Brain and Behavior
February 12, 2014
Kathleen A. Garrison, Dustin Scheinost, R. Todd Constable et al.
80 citations
During loving kindness meditation—a practice of directing well-wishing through silent phrases—experienced meditators show reduced brain activity and intrinsic connectivity in the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus compared to novices, regions linked to self-related processing and mind wandering. Meditators also exhibit greater connectivity between the posterior cingulate/precuneus and the left inferior frontal gyrus, while novices show stronger connectivity with other default-mode network regions, the posterior insula, and the parahippocampus/hippocampus. These patterns suggest that loving kindness meditation fosters a present-centered, selfless focus in experienced practitioners relative to beginners.
Brain and Behavior
November 28, 2018
Alessandra Dodich, Maurizio Zollo, Chiara Crespi et al.
44 citations
A four-week Sahaja Yoga meditation training in meditation-naïve healthy adults increased gray matter density and altered the coherence of intrinsic brain activity in two adjacent regions of the right inferior frontal gyrus, which are part of the executive control network. These changes correlated with self-reported well-being scores in the meditation group. The findings suggest that brief meditation training can impact brain regions associated with attention, self-control, and self-awareness, possibly reflecting the engagement of cognitive control skills in the search for a state of mental silence.
Brain and Behavior
November 25, 2021
Elise M Hawkins, William Coryell, Stephen Leung et al.
25 citations
Lithium and clozapine are the only two somatic treatments with high-quality evidence of reducing suicide risk, in mood disorders and schizophrenia respectively; stopping lithium increases that risk. Ketamine and esketamine may offer a small, immediate antisuicide effect, though a disproportionate number of suicides occurred in esketamine-treated subjects versus placebo (3 vs. 0 among over 3500 subjects), requiring ongoing evaluation. The evidence for electroconvulsive therapy's antisuicide effect is low-quality. Antidepressants' effect is unclear: direct evidence shows they may increase suicidal ideation and risk in young people over the short term, while indirect evidence suggests they reduce risk over the long term. Clinicians have an expanding pharmacopeia, but some agents may also increase suicidality under specific circumstances.
Brain and Behavior
September 18, 2020
Gunes Sevinc, Jonathan Greenberg, Britta K. Hölzel et al.
24 citations
Mindfulness meditation training is linked to structural changes in the hippocampus, specifically the subiculum, which are associated with reduced connectivity between the hippocampus and lateral occipital regions during the retrieval of extinguished fear memories. This reduced connectivity correlates with decreases in self-reported anxiety after mindfulness training. The findings suggest that the subiculum plays a key role in regulating interactions with contextual cues during memory retrieval, and that mindfulness training may foster resilience by altering these brain circuits.
Brain and Behavior
July 1, 2024
Rami Rajjoub, Sally El Sammak, Tamim Rajjo et al.
11 citations
A systematic review of 16 randomized controlled trials examined whether meditation practices can reduce pain and anxiety during the perioperative period. Among eight studies measuring pain after invasive procedures, five reported improvements and three found no change. Ten studies assessed anxiety: nine showed decreased anxiety levels, while one reported no change. The evidence suggests that various meditation techniques may help alleviate pain and anxiety for patients undergoing surgeries or other invasive procedures, but more prospective research is needed to confirm routine effectiveness.
Brain and Behavior
June 1, 2024
Brandon Taraku, Joana R Loureiro, Ashish K Sahib et al.
11 citations
Ketamine infusions alter brain connectivity in people with major depressive disorder, particularly in circuits involving the habenula and nucleus accumbens, which are linked to reward processing. After four infusions, changes in functional connections between these regions and visual, parietal, and cerebellar areas correlated with improvements in mood and anhedonia. For example, decreased variability in connectivity between the left habenula and right precuneus/visual cortex was associated with better mood, while altered connectivity between the left habenula and visual/parietal cortices and between the left nucleus accumbens and visual/parietal cortices correlated with reduced anhedonia. No such changes occurred in healthy controls.
Brain and Behavior
July 1, 2020
Marco Aurélio Vinhosa Bastos, Paulo Roberto Haidamus de Oliveira Bastos, Loyná Euá Flores E Paez et al.
8 citations
Alleged mediums showed no differences in pineal gland or pituitary volumes, or in urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels, compared to nonmedium controls. During mediumistic experience, anxiety and heart rate increased to a level between reading and a stressful test, but 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels did not differ across conditions. Salivary cortisol response to stress was attenuated. The normal neuroimaging and stress reactivity findings contrast with abnormalities typically seen in psychotic and dissociative disorders.
Brain and Behavior
December 1, 2024
Na Mi, Shu-Ting Zhang, Xiao-Li Sun et al.
5 citations
Mindfulness meditation combined with a BrainLink intelligent biofeedback instrument significantly reduces anxiety, pain, and brain fatigue while improving quality of life in pancreatic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. In a trial with 145 patients, those receiving the combined intervention showed lower anxiety scores, lower pain scores, and higher quality-of-life scores at 4, 8, and 12 weeks compared to a control group receiving routine nursing care. The intervention also improved brain fatigue relief, concentration, and relaxation levels, and increased alpha and theta brain waves. The findings suggest this approach offers a novel way to support psychosomatic health in this patient group.
Brain and Behavior
July 1, 2025
Megan Calnan, Grace Blest‐hopley, Chris Busch et al.
4 citations
Military veterans who attended psilocybin or ayahuasca retreats showed significant improvements in eight measures of mental health and community reintegration, with the largest gains in depression (29.1% reduction on the PHQ-9) and PTSD (26.1% reduction on the PCL-5). Psilocybin retreats produced greater improvements on seven of eight outcomes, while ayahuasca retreats yielded slightly larger PTSD reductions (26.4% vs. 24.8%). Male participants improved more on all outcomes except PTSD, where females showed a larger reduction (32.1% vs. 24.1%). Veterans with worse initial symptoms benefited most. The findings suggest psychedelic retreats could offer a holistic treatment framework addressing psychological well-being, community factors, and civilian reintegration.
Brain and Behavior
January 1, 2025
Hoang Cuu Long, Ho Minh An, Pham Thi Phuong Dung et al.
4 citations
Mindfulness directly boosts job performance, and emotional intelligence partly explains how. Among 263 office employees in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, mindfulness had a direct positive influence on performance. Emotional intelligence mediated this relationship, with an indirect effect larger than the direct effect. Psychological capital also mediated the link, but its indirect effect was smaller than the direct effect of mindfulness. The findings suggest that emotional intelligence is a key personal resource transmitting mindfulness's workplace benefits. Integrating emotional intelligence training into mindfulness programs could improve employee productivity.
Brain and Behavior
December 10, 2020
Elke R. Gizewski, Ruth Steiger, Michaela Waibel et al.
4 citations
A short-term meditation training program (FAM) was associated with changes in brain energy metabolism and reduced state anxiety. After daily practice, participants showed increased PCr/ATP ratios in the right occipital lobe, decreased Pi/ATP bilaterally in the basal ganglia and right temporal lobe, and increased PCr/Pi in the occipital lobe, basal ganglia, and right temporal lobe. pH decreased in the left temporal and right frontal areas. These metabolic shifts suggest a higher energetic state in the temporal areas and basal ganglia, while frontal and occipital changes may indicate down-regulated ATP turnover and oxidative capacity. The findings indicate that even brief meditation training may alter brain energy management in region-specific ways.
Brain and Behavior
October 1, 2025
Pauline Fritz, Anaïs Pichelin, Aurore Ancion et al.
2 citations
A case of a near-death experience (NDE) occurring in a medical and pharmacological context is examined, highlighting the lasting transformations it can trigger. The account underscores the importance for clinicians to recognize NDEs because of their potential long-term effects on patients and their relevance to medical practice.
Brain and Behavior
February 28, 2025
Léa Dobler, Océane Richard, Emmanuelle Clerici et al.
2 citations
Women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may experience more frequent nightmares during the premenstrual phase of their menstrual cycle. In a case series of seven women who kept daily dream diaries and tracked PMS symptoms over one menstrual cycle, nightmare frequency increased premenstrually, though no formal statistical comparison was made between those with and without PMS. A therapy called imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT), conducted weekly for one month, significantly reduced nightmare severity overall, but this effect was not significant in the PMS subgroup. These findings suggest a link between PMS and nightmares that warrants further investigation in larger studies.
Brain and Behavior
August 1, 2024
Mona Lisa Hordila, Cristina García-bravo, Domingo Palacios-Ceña et al.
2 citations
A compelling narrative emerges from the life history of a 54-year-old man with locked-in syndrome (LIS) and his 50-year-old wife. Through qualitative interviews and autobiographical documents, five key themes were identified: navigating new realities, care and rehabilitation processes, communication challenges, the therapeutic power of writing, and the importance of personal autonomy. The couple emphasized the critical role of family and friends in their journey, highlighting how effective communication and medical support significantly aided their acceptance and adaptation to this profound life change.
Brain and Behavior
June 1, 2026
Aloysius Amos Lau, Shalini Arunogiri, Boen Raner-Galutera et al.
1 citation
Peer Support Workers (PSWs) in mental health and substance use treatment largely support psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) and are willing to recommend it to clients. A survey and follow-up interviews with five PSWs revealed that while interest is strong, concerns exist around client safety, psychoeducation, stigma, and accessibility. The study identifies key factors shaping PSWs' perspectives on PAT, which can inform safe implementation and the potential role of PSWs in this emerging treatment modality.
Brain and Behavior
June 1, 2026
Christopher Poppe, Liisa Lyck, Laura Bechtold et al.
1 citation
In people with treatment-resistant depression entering psychedelic clinical trials, motivations and expectations are complex and may shift over time. Interviews with 17 participants before screening for 5-MeO-DMT or psilocybin trials revealed two main themes: motivations (hope, demoralization, prior psychedelic experience, social reasons) and expectations (anticipated symptom reduction, perceived mechanisms of change, role of setting, and retrospective expectations). Many viewed trial participation as a last resort after chronic illness and failed treatments. In two cases, initially cautious expectations were later reinterpreted as stronger after participation. These findings suggest that expectancy should be systematically addressed in trial design, informed consent, and interpretation of outcomes.
Brain and Behavior
June 1, 2026
T Rowe, T Hurzeler, E Towers et al.
1 citation
Music amplifies and intensifies emotions during psychedelic experiences, recruits brain networks involved in meaning-attribution and visual imagery, and increases overall neural entropy. These findings come from a scoping review of 19 quantitative studies (total 330 human participants) that examined interactions between psychedelics and music, primarily with psilocybin and LSD. No studies investigated MDMA and music. Music conditions across studies have been limited. Considerable gaps remain in understanding mechanisms of action and how music is delivered to optimize therapeutic response, due in part to methodological inconsistencies and small sample sizes.
Brain and Behavior
April 1, 2026
Sharon Murphy, Elizabeth Stewart, Jacqueline Ruth. Winship et al.
1 citation
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is becoming available for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD, but there is no cohesive framework to guide collaboration between external therapists and PAT teams. The review suggests PAT should not be seen as a standalone treatment; external therapists are critical across preparation, dosing, and integration phases, contributing to patient safety and continuity of care. Different models for involving external therapists are identified, each with opportunities and challenges. Practical strategies are outlined to mitigate risks of interprofessional collaboration. Further research is needed to refine clinical frameworks and inform best practices.
Brain and Behavior
April 1, 2026
Hamish Grime, Eugenia Drini
1 citation
A realist review of historical studies from 1954 to 1965 identifies features of psycholytic therapy—using LSD to enhance psychoanalytic therapy—that were associated with better outcomes and fewer adverse events. These features include a flexible, intuitive therapeutic approach, prompt correction of transference issues, continuous therapist presence, more than ten treatment sessions with extensive preparation, creative activities during integration, use of maximal tolerated doses, and avoidance of abrupt pharmacological termination. Psycholytic therapy showed potential to improve severe mental health conditions, particularly when trust in the therapist was fostered, helping address trauma-based responses resistant to psychotherapy alone.
Brain and Behavior
February 1, 2026
Simon Halm
1 citation
Psychedelic- and substance-assisted therapies for PTSD and depression are mostly developed in high-income countries, but they could be relevant for global mental health, especially in conflict zones and humanitarian settings. Their equitable use faces cultural, ethical, regulatory, and resource challenges. Responsible implementation needs culturally grounded, ethically robust, and context-sensitive approaches, not uncritical expansion.
Brain and Behavior
February 1, 2026
Rachel Ham, John Gardner, Adrian Carter et al.
1 citation
In psilocybin-assisted therapy, therapeutic touch can foster emotional connection, provide grounding during intense experiences, and modulate the depth of the psychedelic state, but its acceptability depends on the quality of the therapeutic relationship and robust consent processes. Most participants valued having touch available, especially after firsthand experience, and several attributed therapeutic benefit directly to touch. However, some also identified potential for discomfort or distraction, highlighting the need for sensitivity to individual history and context. The findings underscore the importance of explicit preparation, consent, and attunement when incorporating touch into psychedelic therapy.
Brain and Behavior
July 1, 2025
H T McGovern, L Bajo, G Hassed et al.
1 citation
People who discuss psychedelic experiences on online forums describe them in a sequential structure: what happens before, during, and after ingestion. Before the experience, they mention their existing knowledge and perceptions of psychedelics, their intentions and mental preparation, and aids they use to support the experience. During the experience, they report sensory and cognitive distortions, their mindset and emotional state, and the stability and support of their environment. Afterward, they describe how the experience changed their behavior and outlook. The analysis suggests that set and setting should be studied across all three stages, not just the acute phase.
Brain and Behavior
December 1, 2024
Weirui Xiong, Lu Yu
1 citation
Consciousness remains scientifically unexplained, with no hypothesis yet ruled out or universally accepted. This paper argues that consciousness is fundamentally first-person perception. It proposes the antagonism hypothesis: consciousness arises from conflicts in mature individual experiences that cannot be seamlessly integrated, and the function of consciousness is to address and navigate these conflicts. The hypothesis draws on predictive processing, information theory, thermodynamics, and neuroscience.
Brain and Behavior
October 1, 2024
Najmeh Shahriyari, Shabnam Omidvar, Farideh Mohsenzadeh-Ledari et al.
1 citation
Online mindfulness-based counseling improved postpartum mental health among women in Iran who had COVID-19 during pregnancy. After eight weekly sessions, the intervention group's mean mental health score dropped from 29.42 to 19.80 (lower scores indicate better mental health), while the control group remained nearly unchanged (26.26 to 25.92). Somatic symptoms, depression, anxiety and insomnia, and social dysfunction all showed significantly greater improvement in the counseling group. The authors suggest the approach is beneficial but caution that further randomized clinical trials are needed before drawing definitive conclusions.
Brain and Behavior
July 1, 2026
Lena K L Oestreich, Nathalie M. Rieser
Psychedelic and substance-assisted therapies show promise for mental health disorders like treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders, but major questions remain as the field moves toward clinical implementation. This editorial introduces a special issue that brings together empirical studies, reviews, and commentaries on these emerging priorities. A central theme is that psychedelic therapy cannot be understood as a pharmacological intervention alone; therapeutic relationships, preparation, integration, music, touch, peer support, cultural context, and patient expectations all shape outcomes. Subjective meaning-making and altered states are potentially central to therapeutic change. Implementation challenges include models of care for veterans, global mental health equity, and culturally responsive access. The field requires greater conceptual precision, attention to safety and consent, and frameworks prioritizing equity and cultural appropriateness.