CureusDecember 1, 2025Demetra Solomos, Aggeliki Bairaktari, Theodoros Xanthos et al.
Introduction Axillary brachial plexus block is a widely used regional anesthesia technique for below-elbow surgeries. The use of adjuvant medications can influence block characteristics and postoperative pain experience. This randomized, prospective, single-blind comparative study aimed to evaluate whether ketamine, administered intravenously or regionally with ropivacaine, affects...
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...
Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a parasomnia characterized by the perception of loud noises originating from inside the head during sleep transitions, often accompanied by visual phenomena and fear. Treatment remains challenging due to unknown etiology and limited therapeutic options. We report a 75-year-old man with chronic exploding head syndrome experiencing lightning-like sensations,...
CureusNovember 20, 2025C.d. Bissell, Kenneth S. Rankin1 citation
Aortic dissection is a life-threatening vascular emergency, typically associated with hypertension, connective tissue disease, or stimulant drug use. Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic with sympathomimetic properties, is rarely implicated in major cardiovascular events. This case report describes a 57-year-old woman with no known medical history who presented with acute altered mental status...
CureusNovember 12, 2025Aung Phyo Oo, Sarah Tseu, Arvind Ponnusamy
Magic mushroom poisoning can be associated with acute kidney injury (AKI), primarily due to ischemic acute tubular necrosis (ATN). Additionally, the use of cocaine can lead to both venous and arterial thrombosis through its vasoconstrictive and prothrombotic effects. In this article, a middle-aged gentleman with a previous history of cocaine use was admitted with severe anuric AKI requiring...
Psychological health exerts a profound influence on physical disease, yet it remains an underappreciated dimension within internal medicine. Emerging evidence demonstrates that chronic stress, depression, and anxiety can alter cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune pathways, contributing to poorer clinical outcomes. Mindfulness, defined as the intentional awareness of the present moment with...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) frequently co-occurs with substance use disorders (SUDs), leading to poorer outcomes and limited options. Esketamine is approved for treatment-resistant depression (TRD); its effects on craving and abstinence in SUD are less explored. A 41-year-old man with recurrent MDD (suicidal ideation) and polysubstance use (daily morphine/prescription opioids; intermittent...
CureusOctober 1, 2025Xinmin Jiang, Minghui Zhang, Jiaqi Wang et al.
This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the treatment and improvement of traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Up until February 6, 2025, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of MBSR-based treatment for PTSD patients. RevMan 5.4 software (The Cochrane Collaboration, London, UK)...
CureusSeptember 20, 2025Jaisingh Rajput, Sandhya Narahari, Taha Bin Arif et al.1 citation
The rising use of cannabis in the medical field has prompted the revival of the global debate about its psychotropic effects, especially when it comes to schizophrenia, a debilitating mental disorder that afflicts approximately 20 million people around the globe. Although Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is commonly considered a risk factor for psychosis, cannabidiol (CBD) has been studied for its...
CureusSeptember 17, 2025Arya Kermanshah, Margo Stapleton, Christine M Mauriello et al.1 citation
Ayahuasca, a brew containing N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) with monoamine oxidase-inhibiting β-carbolines, has expanded from traditional use to global retreats. Reported adverse effects include vomiting, agitation, serotonin toxicity-like syndromes, and cardiovascular events. Rhabdomyolysis has been described with other classic hallucinogens (e.g., lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin),...
CureusSeptember 2025Muhammad Abbas, David B Adams, Jack Noto et al.
Management of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is complex and frustrating for patients, requiring several treatment courses before (or without) achieving remission. This investigation aims to highlight and analyze real-world instances of using esketamine for patients with TRD who have failed electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Four case reports from a single Hackensack-Meridian care center are...
Vipassana meditation, an ancient Buddhist-derived practice that emphasises insight through non-judgmental observation of sensations and thoughts, has gained popularity for its potential to enhance health and well-being. Building on earlier research, this updated review synthesises empirical evidence published since 2010 to evaluate the impact of Vipassana across the psychological,...
Shared psychotic disorder (SPD) is a rare phenomenon. This case report describes a 60-year-old man (primary subject) who first developed visual hallucinations, which he claimed to see small, white insects, thread-like, about half a centimeter, emerging from the folds of his wife's skin near the elbow crease, wriggling, and then vanishing. Following his persistent suggestions, his wife...
CureusSeptember 1, 2025Aditya Lal Vallath, Ratan P Yadav, Michelle Bass et al.
Nitrous oxide (N₂O), a dissociative anesthetic and analgesic, has seen a concerning rise in recreational abuse, particularly among adolescents and young adults. This resurgence is fueled by its easy accessibility in large-volume, flavored canisters marketed as cooking aids, which exploit legal loopholes, as well as its promotion through popular culture and social media platforms like TikTok and...
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a major clinical challenge, affecting nearly one-third of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) who fail to respond to standard antidepressant therapies. Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine, has emerged as a novel therapeutic option. Esketamine, initially introduced as an add-on therapy, has more recently also received recognition for...
Background: Mindfulness‑based interventions (MBIs) are widely adopted to mitigate workplace stress, yet their month-by-month impact on mood has rarely been quantified. Methodology: A total of 25 full‑time Japanese employees (60% men; mean ± SD age 40.1 ± 6.2 years) were randomised to a three‑month MBI arm (n = 12) or a wait‑list control arm (n = 13). The MBI comprised three 90‑min workshops...
CureusAugust 12, 2025Tilottama Wankhade, Sujata R Lavangare, Akanksha P Dani
Introduction Vipassana meditation (VM) is an ancient meditation technique based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha that involves becoming aware of the present moment and the associated experiences. Therapeutic psychology practices such as mindfulness show promise for improving mental health in terms of stress reduction, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Despite the increasing use of...
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly called ecstasy, is a synthetic stimulant popular among young adults. Although its psychoactive effects are sought after, MDMA can lead to serious complications, including neurological and cardiovascular crises. Severe toxicity, although uncommon, may result in cerebral edema, hyponatremia, seizures, or death. We describe the case of a...
CureusAugust 1, 2025Brett Hughes, Soz Mirza, Manasi Ponamala et al.
The stresses of the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic highlighted the burden of psychiatric disorders within the pediatric population, revealing a pre-existing need for rapid-onset therapies that have since driven efforts to expand effective therapeutic interventions. In this narrative review, we utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis...
CureusAugust 1, 2025Lindsay A Turmelle, Carl Chotas
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as "laughing gas," has been widely used as a medical and dental sedative for centuries. Despite its recognized therapeutic applications, there has been a concerning rise in its recreational use, particularly among young adults. This trend has led to an increase in associated toxicities, including neurological, hematological, and psychiatric complications. This is a...
CureusAugust 1, 2025Vanessa C Cornelio, Gary Lail, Kimberly Go et al.
Nitrous oxide (N₂O) misuse represents a growing public health issue, particularly among adolescents and young adults, who use it recreationally. This scoping review investigates recent and foundational studies on the long-term neuropsychiatric effects associated with prolonged and frequent use of this volatile gas. Various clinical databases and journal archives, such as those of the Journal of...
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a potent endogenous psychedelic, evokes rapid and immersive shifts in consciousness that challenge conventional neurocognitive models. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG)-fMRI studies suggest that these altered states are not chaotic but patterned, marked by a disruption of the default mode network (DMN), an increase in...
CureusJuly 1, 2025Akshita Suleria, Sakshi Verma, Khanij Arya et al.
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is an ergot-derived psychedelic agent that produces perceptual and psychic effects of heightened sensations by acting on the dopaminergic, adrenergic, and serotonergic pathways in the brain and periphery, with 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A (5-HT2A) as the primary target molecule. Its action on these receptors in the central nervous system is comparatively well studied...
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a significant clinical challenge, often accompanied by polypharmacy and comorbid anxiety or trauma-related disorders. This report describes a 37-year-old male with longstanding major depressive disorder (MDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social anxiety disorder who demonstrated limited response to traditional pharmacologic strategies,...
CureusJune 24, 2025Alfred Mathew, Roshan Dongre, Seo Hee Kim et al.
The coronavirus variant (causing the COVID-19 disease) that led to a pandemic sent global shockwaves, resulting in long-term effects on physical, mental, and social well-being and impacting both individuals and communities. With the pandemic's notable impact on mental health, one such potential treatment discussed in recent literature is psilocybin. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring prodrug...