Cureus
April 1, 2026
Agni Nakou, Elena Dragioti, Stefanos Mantzoukas et al.
In a cross-sectional survey of 609 community-dwelling older adults in Greece, sleep quality was modestly associated with better mental and physical health, more affiliative humor, and less emotional loneliness. Daytime napping increased with age and was more common in men. Dream recall was linked to better physical health, more self-enhancing humor, and less social loneliness. The authors caution that single-item, non-validated measures and multiple uncorrected statistical tests make these preliminary, hypothesis-generating findings, not confirmatory or causal evidence.
Cureus
December 18, 2025
A systematic review and meta-analysis of global fatalities with toxicological detection of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) found that NPS are detected in a substantial proportion of drug-related deaths worldwide. The analysis synthesizes data from multiple studies to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of NPS-involved fatalities, highlighting regional variations and the most commonly detected substances. The findings indicate that NPS contribute significantly to drug mortality, with synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones frequently identified. The authors argue that improved monitoring and reporting are needed to address this public health issue.
Cureus
November 1, 2025
Taimoor Jaffar Ali
Psychological health strongly influences physical disease, yet it is often overlooked in internal medicine. Chronic stress, depression, and anxiety alter cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune pathways, worsening clinical outcomes. Mindfulness—present-moment, nonjudgmental awareness—provides a scientifically validated approach to these mind-body interactions. Mindfulness-based interventions like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy improve blood pressure, glycemic control, pain modulation, and well-being. Internists, who manage chronic illness and long-term relationships, can integrate mindfulness through brief in-office practices, referrals, and stress screening. Mindfulness also supports physician empathy, resilience, and reduced burnout. Reimagining internal medicine through mindfulness restores its humanistic essence and unites biological and psychological healing.
Cureus
October 1, 2025
Xinmin Jiang, Minghui Zhang, Jiaqi Wang et al.
In people with post-traumatic stress disorder, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) lowers depression and PTSD symptoms while improving quality of life and mindfulness. A meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials with 832 participants found that depression scores were significantly lower after MBSR compared to control conditions. Quality of life and mindfulness scores were significantly higher, and PTSD symptoms, various PTSD checklist scores, and clinician-administered PTSD scale scores were significantly reduced following MBSR. The analysis suggests MBSR is an effective intervention for reducing PTSD-related distress and enhancing well-being.
Cureus
September 1, 2025
Aditya Lal Vallath, Ratan P Yadav, Michelle Bass et al.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) abuse is rising among adolescents and young adults, driven by easy access to flavored canisters sold as cooking aids and promotion on social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube. This review of 13 studies (retrospective cohorts, case series, cross-sectional surveys) found that use is highest among those aged 16–30, with males and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups disproportionately affected. The most serious physical consequence is subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord, causing numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and coordination problems. Biochemically, N2O abuse causes functional vitamin B12 deficiency, raising homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels.
Cureus
September 1, 2025
Selvaraj Giridharan, Soni Soumian, Nagaraj V Kumar et al.
Vipassana meditation, an ancient practice emphasizing insight through non-judgmental observation, shows moderate evidence for improving psychological and physiological health. An updated systematic review of 11 studies (three randomized controlled trials, two single-arm trials, one pilot trial, and five observational trials) published between 2010 and 2025 found reductions in stress and anxiety, gains in mindfulness and well-being, improved hippocampal topology, increased heart rate variability, fewer migraine days, and enhanced executive functions and memory consolidation. Stronger effects occurred in intensive retreats and among experienced meditators. Evidence is limited by small sample sizes, moderate to high risk of bias, and absence of blinding, but Vipassana holds promise as an adjunct for stress-related disorders.
Cureus
August 12, 2025
A randomized controlled pilot trial examined monthly mood trajectories following a workplace mindfulness programme. The intervention led to improvements in mood over the study period, with participants showing gradual increases in positive affect and decreases in negative affect month by month. The authors suggest that mindfulness training in workplace settings may yield cumulative benefits for emotional well-being.
Cureus
August 12, 2025
This observational study examined how people who practice Vipassana meditation perceive mindfulness as a tool for health promotion. The findings suggest that beneficiaries of Vipassana meditation view mindfulness as a valuable practice for improving health and well-being.
Cureus
August 1, 2025
Lindsay A Turmelle, Carl Chotas
Chronic recreational use of nitrous oxide can cause severe neurological and hematological toxicity, as shown in a case of a young adult who presented with abdominal pain, vomiting, confusion, radicular pain in the upper extremities, and later developed depressive symptoms, insomnia, and ataxia. Laboratory tests revealed severe neutropenia, pancytopenia, and vitamin B12 deficiency, confirming nitrous oxide-induced neurotoxicity. Treatment included stopping nitrous oxide use, vitamin B12 supplementation, psychiatric care, and supportive therapy, leading to gradual improvement. The case underscores the growing public health concern of nitrous oxide abuse, which can cause potentially irreversible neurological damage linked to vitamin B12 deficiency, and highlights the need for early recognition and preventive measures.
Cureus
August 1, 2025
Vanessa C Cornelio, Gary Lail, Kimberly Go et al.
Prolonged and frequent misuse of nitrous oxide, especially among adolescents and young adults, can cause lasting neuropsychiatric harm. The gas disrupts vitamin B12 metabolism, impairing myelin production and leading to spinal cord degeneration. Neuroimaging shows deactivation of the hippocampus and visual cortices, matching observed memory and sensory deficits. Psychiatric complications include depression, delusions, and agitation. Early intervention with cessation, vitamin B12 supplementation, and medications such as naltrexone and aripiprazole may help. Epidemiological factors like low socioeconomic status, peer influence, and concurrent alcohol or cannabis use increase the likelihood of misuse. Significant gaps remain in understanding long-term outcomes and effective treatments.
Cureus
July 1, 2025
Elizabeth Francis
A 37-year-old man with longstanding major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder who had not responded well to multiple medications experienced meaningful improvements in depression and anxiety after starting low-dose sublingual ketamine troches. He was also able to taper off and stop four psychotropic medications. No adverse effects occurred. This case suggests that sublingual ketamine may help reduce symptoms and simplify medication regimens in complex, treatment-resistant depression.
Cureus
May 1, 2025
Alyssa Kong, Viseth Long, Elle Wang et al.
After a counselling video was introduced, a greater proportion of emergency physicians provided counselling for buprenorphine/naloxone induction in the emergency department, especially during evening hours. Pharmacists completed a larger share of counselling overall, and there was no difference in enrollment completion whether patients were counselled by physicians or pharmacists. The findings suggest that using a video tool and distributing counselling tasks among multidisciplinary providers can improve patient access to take-home opioid agonist therapy in the emergency setting.
Cureus
December 30, 2024
A case report describes integrative management that helped a patient overcome recurrent isolated sleep paralysis. The treatment combined yoga, meditation, and vitamin D3 supplementation. The patient experienced a significant reduction in episodes and improvement in sleep quality. The authors suggest this multimodal approach may be effective for managing sleep paralysis, though further research is needed to confirm these findings in larger populations.
Cureus
September 1, 2024
N. Nguyen, Jessica Cao, Deborah Carlson et al.
A healthy patient who used nitrous oxide recreationally every day developed venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary emboli. Nitrous oxide interferes with vitamin B12, causing hyperhomocysteinemia, which can make blood more prone to clotting. Anticoagulation therapy led to significant improvement in the pulmonary emboli. As recreational nitrous oxide use rises, clinicians should recognize that hyperhomocysteinemia from the drug may create a thrombotic state.
Cureus
July 1, 2024
Vijay Bhalerao, Shashank Gotarkar, Deepak Vishwakarma et al.
Sleep paralysis is a condition where people wake from deep sleep unable to move or speak, often with vivid hallucinations, caused by the persistence of REM sleep muscle atonia into wakefulness. Risk factors include sleep deprivation and irregular sleep patterns. Isolated episodes are generally benign, but recurrent episodes may need clinical attention, especially with distressing symptoms. The condition is prevalent across cultures and linked to various medical conditions but remains poorly understood. This review describes clinical characteristics, epidemiology, and risk factors, and discusses potential treatments including pharmacological interventions and cognitive-behavioral therapy, emphasizing the need for more research.
Cureus
June 23, 2024
Heartfulness meditation may reduce oxidative stress and increase mindfulness in healthy adults. The study measured changes in oxidative stress markers and mindfulness scores after a period of Heartfulness meditation practice. Results indicated a significant decrease in oxidative stress and a significant increase in mindfulness compared to baseline. The findings suggest that this meditation practice could be a beneficial approach for improving oxidative stress and mindfulness in healthy individuals.
Cureus
May 1, 2024
Shaeraine Raaj, Mian Saad Ahmed, Emma Warren et al.
A 22-year-old with no prior psychiatric history who abused 75-100 canisters of nitrous oxide (N2O) per day during the COVID-19 lockdown developed delusions, auditory hallucinations, and disorganized cognition. Laboratory and imaging results found no organic cause. Treatment with antipsychotic medications and a multidisciplinary team approach gradually improved symptoms. Chronic N2O abuse puts users at higher risk of psychosis, personality changes, affective lability, anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment, and myeloneuropathy. The case highlights the need for epidemiological studies to prevent N2O-induced psychosis.
Cureus
February 1, 2024
Richard C. Todd
Hypnagogic and hypnopompic experiences (HHEs) and sleep paralysis (SP) may contribute to the emergence or exacerbation of psychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions, particularly in people with Schizotypal Personality Disorder, Mood Disorders, Schizophrenia, PTSD, GAD, Narcolepsy, Panic Disorder, specific phobias, or heightened psychotic sensitivity. A comprehensive literature review across sleep medicine, psychiatry, and psychology examined how these sleep-wake aberrations can mask or worsen clinical and sub-clinical psychiatric symptoms. The findings suggest a complex interrelationship between sleep neurobiology and psychiatric disorders, potentially informing targeted therapeutic interventions to mitigate sleep-wake disruptions in vulnerable populations and bridging critical gaps in clinical knowledge.
Cureus
January 1, 2024
Konstantina Dimou, Agapi L Batiridou, Fotios Tatsis et al.
Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often retain fragmented memories of dreams and unreal experiences that can affect their psychosocial well-being. A systematic review of nine studies categorized these dreams as positive, distressing (including nightmares), or neutral. Two studies linked dream experiences to Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), mental abnormalities, and delirium; GBS patients reported more vivid dreams, hallucinations, and delusions than ICU controls, and delirious patients reported more frequent frightening dreams. Patients who recalled dreams tended to have more severe illness, longer stays, and higher ventilation frequency. Three studies consistently found that prolonged ICU stay significantly predicted dream recall, suggesting extended treatments. Recognizing these psychological aspects in post-ICU care is critical for alleviating enduring emotional consequences.
Cureus
November 1, 2023
Maninder Sohi, Lakshit Jain, Michael Ang-Rabanes et al.
A young patient with major depressive disorder developed distressing episodes of sleep paralysis after starting sertraline, an SSRI antidepressant. The paralysis resolved when the medication was tapered off. While SSRIs generally improve sleep for most patients, they can inhibit REM sleep and may trigger isolated sleep paralysis as an uncommon side effect, even though this is not listed in the package insert. The case highlights that SSRIs should be considered a potential cause of sleep paralysis, and further research is needed to clarify their impact on sleep and update practice guidelines.
Cureus
July 1, 2023
Muhammad Ali Muzammil, Abdul-Rehman Syed, Muhammad Haris Farooq et al.
Sleep paralysis is a common experience involving temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up, often accompanied by hallucinations and a sense of suffocation. A cross-sectional survey of 297 medical students aged 18 to 30 in Karachi found that a significant majority of females (70.3%) reported experiencing sleep paralysis. The overall mean age was 20 years. The study found no significant relationship between sleep paralysis and depression or mental anxiety, nor between sleep paralysis and its occurrence. However, there was a notable link between sleep paralysis and its impact on academics. The findings highlight the frequency of sleep paralysis among medical students, especially females, and the diverse beliefs people hold about these episodes, underscoring the need for awareness sessions.
Cureus
February 1, 2023
Shilpa A Gaidhane, Nitish Batra, Apoorva Nirmal et al.
A rare case of simultaneous bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax occurred in an 18-year-old boy who presented with sudden respiratory distress and required immediate mechanical ventilation. Chest X-ray confirmed the diagnosis, and he underwent bilateral intra-thoracic drainage followed by video-assisted thoracoscopy on the left side. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical, as the condition causes lung collapse in nearly two thirds of cases and can lead to significant respiratory failure.
Cureus
March 28, 2022
A retrospective analysis examined three focused attention meditation techniques—mantra, breath, and external-point meditation—comparing their effects. The study suggests that all three techniques can improve attention and reduce mind wandering, with mantra meditation showing the strongest benefits for sustained attention. Breath meditation was associated with greater relaxation, while external-point meditation enhanced visual focus. The findings indicate that different techniques may offer distinct cognitive and emotional advantages, but the retrospective design limits causal conclusions.