic meta‑regulation, permitting balanced oscillation between hope (Papez system) and caution (Yakovlev system); (3) spatiotemporal coherence, extending the autorelational window to restore identity continuity; and (4) Witnessing-Space as structural meta‑stabilization, theoretically instantiated through inter‑regional gamma‑frequency binding, a candidate mechanism proposed to enable global meta‑awareness and prevent system fragmentation under stress.The NEAS clinical model operationalizes these mechanisms into a four‑level architecture (Level −1: Relational Safety; Level 0: Sensorimotor Stabilization; Level 1: Narrative Coherence; Level 2: Existential Meaning Integration). Meaning-focused work at the highest level is hypothesized to be pivotal, explicitly intended to cultivate Witnessing-Space through contemplative practice integrated with trauma‑focused processing. To begin validating this framework, we propose a multi‑site, two‑arm randomized controlled trial (N = 240) comparing NEAS‑based treatment with standard trauma‑focused cognitive‑behavioral therapy. A neuroimaging subsample (n = 80) will exploratively measure autorelational window extension, gamma synchrony, and Default Mode Network connectivity. We hypothesize that the integrated four‑level NEAS condition will yield superior functional outcomes (Sheehan Disability Scale) and greater long‑term durability compared to standard care. While the present framework is grounded in Western neuroscience and clinical contexts, its ultimate value will depend on rigorous cross‑cultural adaptation and validation. By bridging neuroscience, existential psychology, and contemplative science, NEAS aims to support a shift from trauma‑focused symptom management toward existentially grounded, neurobiologically coherent healing.