Bipolar-spectrum illness emerging after traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be difficult to treat and may present with mixed or agitated depressive features that appear sensitive to glutamatergic modulation. In post-TBI cases, diagnostic certainty is often limited because irritability, impulsivity, sleep disturbance, affective lability, and cognitive change may overlap with frontal-limbic injury...
CureusMay 1, 2026Anupinder Thind, Pravin M Pisudde, Sonia Kochhar
Medical education has long been acknowledged as a very stressful career path that exposes students to greater chances of anxiety and burnout. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the overall impact of yoga-based volitional breathing (pranayama) interventions on self-perceived stress and anxiety among medical students worldwide. The review analysis was...
CureusApril 23, 2026T Devipriya, R Divya, A Sureshbalaji R et al.
Background Reaction time (RT) constitutes a fundamental psychomotor parameter reflecting neurocognitive efficiency and sensorimotor integration capacity. Bhramari Pranayama, characterized by prolonged humming exhalation, demonstrates promising neurocognitive enhancement potential through parasympathetic activation mechanisms. This investigation aimed to evaluate immediate changes in auditory...
CureusApril 21, 2026Luis Francisco Castillo-Torres, Selene Velázquez-Moreno, Carla Edith Tovar-Leyva et al.
Background Immunity is the body's ability to resist infectious diseases and is regulated by the immune system, which is divided into innate immunity, with an immediate response, and adaptive immunity, which is more specialized and effective. Lymphocytes, such as CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+, are part of adaptive immunity, while monocytes/macrophages, CD14+, are phagocytic cells of the innate immune...
CureusApril 8, 2026Christian David Galindo, Victor Agudelo, Ivan Ramirez Blanco et al.
Trance and possession disorder (TPD) is a complex and culturally influenced condition characterized by alterations in consciousness, identity, and behavior, often posing diagnostic challenges in clinical psychiatry. We report the case of a young woman who presented with a 12-hour history of visual and auditory hallucinations, disorganized speech, and aggressive behavior toward her partner,...
In this case report, we highlight a 28-year-old male patient with predominantly retarded type of catatonia following a single incidence of psilocybin ingestion. This patient presented with a history of six months of mutism and inability to feed himself after consuming psilocybin for the first time. He did not have any history of psychiatric illness or substance use. Imaging and laboratory...
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a major clinical challenge in psychiatric practice and affects a substantial proportion of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). It is commonly defined as failure to achieve remission after at least two adequately conducted antidepressant trials. TRD is associated with persistent functional impairment, increased morbidity, reduced quality of...
CureusApril 1, 2026Samantha Siu, Peter Hsin, Sarah Simon et al.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common condition associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes. Higher rates have been observed following cesarean delivery, prompting interest in perioperative preventive strategies. Ketamine has demonstrated rapid antidepressant effects and may provide psychiatric benefits beyond analgesia. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of...
CureusApril 1, 2026Agni Nakou, Elena Dragioti, Stefanos Mantzoukas et al.
Sleep experiences in later life are shaped by multiple biological, psychological, and social factors. This exploratory cross-sectional study examined associations between subjective sleep quality, daytime napping, dream recall, and selected health and psychosocial variables in community-dwelling older adults, within a biopsychosocial framework. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was...
CureusApril 1, 2026Pouya Azar, James Wong, Mohammadali Nikoo et al.
Developing and evaluating non-pharmacological treatments is critical for optimizing pain management and reducing dependence on opioids, as well as mitigating opioid-induced adverse effects. One promising approach involves the use of virtual reality (VR)- and augmented reality (AR)-guided mindfulness techniques. We examined the clinical utility of the Mindfulness app on the Apple Vision Pro...
Hypochondriacal obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) combines intrusive health anxieties with compulsive reassurance seeking and often resists high-dose selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive-behavioural therapy. Interest has shifted toward glutamatergic agents that mimic ketamine's rapid synaptic effects. A 34-year-old woman endured two years of recurrent fear of serious...
CureusMarch 15, 2026Shruti Niraj, G Niraj, Rajesh Naithani1 citation
Healthcare professionals in India are vulnerable to experiencing a high level of burnout, which has consequences for individuals and organizations. This prospective pilot randomized controlled feasibility study examined, for the first time, the feasibility and acceptability of practicing the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique among healthcare professionals in India. A total of 76...
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) presents a complex clinical challenge, particularly when comorbid with substance use disorders (SUDs) or other compulsive behaviors. With up to a third of major depressive disorder (MDD) patients failing to respond to standard antidepressant therapies, there is growing interest in interventions such as esketamine, a glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)...
A 16-year-old boy with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), characterized by health-focused obsessions, intrusive ruminations, derealization, and significant functional impairment, failed to tolerate standard serotonergic agents (escitalopram, fluoxetine) and bupropion due to worsening anxiety, somatic concerns, or headaches. An oral glutamatergic regimen was initiated with...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is increasingly viewed as a disorder of impaired neural plasticity, yet the mechanisms underlying diverse antidepressant classes - glutamatergic (e.g., ketamine), monoaminergic (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)), and GABAergic (e.g., neurosteroids) - remain incompletely integrated. The objective of this study was to extend a...
CureusFebruary 1, 2026Héctor Aceituno, Juan José Valero, Luisana Maldonado-De Santiago et al.
Although previous neurophysiological studies validated aspects of unconscious processing, a detailed characterization of specific neural circuits required modern functional neuroimaging techniques. This systematic review examines the shared neural substrates between dreaming and free association of ideas, two paradigmatic manifestations of unconscious processing. A systematic search was...
CureusJanuary 31, 2026Lukasz Siwek, Marta Nowocien, Barbara Balajewicz et al.
Psilocybin is a psychoactive chemical compound that exerts its effects through the activation of serotonergic receptors. It occurs naturally in mushrooms of the genus Psilocybe. Despite its potential medical applications, this substance is regarded as a drug with no recognized medical use. Depression constitutes a psychiatric disorder of substantial global burden, affecting millions of...
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is gaining recognition as a novel approach in mental health care, with the potential to support emotional processing, self-understanding, and personal growth. Early evidence suggests that psychedelic-assisted therapies can catalyze transformative experiences that traditional interventions may not access. This article explores the ethical considerations of...
CureusJanuary 21, 2026Ron Gabriel A Peji, Diane D Lipat, Alyssia M de Rojas
Trauma-related perceptual experiences may resemble psychotic symptoms, creating diagnostic challenges in adolescent populations. We report the case of a Filipino preadolescent female diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder following prolonged intrafamilial sexual abuse. During trauma-focused psychotherapy incorporating expressive techniques, the patient...
This narrative review synthesizes evidence identified through targeted searches of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (2010-2025), with a focused selection of human and mechanistic studies examining GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s), food cue reactivity, prospective cognition, mindfulness-based interventions, and neural network dynamics relevant to 'food noise' and the default mode network...
Rhabdomyolysis is a recognized complication of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), usually driven by severe hyperthermia and agitation. We describe a previously healthy 45-year-old man who developed profound rhabdomyolysis (creatine kinase (CK) 160,000 U/L) and intrinsic acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis after ingesting 1.5 g of "Molly" (pure MDMA), despite remaining afebrile...
Psychedelic-assisted therapies have re-emerged as a subject of increasing scientific and clinical interest in psychiatry, particularly in the context of persistent treatment gaps for conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. Compounds, including psilocybin and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, are being evaluated in...
The global burden of chronic diseases and mental health disorders has intensified the need for holistic interventions such as yoga. Isha Yoga, a comprehensive system integrating physical postures, breathwork, and meditation, has demonstrated preliminary benefits in stress reduction and physiological regulation. This systematic review evaluates the effects of Isha Yoga practices on mental and...
CureusDecember 20, 2025Marcus Vinícius de Aragão Batista, Miguel Barbosa, José Casimiro et al.
Recreational use of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") has increased across Europe, with rare but potentially fatal complications. We report a case of fulminant hepatic failure and multiorgan dysfunction following acute MDMA intoxication in a previously healthy 22-year-old man. One hour after ingestion, he developed seizures, hyperthermia (43 °C), and cardiovascular collapse....
CureusDecember 1, 2025Paweł Liszka, Agata Ogórek, Klaudia M Olejnik-Chlewicka et al.
Classic psychedelics and related substances, such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), have again become a focus of interest in psychiatry as potential therapeutic tools. The aim of this paper is to review current data on their mechanisms of action, clinical applications in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, addictions and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as to...