A brain-computer interface-based mindfulness meditation app, delivered alongside radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, significantly reduced patients' pain, anxiety, and fatigue compared to conventional care alone. In a randomized trial of 84 patients, those using the app reported lower numeric rating scale scores (mean 4.6 vs 5.7), lower State Anxiety Inventory scores (mean 36.7 vs 42.3), and lower Brief Fatigue Inventory scores (mean 3.4 vs 4.7). The app also reduced the dose of fentanyl needed during the procedure (mean 3.96 vs 4.85 mcg/kg), though heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and other sedative use did not differ between groups.
Adolescent ketamine abuse causes lasting deficits in cognition and social behavior by reducing excitatory synapses on parvalbumin (PV) inhibitory neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), while sparing excitatory pyramidal neurons. In rats given sub-chronic ketamine during early adolescence, the density of these synapses remained lower into adulthood, leading to hyperexcitability, impaired working memory, and reduced social interaction compared to controls. Bioinformatic analysis revealed decreased expression of a gene co-expression module (M1) critical for inhibitory neuron synapse development. The findings suggest that adolescent ketamine exposure irreversibly disrupts synaptic development, pointing to potential therapeutic targets.
A culturally adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program for Chinese adults with chronic pain led to greater short-term reductions in pain catastrophizing compared with treatment as usual, though the effect was not maintained at three months. Among participants who completed the program, MBSR also reduced pain interference and perceived stress. Brain scans showed that both groups had decreased regional homogeneity in the frontal lobe, while increased activity in the cerebellum anterior lobe was unique to the MBSR group. The findings suggest modest benefits of a culturally adapted MBSR program for certain pain-related outcomes in Chinese adults with chronic pain.
The default mode network (DMN) and the frontal parietal network (FPN) mature at different rates in children, with the DMN reaching adult-like levels earlier than the FPN. In a longitudinal developmental fMRI study using an n-back task with 528 children and 103 young adults, children showed greater improvement over time but still performed worse than adults. Children had weaker DMN deactivation and FPN activation but stronger coupling between DMN and FPN regions. The coupling between the posterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex mediated the relationship between age and working memory-related functional coupling, and together with task-invoked PCC activity, accounted for children's behavioral improvement. The DMN appears to provide a scaffolding effect supporting the immature FPN during executive function development.