Mice with a mutation in the transmembrane domain of the schizophrenia risk gene, neuregulin 1 (Nrg1 TM HET), are more susceptible to the neuro-behavioural effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (D9-THC), the principal psychoactive component in cannabis. However, NRG1 is transcriptionally complex with over 30 different isoforms, most of which carry a transmembrane domain, raising the question which...
Purpose: To investigate the prevalence, patterns, and satisfaction of use of mind-body therapies (MBTs) in a nationally representative sample of young adults (ages 18-24 years). Methods: Young adults interviewed in the 2012 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed (n = 3,286). Individual types (e.g., mindfulness) and a combined measure of use of any MBT were assessed. Reasons for and...
Previous research has supported the use of virtual reality (VR) to decrease stress, anxiety, perceptions of pain, and increase positive affect. However, the effect of VR on blood pressure (BP) and autonomic function in healthy populations have not been explored. This study quantifies the effect of instructed meditation augmented by a virtual environment (VE) on BP and heart rate variability...
Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) is a method that combines cognitive behavioral relapse prevention with mindfulness practice. Research suggests that MBRP can effectively reduce withdrawal/craving in people with substance use disorder (SUD). An important part of MBRP is to practice mindfulness meditation to cope with high-risk situations for relapse, such as stimuli and situations...
A roadblock to successful treatment for anxiety and depression is the high proportion of individuals that do not respond to existing treatments. Different underlying neurobiological mechanisms may drive similar symptoms, so a more personalized approach to treatment could be more successful. There is increasing evidence that sex is an important biological variable modulating efficacy of...
Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are states during which people experience their centre of awareness as located outside of their physical body, along with the sensation of seeing the environment from an elevated viewpoint. OBE is encountered in epilepsy, migraine and depersonalization, and it is not an uncommon experience in the general population. Current neuroscientific models of bodily...
Cannabis use has been associated with psychosis and cognitive dysfunction. Some evidence suggests that the acute behavioral and neurocognitive effects of the main active ingredient in cannabis, (-)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (∆9-THC), might be modulated by previous cannabis exposure. However, this has not been investigated either using a control group of non-users, or following abstinence in...
Purpose Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been shown to alleviate psychological distress in patients with cancer. However, patients experience barriers to participating in face-to-face MBCT. Individual Internet-based MBCT (eMBCT) could be an alternative. The study aim was to compare MBCT and eMBCT with treatment as usual (TAU) for psychological distress in patients with cancer....
Objective. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on emotion regulation and glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods. Sixty patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited for this randomized controlled trial from an outpatient clinic at Imam Hospital in Iran. The intervention group participated in...
Psychiatric patients in the hospital suffer from stressors and challenges that may contribute to their hospitalization. They also suffer additional stressors related to being an inpatient. The psychiatric consultation liaison service of a hospital or health system is designed to respond to patients when stressors have accumulated, and patients are deemed to be at risk or when patients are...