High ventilation breathwork (HVB) has received growing interest as a potential therapeutic tool in the context of the psychedelic renaissance and the expanding scientific research on mind–body practices. It involves intentionally increasing the speed and/or depth of breathing and is often conducted in groups, guided by facilitators and accompanied by evocative music. HVB has been reported to...
This project investigates whether high ventilation breathwork (HVB) may support mental health through psychological mechanisms that have been proposed in the psychedelic-assisted therapy literature. HVB can reliably induce altered states of consciousness (ASCs) and has been discussed as a potentially low-threshold, non-pharmacological alternative to psychedelic interventions for conditions such...
Ketamine therapy is effective in alleviating symptoms of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety; however, its increasing recreational use raises concerns about potential abuse. Hericium erinaceus mycelium, which contains the bioactive compound erinacine A, has shown promise in promoting brain health. This study investigated whether H. erinaceus mycelium and erinacine A could...
Aims: This study of people with motor neurone disease (MND) and caregivers examined how baseline levels of psychological distress influenced engagement with and psychological responses to a mindfulness intervention. This was with a view to guiding how services can best target mindfulness programs. Methods: Forty participants completed an MND-adapted four-session mindfulness-based stress...
Sleep paralysis (SP) is a transient sleep-wake phenomenon characterised by conscious awareness accompanied by temporary muscle atonia and, often, vivid multisensory hallucinations. Although SP is widely recognised within sleep science and estimated to affect a substantial number of individuals globally, little is known about its prevalence and phenomenology within Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ),...
MindfulnessJanuary 2026Danielle L Kahn, Aspen Martin, Claudia G Morris et al.
Mindfulness has been described as the ability to be aware in the present moment with an attitude of non-judgment. Network theory offers a novel framework to understand which symptoms are core (i.e., central) to mindfulness. Additionally, network theory and analysis provide an alternative way to conceptualize how mindfulness may be a protective factor against psychopathology. The primary aim of...
Introduction: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric condition that frequently presents with comorbid depressive disorders. For patients exhibiting treatment-refractory OCD and concurrent depressive disorder(s), there is growing clinical interest in the noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine as a rapid-acting intervention. This case report...
Digital health2026Youn-Soo Lee, Jaesang Hwang, Bo-Young Youn
To evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR)-based mindfulness intervention in reducing ADHD symptoms and improving cognitive and psychosocial outcomes among college students, compared to a non-immersive, video-based mindfulness control. In this trial, 64 college students screening positive for ADHD symptoms (ASRS v1.1) were randomized 1:1 to an intervention group using the Headspace...
Open Mind2026Amin Nazmuddin Mohammadi, Christine Wekerle
preprint
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent and chronic psychiatric condition characterized by impaired control over alcohol use, compulsive consumption, and high rates of relapse (Grant et al., 2015; Kurihara, 2023). Despite the availability of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions, treatment outcomes remain suboptimal, with substantial rates of non-response and relapse (Lohoff, 2022;...
The clinical use of psychedelic substances and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) is an area of growing interest that also raises significant social concerns and controversy. Despite existing legal restrictions, empirical research on substances such as psilocybin, mescaline, MDMA, LSD, DMT, and ibogaine has been developing, particularly in the treatment of conditions such as treatment-resistant...