Maternal separation as an early life stress can lead to long-lasting deleterious effects on cognitive and behavioral functions, and the mood state. On the other hand, Psilocybe cubensis (as one of the most well-known magic mushrooms) may be beneficial in the improvement or the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of P. cubensis...
Importance There is growing societal interest in and use of psilocybin. While psilocybin in Canada is illegal outside of clinical trials, there have been anecdotal reports of increasing access via unregulated online purchases and retail dispensaries. Objective To describe access to and the characteristics of psilocybin dispensaries across Canada and the health claims and warnings made on...
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classic serotonergic psychedelic that induces a profoundly altered conscious state. In conjunction with psychological support, it is currently being explored as a treatment for generalized anxiety disorder and depression. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is a brain region that is known to be involved in mood regulation and disorders; hypofunction...
The social scienceMarch 31, 2025Promethi Das Deep, Yixin Chen, Nitu Ghosh et al.
The rapid transition to online learning prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges for college students. One critical issue was its impact on mental health, as there were widespread reports of increased anxiety and stress among college students. This qualitative narrative review explores mindfulness practices as an effective intervention to support students’ well-being and...
This study investigated the effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on psychological stress and immune function in healthy adults. In a randomized controlled trial, 68 participants were assigned to either an 8-week MBSR program or an active control condition consisting of health education. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Outcome...
Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in neuroplasticity and cognition. Meditation and mind-body exercises such as yoga may increase BDNF levels, offering a non-pharmacological strategy to enhance brain health. Methods: This narrative review synthesizes evidence from published studies, primarily randomized controlled trials, sourced from PubMed, Scopus,...
Vipassana, an ancient meditation technique taught by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), has been practiced for over 2,500 years as a path to wisdom and liberation. In the context of modern life, which is filled with stress and distractions, the application of Vipassana as a tool for enhancing mental and physical well-being has gained increasing attention1. This study explores Vipassana’s profound...
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is gaining renewed interest as a potential treatment for anxiety, depression, and alcohol use disorder, with clinical trials reporting significant symptom reductions and long-lasting effects. LSD modulates serotonin (5-HT2A) receptors, which, in turn, influence dysfunctional brain networks involved in emotional processing and cognition. It has also shown promise...
The prevalence of stress-induced disorders, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and postpartum depression, has been increasing, while current treatment approaches are limited. As a result, researchers are exploring alternative treatments that include ketamine as a prophylactic against these disorders. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the use...
Oxytocin (OXT) deficiency is a recently identified novel psycho-neuroendocrine entity associated with anxiety and reduced prosocial behavior. However, diagnosis and clinical progress have been hindered by challenges in reliably measuring OXT. Neurophysin I (NP-I), an equimolarly co-released cleavage product of the OXT precursor peptide, offers a promising alternative biomarker due to its...