BMC Psychiatry
April 7, 2006
Andy Finucane, Stewart W Mercer
307 citations
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), an 8-week course combining meditation and cognitive theory, was tested with 13 primary care patients experiencing active depression and anxiety. Three months after the course, most patients found the training acceptable and beneficial, though many felt the course was too short and needed follow-up. More than half continued using mindfulness techniques. A minority still had significant distress, especially anxiety. Mean depression scores fell from 35.7 to 17.8, and mean anxiety scores from 32.0 to 20.5. Improvements occurred in 72% of patients for depression and 63% for anxiety. MBCT may help treat active depression and anxiety in primary care.
BMC Psychiatry
July 31, 2018
Timothy I. Michaels, Jennifer Purdon, Alexis Collins et al.
256 citations
Minorities are greatly underrepresented in psychedelic medicine studies, so reported treatment outcomes may not apply to all ethnic and cultural groups. Including minorities in future studies and improving recruitment strategies are necessary to understand how well psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy works for people of color and to ensure equal opportunities for all to participate in this potentially promising treatment.
BMC Psychiatry
January 16, 2020
Jerome Sarris, Justin Sinclair, Diana Karamacoska et al.
247 citations
Evidence for medicinal cannabis in psychiatry is still early and not yet strong enough to recommend cannabinoid-based treatments. Isolated studies suggest cannabidiol (CBD) may help reduce social anxiety, and there is mixed but mainly positive evidence for its use alongside antipsychotics in schizophrenia. Case studies hint at benefits for sleep and post-traumatic stress disorder, but the evidence is weak. High-THC treatments show no benefit for depression, and CBD does not help mania. One study found a possible effect of an oral cannabinoid/terpene combination for ADHD. Caution is advised with high-THC formulas, especially in youth and people with anxiety or psychotic disorders, and gradual dosing and regular monitoring are recommended.
BMC Psychiatry
October 31, 2021
Nagahide Takahashi, Aya Yamada, Ayako Shiraishi et al.
56 citations
In a Phase 2b randomized controlled trial of Japanese adults with treatment-resistant depression, adding esketamine nasal spray (28, 56, or 84 mg) to a new oral antidepressant did not significantly improve depressive symptoms more than placebo plus antidepressant. At day 28, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores decreased by about 15 points in all groups, including placebo. Common side effects from esketamine included increased blood pressure, dissociation, dizziness, drowsiness, nausea, numbness, vertigo, and headache, each occurring more than twice as often as with placebo. The authors conclude that efficacy was not established and further research is needed.
BMC Psychiatry
May 7, 2024
Ahmad Zolghadriha, Afagh Anjomshoaa, Mohammad Reza Jamshidi et al.
24 citations
In a randomized clinical trial, 64 patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder received either a single intravenous dose of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine or a placebo (normal saline). One hour after administration, the ketamine group showed significantly greater improvement in depression symptoms (score 14.90 vs. 35.16) and suicidal ideation (score 0.42 vs. 6.74) compared to the placebo group. These improvements remained statistically significant at multiple time points up to two months. Common side effects included increased heart rate, headache, dizziness, and dissociative symptoms. The rapid and sustained effects suggest ketamine can relieve depressive symptoms faster than traditional treatments.
BMC Psychiatry
March 1, 2024
Kimia Sahraian, Hamed Abdollahpour Ranjbar, Bahia Namavar Jahromi et al.
22 citations
A mindful self-compassion program for infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization reduced hopelessness, anger-hostility, anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity, and depression compared with treatment as usual, with gains lasting at least two months. Fifty-seven women were randomly assigned to either the eight-week program or usual care. The intervention group met weekly for two hours plus a half-day retreat. Improvements were clinically significant and durable, suggesting that mindfulness-based approaches can support mental well-being and life satisfaction in this population.
BMC Psychiatry
June 2, 2020
J. Phillips, N. Jaworska, Elizabeth Kamler et al.
22 citations
A multi-centre trial across four Canadian institutions will compare intravenous ketamine infusions with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treating major depressive episodes in 240 patients with major depressive or bipolar disorder. Patients are randomized to either ECT or ketamine three times per week for three to four weeks; non-responders cross over to the other treatment. Responders enter a six-month maintenance phase. The primary outcome is change in depression severity scores assessed by blinded raters. The study aims to identify clinical, molecular, and imaging predictors of response to each treatment.
BMC Psychiatry
April 21, 2023
Peter Gill, Emily Fraser, Thong Thai Diep Tran et al.
21 citations
Treatments for nightmares are most effective when they help people gain a sense of control by directly addressing nightmare content or their emotional responses to it. A systematic review of 69 studies (35 randomized controlled trials and 34 non-randomized trials) found strong evidence that exposure and image rehearsal therapies reduce nightmare frequency, severity, and distress across civilian, military, idiopathic, and PTSD populations. Emerging evidence supports self-guided and brief treatment options. There is an urgent need for clinical trials in children.
BMC Psychiatry
October 17, 2023
Paul A Bloom, David Pagliaccio, Jiahe Zhang et al.
17 citations
Adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) may benefit from a non-invasive technique that combines mindfulness with real-time fMRI neurofeedback (mbNF) to reduce activity in the default mode network (DMN), a brain network linked to rumination. In a planned trial, 90 adolescents aged 13–18 with MDD will be randomly assigned to receive either 15 or 30 minutes of mbNF. During the procedure, participants practice mindfulness while a ball on a screen moves based on their brain activity, targeting the frontoparietal network relative to the DMN. The study will test whether mbNF reduces functional connectivity within the DMN and whether longer dosing produces greater effects, with secondary outcomes including changes in depressive symptoms and rumination.
BMC Psychiatry
October 28, 2019
Rafael G. Dos Santos, José Carlos Bouso, Jaime E. C. Hallak
17 citations
A commentary expands on a prior review of treatments for psychiatric conditions in end-stage cancer patients, noting that evidence for classic hallucinogens like psilocybin and LSD was omitted. It briefly reviews recent placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over clinical trials showing that single or few doses of LSD and psilocybin were associated with rapid and sustained reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with end-stage cancer and other life-threatening diseases, such as Bechterew's, Parkinson's, and Celiac disease. The authors suggest these substances appear well tolerated and produce rapid therapeutic effects with few doses, and call for large-scale, prospective, multi-site studies to better understand their therapeutic potential.
BMC Psychiatry
January 2, 2024
Minna Chang, Mario F Juruena, Allan H. Young
16 citations
Ketamine, a promising antidepressant for treatment-resistant depression, can cause ulcerative cystitis—a bladder condition with lower urinary tract symptoms and potential kidney damage seen in over 25% of regular recreational users. This condition, known as ketamine-induced cystitis (KIC), had not been reported in therapeutic use until now. A 28-year-old woman developed KIC symptoms after starting ketamine for depression, confirmed by urine tests. Early diagnosis and stopping ketamine can improve symptoms and prevent further harm. This is the first reported case of KIC in a patient receiving treatment-dose ketamine for depression.
BMC Psychiatry
February 28, 2025
John Perna, Justin Trop, Roman Palitsky et al.
15 citations
A case report describes tensions between legal and underground psychedelic use within therapy training programs, psychiatry, and neo-shamanism. It details how psychiatric interventions like electroconvulsive therapy and energy medicine were used to address prolonged adverse effects from psychedelics. The report urges clinicians to recognize conflicts between psychiatric views of these adverse effects and frameworks in psychedelic communities, which can affect patients' symptoms, decisions, and emotional struggles.
BMC Psychiatry
April 24, 2024
Huanwei Wang, Rigen Te, Jianxing Zhang et al.
15 citations
A single low dose of esketamine given during surgery to breast cancer patients without preoperative depression lowered their score on a depression questionnaire one day after a mastectomy, compared to patients who received a placebo. The group given esketamine had a reduced Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score on postoperative day 1, while the placebo group's score increased; the difference was statistically significant. By days 3, 7, and 30 after surgery, there was no meaningful difference between the groups. The esketamine group also had a higher white blood cell count after surgery. The treatment did not increase side effects such as delirium, nausea, or vomiting.
BMC Psychiatry
December 2, 2019
Samir Al-Adawi, Yahya Al-Kalbani, Sathiya Murthi Panchatcharam et al.
14 citations
Spirit possession in Oman falls into two categories: intermittent and transitory dissociative phenomena. Among 84 participants (mean age 34, 56% female, 35% with trauma history), those with intermittent possession showed greater impairment on tests of executive functioning, including verbal fluency and the Trail Making Test, compared to the transitory group. The pathogenic possession subtype independently predicted worse performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Tower of London Test. The findings suggest that the typology of spirit possession differs on indices of executive function, with intermittent possession linked to deficits, laying groundwork for further neuropsychological study.
BMC Psychiatry
March 14, 2023
Rebecca S Ryan, Alex Copello, Andrew P Fox
12 citations
People who microdose psychedelic drugs approach the practice methodically and with purpose, often to self-medicate for mental health and wellbeing. In anonymous text-based interviews with 13 participants recruited from websites and online forums, three main themes emerged: seeking a solution with personal agency, acting as scientists in their approach, and experiencing microdosing as a catalyst for desirable mental health, cognitive, physical, and social changes. Participants reported supporting their own mental health and wellbeing through microdosing, which they described as a catalyst to achieving their aims. The findings clarify the rationale and personal meaning behind microdosing, informing future research on psychedelic use and mental health.
BMC Psychiatry
July 18, 2024
Keerati Pattanaseri, Juthawadee Lortrakul, Kankamol Jaisin et al.
11 citations
Three consecutive daily infusions of intravenous ketamine did not produce a greater antidepressant effect than the active placebo midazolam in adults aged 18–64 with treatment-resistant depression. By day 10, the ketamine group showed an average reduction of 12.55 points on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, while the midazolam group decreased by 17.22 points; by day 31, reductions were 13.73 and 12.44 points, respectively. Both treatments were well tolerated, and dissociative symptoms from ketamine were temporary. The findings indicate that this specific dosing schedule offers no notable advantage over midazolam, emphasizing the need for further research on effective treatment regimens.
BMC Psychiatry
January 26, 2024
Laetitia Vanderijst, Felix Hever, Anne Buot et al.
11 citations
A proposed clinical trial will test whether adding psilocybin-assisted therapy to inpatient rehabilitation for severe alcohol use disorder is feasible and effective. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase II trial, 62 participants aged 21–64 will receive either a high dose (30 mg) or an active placebo dose (5 mg) of psilocybin alongside a brief psychotherapy based on acceptance and commitment therapy. The main outcome is the difference in heavy drinking days from baseline to four weeks after hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes include drinking behavior up to six months, mental health symptoms, neuroplasticity, and cognitive mechanisms. The trial is registered as EudraCT 2022-002369-14 and NCT06160232.
BMC Psychiatry
March 7, 2024
Shota Noda, Kentaro Shirotsuki, Mutsuhiro Nakao
10 citations
A four-session program combining mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral therapy (M-CBT) improved negative cognition related to probability bias, fear of negative evaluation, dispositional mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and subjective happiness in Japanese undergraduates with high social anxiety. The intervention group showed moderate to large pre-post improvements (effect sizes .51–1.55). However, M-CBT did not reduce social anxiety symptoms or self-focused attention compared to a no-treatment control group. The findings suggest the combined approach may help individuals whose negative thoughts arise from paying attention to others, but not all social anxiety symptoms.
BMC Psychiatry
January 10, 2024
Abhinandan Jain, Vladimir Adrien, Pattie Maes et al.
9 citations
Depression affects over 300 million people globally, and current treatments have limited effectiveness. Aesthetic chills—peak emotional experiences involving shivers or goosebumps—may shift maladaptive beliefs in depression by influencing reward pathways. In a study of 96 people with major depressive disorder, chill-inducing multimedia positively influenced core self-related beliefs, as measured by the Young Positive Schema Questionnaire. The phenomenology of chills resembled altered states from psychedelics like psilocybin. These preliminary results suggest aesthetic chills could become a non-pharmacological intervention for depression, though more research on neurophysiology, practicality, and safety is needed.
BMC Psychiatry
June 7, 2022
Paulina Wróbel-knybel, Michał Flis, Joanna Róg et al.
9 citations
Sleep paralysis affects 33.14% of Polish students, highlighting its significant prevalence in this population. Among the 2,553 analyzed participants, factors like having three or more health issues (odds ratio of 2.3) and any mental disorder (1.77) increased the likelihood of experiencing sleep paralysis. High anxiety levels (1.20), smoking (1.48), and alcohol consumption (1.52) also contributed to this risk. These findings suggest that mental health status, lifestyle choices, and physical health are critical in understanding sleep disorders like sleep paralysis among students.
BMC Psychiatry
April 25, 2024
Tobias P. Whelan, Eileen Daly, Nicolaas A.j. Puts et al.
8 citations
The serotonin system, particularly the 5HT2A receptor, may differ in autistic and non-autistic brains, but previous studies only show correlations. This registered clinical trial (NCT05651126) will directly test whether serotonergic signaling functions differently by using low doses (2 mg and 5 mg) of psilocybin as a pharmacological probe. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled case-control design, autistic and non-autistic adults will undergo functional MRI and EEG to measure how neural responses shift with psilocybin. The study aims to provide the first direct evidence of differential serotonin system function in autism and inform future clinical trials.
BMC Psychiatry
August 22, 2019
Sunny Ho‐Wan Chan, Samson Tse, Ka Fai Chung et al.
8 citations
A protocol for a randomized controlled trial will test whether a brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) of four sessions helps adults with bipolar disorder improve personal recovery—encompassing hope, identity, and life meaning—more than a waiting list control. The study hypothesizes that benefits will be mediated by better emotion awareness, emotion regulation, and illness acceptance, and that the stage of bipolar disorder will moderate effects: early-stage participants may gain more in emotion awareness and regulation, while late-stage participants may benefit more in illness acceptance. One hundred fifty-four adults will be recruited from hospitals and community settings, with assessments at baseline, after intervention, and at six-month follow-up, plus a qualitative Photovoice component.
BMC Psychiatry
June 4, 2025
Yuekun Wu, Yue Ban, Guoliang Pan et al.
6 citations
An 8-week online mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety among psychiatric healthcare workers in Shenyang, China. In a randomized controlled trial with 135 participants who completed the intervention, those in the online MBSR group showed lower emotional suppression, fewer depression symptoms, and fewer anxiety symptoms compared with a waitlist control group. The reduction in emotional suppression partly explained the improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms, suggesting that online MBSR may work by decreasing emotional suppression.
BMC Psychiatry
June 20, 2020
Audrey Millar, Liesbeth Tip, Ruth Lennon et al.
6 citations
Mindfulness practice groups are an acceptable therapeutic intervention for patients in psychiatric rehabilitation, most of whom have treatment-resistant psychosis. Around two-thirds of in-patients attended at least one group, and about a third attended regularly. No measurable impact on well-being was detected using the Warwick-Edinburgh well-being scale. Qualitative interviews indicated benefits for individuals and potential to improve the therapeutic culture on wards. The findings suggest that further research into the effectiveness of mindfulness for treatment-resistant psychosis is warranted.
BMC Psychiatry
October 14, 2024
Sisi Zheng, Francis Xiatian Zhang, Hubert P H Shum et al.
5 citations
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DPD) disrupts self-consciousness and quality of life. Using fMRI, researchers identified distinct brain networks—Frontoparietal, Sensorimotor, and Default Mode—in 84 DPD patients and 67 healthy controls. Four dynamic functional network connectivity states emerged; State-1 differed significantly between groups. Negative correlations linked State-2 dwell time with clinical symptoms. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) significantly changed State-2 dwell time in responders. The findings suggest brain dynamics may serve as a biomarker for diagnosis and personalized treatment.