Frontiers in Psychiatry
August 25, 2017
J. Douglas Bremner, Sanskriti Mishra, Carolina Campanella et al.
81 citations
Combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who completed an eight-session mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program showed lasting improvement in PTSD symptoms for six months after treatment, along with increased mindfulness. Brain imaging revealed that MBSR increased activity in the anterior cingulate and inferior parietal lobule while decreasing activity in the insula and precuneus when veterans were exposed to traumatic reminders, compared to those who received present-centered group therapy. These brain changes are linked to fear extinction and stress regulation. MBSR appears to be a safe and effective non-pharmacologic treatment for PTSD.
Nature Mental Health
May 1, 2025
Daniel H. Grossman, Kevin R. Madden, Nicky J. Mehtani et al.
10 citations
Socioeconomic status (SES) strongly affects mental health outcomes and treatment access, but its reporting in psychedelic-assisted therapy trials is inadequate. A systematic review of 98 articles (49 primary trials and 49 secondary analyses) from 2006 to 2024 found that only 12% of primary trials reported participant income data, and 31% reported educational attainment. In US-based trials, participants had markedly higher SES than the general population: 93% had some college education (versus 62% nationally), and median incomes in major trials substantially exceeded the national median for all workers. Non-US trials showed variable patterns. This underreporting and evidence of socioeconomic disparities highlights an urgent need for standardized SES reporting and strategies to improve socioeconomic diversity in psychedelic-assisted therapy research.
JAMA Network Open
May 7, 2026
Peter S. Hendricks, Sara N Lappan, Richard C. Shelton et al.
4 citations
A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, combined with psychotherapy, led to a higher percentage of cocaine-abstinent days, a greater likelihood of complete abstinence, and a longer time before the first cocaine lapse over 180 days compared with an active placebo (100 mg diphenhydramine) in a randomized, quadruple-blind trial. Among 40 participants with cocaine use disorder, 33 were men, 33 were Black, and most had low income. Psilocybin appeared safe, with no serious adverse events, and may offer a treatment for cocaine use disorder in underrepresented populations.
Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment
September 1, 2023
Therese K Killeen, Nathaniel L Baker, Lori L. Davis et al.
3 citations
A randomized controlled trial compared mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) to 12-step facilitation (TSF) as aftercare for veterans who completed intensive substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Both groups maintained reductions in alcohol and illicit substance use during aftercare. Nineteen participants (11%) reported returning to alcohol use during treatment, with no difference between MBRP (9%) and TSF (13%). Thirteen participants (7.5%) reported illicit substance use, again similar between groups (MBRP 5.4% vs. TSF 10.3%). Days of drinking and illicit substance use also did not differ. Although low treatment retention limits interpretation, both approaches helped sustain treatment gains.
Mindfulness
October 1, 2022
Itamar Shapira, Joshua Richman, Thaddeus W W Pace et al.
In veterans with PTSD, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and present-centered group therapy both increased morning cortisol levels from baseline to 9 weeks, but the increase was significantly smaller with MBSR (mean difference 1.69 ± 0.8 SE). Changes in interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein did not differ between groups. Greater self-reported mindfulness was linked to higher cortisol and to reduced PTSD and depression severity. Higher IL-6 and CRP were associated with less severe PTSD but not depression. Pooled results confirmed MBSR outperformed the active control for clinical improvement. Increased mindfulness may recalibrate cortisol levels, suggesting a therapeutic response.
Psychiatric Research and Clinical Practice
October 1, 2019
Lori L. Davis, Charles Whetsell, Mark B Hamner et al.
Both mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and present-centered group therapy (PCGT) led to significant improvement in PTSD symptoms among U.S. military veterans, as measured by the clinician-administered CAPS-IV scale, with no statistically significant difference between the two treatments. However, the MBSR group showed a statistically significant improvement in self-reported PTSD symptoms on the PTSD Checklist over the nine-week treatment period, though this difference was not maintained at the 16-week follow-up. The study involved 214 veterans randomly assigned to eight weeks of either 90-minute group MBSR or PCGT. Strengths include a large sample and multisite design; limitations include high attrition and low representation of women.