Research SquareFebruary 13, 2025Ayanna K. Bell, Bianca R. Watt, Arturo S. Lopez Flores et al.1 citation
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Abstract Background Cultural biases within healthcare systems result in inequitable treatment, harms, and mistrust—particularly for individuals with marginalized identities. Cultural humility training is dynamic, reflective, and emphasizes person-centered care and mutual respect. Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is an emerging modality for treating psychiatric disorders. Practice manuals and...
Research SquareJanuary 30, 2025Vinitha Ganesan, Kathryn Kaiser, Anjani Allada et al.
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Abstract Background: Patients with breast cancer experience distress, treatment-related discomfort, and fear of recurrence, from initial diagnosis through survivorship. Aims: This study aimed to assess the effects of breathwork interventions on the mental health and quality of life of breast cancer patients and survivors. Methods: We searched multiple databases for randomized controlled trials...
Research SquareDecember 13, 2024Richard Lawrence Blake
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Abstract Amidst the growing prevalence of anxiety disorders and the limitations of existing treatments, this research paper posits that we need to expand treatment options rather than simply to include more people in therapy or on medication. The popularity of breathwork has grown enormously but is still in the process of creating a robust body of evidence to validate its utility. This research...
Research SquareDecember 3, 2024Qiubi Tang, Wenqing Zhou, Tao Zheng et al.
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Abstract Background Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder characterized by symptoms such as auditory hallucinations, which can seriously impact patients' quality of life and social functioning. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention to manage these symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of MBCT on auditory...
Research SquareNovember 21, 2024Tiziano Canello, Alejandro Tlaie, Kamlesh Chalise et al.
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Abstract High ventilation breathwork is a breathing practice that involves deep, accelerated breathing over a prolonged duration (> 15 minutes). This basic practice underpins a wide range of traditions, from Pranayama to Holotropic and Conscious-Connected breathwork. Anecdotal reports suggest that it can benefit physical and mental health, often by evoking altered states of consciousness....
Abstract Background Psychedelic substances exhibit complex interactions with the ‘set and setting’ of use, i.e., the internal state of the user and the external environment in which a psychedelic experience takes place. Despite the known importance of these contextual variables, psychedelic research has suffered from methodological weaknesses in reporting extra-pharmacological factors and from...
Abstract Background: Personality disorders (PDs) are characterized by impairments in psychological functioning for which pharmacologic treatments have demonstrated limited efficacy. Psychedelics may offer a possible PD treatment, given preliminary evidence for their potential long-term positive effects on psychological functioning. However, little is known about safety or potential therapeutic...
Abstract Ketamine and psilocybin show potential as therapies for various mental illnesses, including major depressive disorder. However, further investigation into their neural mechanisms is required to understand their effects on the brain. By combining computational modelling with electroencephalography (EEG), we examine the effects of ketamine and psilocybin on hierarchical sensory...
Abstract Chronic pain states are challenging to control with current drug therapies. Here, we demonstrate that a single dose of psilocybin can produce a sustained anti-nociceptive effect in a mouse model of chronic neuropathic pain. Beyond this, the single dose of psilocybin caused a dramatic increase in the anti-nociceptive potential of gabapentin, a widely used treatment for neuropathic pain,...
Abstract Background A diagnosis of cancer is often associated with significant psychological distress. Current approaches to cancer-related distress predominantly fall short of meeting the needs of patients. Recent investigations have shown that administering psilocybin in combination with psychotherapy might be effective at reducing distress in cancer patients. Oncologists are often...
Research SquareSeptember 6, 2024Nicolas Lori, José Machado
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Abstract The study of consciousness is gaining importance in both neuroscience and the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). We show here that an advanced White Matter (WM) tractography method, termed gridography, can explore the potential integration of two prominent theories of consciousness: Global Workspace Theory (GWT) and Integrated Information Theory (IIT). Using gridography on...
Abstract Background Psilocybin, a serotonin 2A receptor agonist with psychedelic properties, shows promise as a novel treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD). While current studies involve two dosing sessions, the effects a single dose have not been investigated. Aims To investigate the pharmacokinetics, feasibility, safety, and efficacy of single-dose psilocybin therapy in AUD. Methods This...
Abstract Objective Recent years have witnessed a resurgence in research exploring the therapeutic potential of classic psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD for treating mental disorders. However, there is a limited knowledge regarding the epidemiology of classic psychedelics consumption and the factors associated with their recreational use in Poland. Methods A representative sample of Polish...
Abstract Psychedelic experiences open a colorful view into drug-induced changes in conscious awareness. Small-sample studies on psychedelic drug action have gained traction in recent years. Yet, today’s means for measuring changes in subjective experience are mostly limited to legacy questionnaires of pre-assumed relevance, which could be complemented by bottom-up explorations of semantic...
While effective, medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment outcomes can be limited by co-occurring polysubstance use, mental health and chronic pain conditions. Interoceptive training may facilitate well-being and support medication treatment for MOUD. This study examined the pre-post effects of the mindfulness-based intervention Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT) as an...
Research SquareJune 7, 2024Målin Schmidt, Anne Hoffrichter, Mahnaz Davoudi et al.5 citations
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Abstract Psilocybin is studied as innovative medication in anxiety, substance abuse and treatment-resistant depression. Animal studies show that psychedelics promote neuronal plasticity by strengthening synaptic responses and protein synthesis. However, the exact molecular and cellular changes induced by psilocybin in the human brain are not known. Here, we treated human cortical neurons...
Abstract The primary purpose of the Loving-kindness and Compassion Meditations (LKCM) in Buddhism was the cultivation of kindness, but many modern LKCM trainings focused on happiness, and even used the “kindness for happiness” strategy that advocate cultivation of kindness for the benefit of happiness. This study investigated whether cultivating kindness was lesser desired than enhancing...
Abstract High ventilation breathwork with retention (HVBR) might be beneficial for mental/physical health and has been growing in popularity over the past decade. However, little research has investigated the potential therapeutic effects of brief, remotely delivered HVBR and the tolerability profile of this technique. This study (NCT06064474) was the largest blinded randomised-controlled trial...
In a double-blinded cross-over design, 30 adults (mean age = 25.57, SD = 3.74; all male) were administered racemic ketamine and compared against saline infusion as a control. Both task-driven (auditory oddball paradigm) and resting-state EEG were recorded. HOI were computed using advanced multivariate information theory tools, allowing us to quantify nonlinear statistical dependencies between...
Abstract In this randomized, controlled, and double-blind experiment with a relatively large sample (n = 262), a novel technique of audiovisual stimulation (AVS) was demonstrated to substantially improve self-reported mood states by reducing several negative affects, including anxiety and depression, and enhancing performance on mood-sensitive cognitive tasks. Most of the AVS effects were...
Affective symptoms such as anxiety, low mood, and loneliness are prevalent and highly debilitating symptoms among older adults (OA). Serotonergic psychedelics are novel experimental interventions for affective disorders, yet little is known regarding their effects in OA. Using a prospective cohort design, we identified 62 OA (age ≥ 60 years) and 62 matched younger adults (YA) who completed...
Integrating contemplative practices such as meditation and yoga may offer a comprehensive approach for the rise in mental health issues. We aimed to develop and validate a Heartfulness Meditation and Yoga protocol for individuals with low to moderate anxiety. In Phase 1, we developed the protocol from extensive literature survey using classical yoga texts and scientific studies. Phase 2...
Abstract Psychedelic therapy has the potential to become a revolutionary and transdiagnostic mental health treatment, yielding enduring benefits that are often attributed to the experiences that coincide with peak psychedelic effects. However, there may be an underrecognized temporal structure to this process that helps explain why psychedelic and related altered states of consciousness can...
Abstract Altered states of consciousness (ASCs), induced e.g. by psychedelics, show great potential to treat widespread mental health disorders like depression and PTSD. However, access to such treatments is restricted by legal, medical, and financial barriers. Here, we explore the potential of circular breathwork to serve as an accessible, non-pharmacological alternative to engage similar...