Meditation, traditionally seen as a path to spiritual enlightenment, is commonly used in therapeutic contexts for its mental health benefits, such as reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. However, alongside these benefits, practitioners of diverse forms of meditation have repeatedly been reporting adverse effects (AEs) of meditation. While most of these AEs are transient, some of them are...
To investigate the effects of the Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion (MBHP) program on quality of life (QOL) and well-being in older adults compared to an active control group. A randomized controlled trial nested within a cohort study was conducted. Participants were allocated to either the MBHP intervention or an active control group (ACG) receiving computer-based cognitive stimulation....
The Physical and Psychological Effects of MeditationPari Patel Meditation has many physical and psychological effects on the human body.Meditation originated from ancient Eastern culture and has been practiced for centuries.Meditation back then was considered a religious practice; however, it is not necessary to be religious to meditate.Trials conducted and respected research show that...
Since paranormal beliefs provide insights into cognitive biases, personality traits, and existential concerns, they have long been a subject of psychological research. Studies have demonstrated that such beliefs are associated with intuitive thinking, reduced analytical reasoning, and susceptibility to cognitive illusions (Lindeman & Aarnio, 2007). Additionally, researchers report correlations...
This review examines the neuropsychological basis of somatic meditation, exploring its relationship with embodied cognition theories and its therapeutic potential. Somatic meditation, which cultivates focused attention on internal bodily sensations (interoception), is increasingly recognized for addressing the embodied aspects of stress, trauma, and chronic pain. Drawing on insights linking...
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with depression and inadequate response to antidepressants. While ketamine has demonstrated efficacy in treating depression, its impact on pre-existing liver injury and depression remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of ketamine treatment in a murine model of depression and liver damage, considering age-related...
Mood dysfunction is highly prevalent in Parkinson's disease (PD), a main predictor of functional decline, and difficult to treat-novel interventions are critically needed. Psilocybin shows early promise for treating depression and anxiety, but its potential in PD is unknown, as safety concerns have excluded people with neurodegenerative disease from previous trials. In this open-label pilot...
ABSTRACT Studies reporting novel therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs are rapidly emerging. However, the reproducibility and reliability of these findings could remain uncertain for years. Here, we implemented a multi-institutional collaborative approach to define the robust and replicable effects of the psychedelic drug psilocybin on mouse behavior. Five laboratories performed the same...
Psychiatric disorders are marked by habitual patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior, and many mental health disorders are resistant to standard treatments (1)(2)(3)(4). For example, symptoms of major depressive disorder include ruminative negative thoughts, pervasive sadness, and lack of goaldirected behavior (5)(6)(7). Similarly, many anxiety and trauma-related disorders are characterized...
In this case report, we present a patient with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and comorbid generalized anxiety disorder, eating disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder. Over a 10-year period, our case transitioned from adolescence to adulthood and received antidepressant monotherapy, adjunctive therapy with antipsychotics, lithium, or lamotrigine,...