Communications medicineMay 16, 2025Amanda M Y Chu, Jenny T Y Tsang, Sophia S C Chan et al.5 citations
Long COVID, the persistent illness following COVID-19 infection, has emerged as a major public health concern since the outbreak of the pandemic. Effective disease surveillance is crucial for policymaking and resource allocation. We investigated the potential of utilizing Google Trends data to enhance long COVID symptoms surveillance. Though Google Trends provides freely available search...
Dreaming, a universal phenomenon linked to REM sleep, arises from intricate interactions between limbic regions, cortical networks, and neurotransmitter dynamics. Neuroimaging highlights amygdala and hippocampal hyperactivity alongside prefrontal cortex hypoactivity, elucidating the emotional vividness and cognitive disorganization of dreams. Cholinergic pathways drive REM sleep, while...
The popular predictive processing (PP) framework posits prediction error minimization (PEM) as the sole mechanism in the brain that can account for all mental phenomena, including consciousness. I first highlight three ambitions associated with major presentations of PP: (1) Completeness (PP aims for a comprehensive account of mental phenomena), (2) Bayesian realism (PP claims that PEM is...
AbstractBackgroundThere is a need to systemically diversify psychedelic clinical trials, considering the growing interest in in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics within Black, Indigenous, and Peoples of Color (BIPOC) and queer communities. Doing so contributes to a more inclusive foundation of evidence-based research and addresses ethical considerations surrounding anticipated demand...
Abstract Musico-healing practices play a key role in indigenous and mestizo traditional medicine in the Amazon. The curative songs or icaros used by the curanderos (traditional healers) of the Peruvian Upper Amazon are administered alongside the psychoactive plant decoction ayahuasca in ritual settings. This Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis examines musical experiences of 6 participants...
Subcortical arousal systems are known to play a key role in controlling sustained changes in attention and conscious awareness. Recent studies indicate that these systems have a major influence on short-term dynamic modulation of visual attention, but their role across sensory modalities is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated shared subcortical arousal systems across sensory...
The sacred cosmic sound "Om" (or " ॐ ") is one of the most profound and universally recognized symbols in Hinduism, embodying the essence of the universe and ultimate reality (Brahman). This research explores the origins, metaphysical significance, and contemporary relevance of Om within Hinduism, as well as its influence in other religious traditions and modern spiritual practices. The study...
This article explores potential intersections between the religious-mystical system of Thelema, founded by Aleister Crowley, and archaic shamanic practices. The analysis focuses on altered states of consciousness, techniques of achieving ecstasy, astral travel, spirit communication, and the role of the practitioner as a mediator between worlds. Key theoretical sources from both traditions are...
Journal of NeurologyMay 11, 2025Natalie Berger, Diether Kramer, Michael Schrempf et al.4 citations
Delirium, defined as an acute, fluctuating disturbance in consciousness, attention and cognition, is a common stroke complication and associated with poor functional outcome. Although resource-intensive prevention strategies could reduce delirium rates, their implementation in unselected stroke patients is challenging. This study aimed to develop a risk score for predicting delirium in acute...
The exploration into the origin of human spirituality has always been a hot spot with many unsolved questions in the philosophy of mind, and issues concerning mental illness and its comorbidities are still unclear. In the 1970s, Donald Davidson first proposed anomalous monism with the supervenience concept, a theory that both insists on physicalism and transcends traditional reductionism. This...