Pub Date : 2024-09-19eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1472562
Eliane Timm, Yobina Melanie Ko, Theodor Hundhammer, Ilana Berlowitz, Ursula Wolf
Introduction: Cancer is a debilitating disease with an often chronic course. One of the most taxing and prevalent sequelae in this context is cancer-related fatigue (CRF) resulting from the disease and/or associated treatments. Over the last years mindfulness-based interventions such as eurythmy therapy (ERYT), a mindful-movement therapy from anthroposophic medicine, have emerged as promising adjunct therapies in oncology. This prospective study investigated an online implementation of ERYT for CRF using a single arm repeated-measures design based on two consecutive studies.
Method: Study 1 consisted of an initial assessment before, during, after, and at follow up of a 6-week online ERYT-based program in a mixed sample of N = 165 adults with or without cancer diagnosis. Study 2 involved a similar design with an adapted 8-week online ERYT-based program in a sample of N = 125 adults who had been diagnosed with cancer. Outcomes were assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, Perceived Stress Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and Insomnia Severity Index (for Study 1 all, for Study 2 only the former three). We additionally performed an exploratory analysis regarding practice frequency and duration. Data were analyzed using Linear Mixed-Effect Models per outcome; ANOVA was used for practice times.
Results: For Study 1, mixed-effects model estimates showed no significant effect on fatigue, but pointed to significantly improved emotional and physical well-being, reduced stress, as well as increased mindfulness (mixed subjects). Functional and social well-being or sleep quality did not change significantly. Study 2 model estimates on the other hand showed significantly improved CRF in conjunction with the ERYT-based online intervention, as well as improved stress and mindfulness scores (cancer-diagnosed subjects).
Conclusion: Taken together, while our results should be interpreted with caution given the single-arm design and relatively high dropout, they suggest online ERYT may be associated with a reduction in fatigue for individuals diagnosed with cancer, an increase in mindfulness, and benefits for stress and certain well-being indicators. The online group format is advantageous in view of affordability and accessibility, the latter being particularly relevant for individuals who due to high symptom severity cannot leave their homes. Randomized-controlled studies will be needed to confirm these findings.
{"title":"Online eurythmy therapy for cancer-related fatigue: a prospective repeated-measures observational study exploring fatigue, stress, and mindfulness.","authors":"Eliane Timm, Yobina Melanie Ko, Theodor Hundhammer, Ilana Berlowitz, Ursula Wolf","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1472562","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1472562","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cancer is a debilitating disease with an often chronic course. One of the most taxing and prevalent sequelae in this context is cancer-related fatigue (CRF) resulting from the disease and/or associated treatments. Over the last years mindfulness-based interventions such as eurythmy therapy (ERYT), a mindful-movement therapy from anthroposophic medicine, have emerged as promising adjunct therapies in oncology. This prospective study investigated an online implementation of ERYT for CRF using a single arm repeated-measures design based on two consecutive studies.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Study 1 consisted of an initial assessment before, during, after, and at follow up of a 6-week online ERYT-based program in a mixed sample of <i>N</i> = 165 adults with or without cancer diagnosis. Study 2 involved a similar design with an adapted 8-week online ERYT-based program in a sample of <i>N</i> = 125 adults who had been diagnosed with cancer. Outcomes were assessed using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue, Perceived Stress Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and Insomnia Severity Index (for Study 1 all, for Study 2 only the former three). We additionally performed an exploratory analysis regarding practice frequency and duration. Data were analyzed using Linear Mixed-Effect Models per outcome; ANOVA was used for practice times.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For Study 1, mixed-effects model estimates showed no significant effect on fatigue, but pointed to significantly improved emotional and physical well-being, reduced stress, as well as increased mindfulness (mixed subjects). Functional and social well-being or sleep quality did not change significantly. Study 2 model estimates on the other hand showed significantly improved CRF in conjunction with the ERYT-based online intervention, as well as improved stress and mindfulness scores (cancer-diagnosed subjects).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Taken together, while our results should be interpreted with caution given the single-arm design and relatively high dropout, they suggest online ERYT may be associated with a reduction in fatigue for individuals diagnosed with cancer, an increase in mindfulness, and benefits for stress and certain well-being indicators. The online group format is advantageous in view of affordability and accessibility, the latter being particularly relevant for individuals who due to high symptom severity cannot leave their homes. Randomized-controlled studies will be needed to confirm these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11447702/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142373624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-11DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1420339
Ana Paula Port, Artur José Marques Paulo, Raymundo Machado de Azevedo Neto, Shirley Silva Lacerda, João Radvany, Danilo Forghieri Santaella, Elisa Harumi Kozasa
BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the neural mechanisms that differentiate mind–body practices from aerobic physical activities and elucidate their effects on cognition and healthy aging. We examined functional brain connectivity in older adults (age > 60) without pre-existing uncontrolled chronic diseases, comparing Tai Chi with Water Aerobics practitioners.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, case–control fMRI study involving two strictly matched groups (n = 32) based on gender, age, education, and years of practice. Seed-to-voxel analysis was performed using the Salience, and Frontoparietal Networks as seed regions in Stroop Word-Color and N-Back tasks and Resting State.ResultsDuring Resting State condition and using Salience network as a seed, Tai Chi group exhibited a stronger correlation between Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Insular Cortex areas (regions related to interoceptive awareness, cognitive control and motor organization of subjective aspects of experience). In N-Back task and using Salience network as seed, Tai Chi group showed increased correlation between Left Supramarginal Gyrus and various cerebellar regions (related to memory, attention, cognitive processing, sensorimotor control and cognitive flexibility). In Stroop task, using Salience network as seed, Tai Chi group showed enhanced correlation between Left Rostral Prefrontal Cortex and Right Occipital Pole, and Right Lateral Occipital Cortex (areas associated with sustained attention, prospective memory, mediate attention between external stimuli and internal intention). Additionally, in Stroop task, using Frontoparietal network as seed, Water Aerobics group exhibited a stronger correlation between Left Posterior Parietal Lobe (specialized in word meaning, representing motor actions, motor planning directed to objects, and general perception) and different cerebellar regions (linked to object mirroring).ConclusionOur study provides evidence of differences in functional connectivity between older adults who have received training in a mind–body practice (Tai Chi) or in an aerobic physical activity (Water Aerobics) when performing attentional and working memory tasks, as well as during resting state.
{"title":"Differences in brain connectivity between older adults practicing Tai Chi and Water Aerobics: a case–control study","authors":"Ana Paula Port, Artur José Marques Paulo, Raymundo Machado de Azevedo Neto, Shirley Silva Lacerda, João Radvany, Danilo Forghieri Santaella, Elisa Harumi Kozasa","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1420339","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1420339","url":null,"abstract":"BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the neural mechanisms that differentiate mind–body practices from aerobic physical activities and elucidate their effects on cognition and healthy aging. We examined functional brain connectivity in older adults (age &gt; 60) without pre-existing uncontrolled chronic diseases, comparing Tai Chi with Water Aerobics practitioners.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, case–control fMRI study involving two strictly matched groups (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 32) based on gender, age, education, and years of practice. Seed-to-voxel analysis was performed using the Salience, and Frontoparietal Networks as seed regions in Stroop Word-Color and N-Back tasks and Resting State.ResultsDuring Resting State condition and using Salience network as a seed, Tai Chi group exhibited a stronger correlation between Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Insular Cortex areas (regions related to interoceptive awareness, cognitive control and motor organization of subjective aspects of experience). In N-Back task and using Salience network as seed, Tai Chi group showed increased correlation between Left Supramarginal Gyrus and various cerebellar regions (related to memory, attention, cognitive processing, sensorimotor control and cognitive flexibility). In Stroop task, using Salience network as seed, Tai Chi group showed enhanced correlation between Left Rostral Prefrontal Cortex and Right Occipital Pole, and Right Lateral Occipital Cortex (areas associated with sustained attention, prospective memory, mediate attention between external stimuli and internal intention). Additionally, in Stroop task, using Frontoparietal network as seed, Water Aerobics group exhibited a stronger correlation between Left Posterior Parietal Lobe (specialized in word meaning, representing motor actions, motor planning directed to objects, and general perception) and different cerebellar regions (linked to object mirroring).ConclusionOur study provides evidence of differences in functional connectivity between older adults who have received training in a mind–body practice (Tai Chi) or in an aerobic physical activity (Water Aerobics) when performing attentional and working memory tasks, as well as during resting state.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142217449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-11DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1475234
Myoung-Gwi Ryou, Summer Burton
Ischemic stroke is the fourth leading cause of adult disability in the US, and it is a huge social burden all over the world. However, the efficient treatment of ischemic stroke is not available. An apparent reason for failing to find or develop an intervention for ischemic stroke is contributed to the tight blood–brain barrier (BBB). The unique characteristics of exosomes that can traverse BBB have been highlighted among researchers investigating interventions for ischemic stroke conditions. Additionally, intermittent hypoxic training has been considered a potential intervention in the treatment or rehabilitation process of ischemic stroke patients. In this mini-review, we are going to review the possibility of applying exosomes produced by a subject who does intermittent hypoxic conditioning in a treatment program for ischemic stroke.
{"title":"Intermittent hypoxic training – derived exosomes in stroke rehabilitation","authors":"Myoung-Gwi Ryou, Summer Burton","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1475234","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1475234","url":null,"abstract":"Ischemic stroke is the fourth leading cause of adult disability in the US, and it is a huge social burden all over the world. However, the efficient treatment of ischemic stroke is not available. An apparent reason for failing to find or develop an intervention for ischemic stroke is contributed to the tight blood–brain barrier (BBB). The unique characteristics of exosomes that can traverse BBB have been highlighted among researchers investigating interventions for ischemic stroke conditions. Additionally, intermittent hypoxic training has been considered a potential intervention in the treatment or rehabilitation process of ischemic stroke patients. In this mini-review, we are going to review the possibility of applying exosomes produced by a subject who does intermittent hypoxic conditioning in a treatment program for ischemic stroke.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142217451","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-02DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1438888
Chloe Scholten, Mohammad Ghasoub, Bryce Geeraert, Shantanu Joshi, Catherine J. Wedderburn, Annerine Roos, Sivenesi Subramoney, Nadia Hoffman, Katherine Narr, Roger Woods, Heather J. Zar, Dan J. Stein, Kirsten Donald, Catherine Lebel
IntroductionTobacco and alcohol are the two most common substances used during pregnancy, and both can disrupt neurodevelopment, resulting in cognitive and behavioral deficits including language difficulties. Previous studies show that children with prenatal substance exposure exhibit microstructural alterations in major white matter pathways, though few studies have investigated the impact of prenatal substance exposure on white matter microstructure and language skills during the toddler years.MethodsIn this study, 93 children (34 exposed to alcohol and/or tobacco) aged 23 years from the Drakenstein Child Health Study, South Africa, completed Expressive and Receptive Communication assessments from the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) and underwent diffusion MRI scans. Diffusion images were preprocessed, and 11 major white matter tracts were isolated. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were extracted for each white matter tract. Linear regression was used to examine differences between the tobacco/alcohol exposed group and unexposed controls for FA, MD, and language scores, as well as relationships between brain metrics and language. There were no significant group differences in language scores or FA.ResultsChildren with alcohol or tobacco exposure had lower average MD in the splenium of the corpus callosum compared to unexposed controls. Significant interactions between prenatal substance exposure and language scores were seen in 7 tracts but did not survive multiple comparisons correction.DiscussionOur findings show that prenatal alcohol and/or tobacco exposure appear to alter the relationship between white matter microstructure and early language skills in this population of toddlers, potentially laying the basis of language deficits observed later in older children with prenatal substance exposure, which may have implications for learning and interventions.
{"title":"Prenatal tobacco and alcohol exposure, white matter microstructure, and early language skills in toddlers from a South African birth cohort","authors":"Chloe Scholten, Mohammad Ghasoub, Bryce Geeraert, Shantanu Joshi, Catherine J. Wedderburn, Annerine Roos, Sivenesi Subramoney, Nadia Hoffman, Katherine Narr, Roger Woods, Heather J. Zar, Dan J. Stein, Kirsten Donald, Catherine Lebel","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1438888","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1438888","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionTobacco and alcohol are the two most common substances used during pregnancy, and both can disrupt neurodevelopment, resulting in cognitive and behavioral deficits including language difficulties. Previous studies show that children with prenatal substance exposure exhibit microstructural alterations in major white matter pathways, though few studies have investigated the impact of prenatal substance exposure on white matter microstructure and language skills during the toddler years.MethodsIn this study, 93 children (34 exposed to alcohol and/or tobacco) aged 23 years from the Drakenstein Child Health Study, South Africa, completed Expressive and Receptive Communication assessments from the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) and underwent diffusion MRI scans. Diffusion images were preprocessed, and 11 major white matter tracts were isolated. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were extracted for each white matter tract. Linear regression was used to examine differences between the tobacco/alcohol exposed group and unexposed controls for FA, MD, and language scores, as well as relationships between brain metrics and language. There were no significant group differences in language scores or FA.ResultsChildren with alcohol or tobacco exposure had lower average MD in the splenium of the corpus callosum compared to unexposed controls. Significant interactions between prenatal substance exposure and language scores were seen in 7 tracts but did not survive multiple comparisons correction.DiscussionOur findings show that prenatal alcohol and/or tobacco exposure appear to alter the relationship between white matter microstructure and early language skills in this population of toddlers, potentially laying the basis of language deficits observed later in older children with prenatal substance exposure, which may have implications for learning and interventions.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142217452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-29DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1432270
Alexandra Lopes, Rute Sampaio, Isaura Tavares
IntroductionPain is a complex phenomenon influenced by psychosocial variables, including the placebo effect. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for pain has been demonstrated in experimental studies and systematic reviews, but the mechanisms of action are only starting to be established. Whether the expectations of individuals experiencing pain can be manipulated during MBIs remains to be systematically evaluated, and what role placebo effects might play remains to be explored.MethodsTo evaluate the literature analyzing placebo effects in MBIs for pain, we performed a systematic review based on searches conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases. Our search revealed a total of 272 studies, of which only 19 studies were included (10 acute pain and nine chronic pain), considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria related to expectations and placebo effects.ResultsFrom the 19 included studies, six measured placebo effects only in relation to the pharmacological intervention used in the study and not to an MBI.DiscussionThe results of the few studies that focused on the placebo effects of the MBIs indicate that placebo and expectations play a role in the MBIs' effects on pain. Although expectations and placebo effects are frequently discussed in the context of mindfulness and pain research, these results show that these factors are still not routinely considered in experimental designs. However, the results of the few studies included in this systematic review highlight a clear role for placebo and expectancy effects in the overall effects of MBIs for both acute and chronic pain, suggesting that routine measurement and further consideration in future studies are warranted. Additional research in this fascinating and challenging field is necessary to fully understand the connection between MBIs, placebo/expectations, and their effects on pain relief.
导言:疼痛是一种复杂的现象,受到心理社会变量(包括安慰剂效应)的影响。基于正念的疼痛干预(MBIs)的有效性已在实验研究和系统综述中得到证实,但其作用机制才刚刚开始确立。方法为了评估分析正念干预治疗疼痛的安慰剂效应的文献,我们基于在 PubMed、Web of Science 和 SCOPUS 数据库中的搜索结果进行了系统综述。结果在纳入的19项研究中,有6项研究仅针对研究中使用的药物干预措施而非MBI测量了安慰剂效应。讨论少数关注MBI安慰剂效应的研究结果表明,安慰剂和期望在MBI对疼痛的影响中发挥了作用。虽然在正念与疼痛研究中经常讨论期望和安慰剂效应,但这些结果表明,这些因素在实验设计中仍未得到常规考虑。然而,本系统综述中包含的少数研究结果突出表明,安慰剂效应和期望效应在 MBIs 对急性和慢性疼痛的总体效果中发挥着明显的作用,这表明在未来的研究中需要进行常规测量和进一步考虑。有必要在这一充满魅力和挑战的领域开展更多研究,以充分了解 MBIs、安慰剂/期望值及其对疼痛缓解效果之间的联系。
{"title":"Pain, mindfulness, and placebo: a systematic review","authors":"Alexandra Lopes, Rute Sampaio, Isaura Tavares","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1432270","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1432270","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionPain is a complex phenomenon influenced by psychosocial variables, including the placebo effect. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for pain has been demonstrated in experimental studies and systematic reviews, but the mechanisms of action are only starting to be established. Whether the expectations of individuals experiencing pain can be manipulated during MBIs remains to be systematically evaluated, and what role placebo effects might play remains to be explored.MethodsTo evaluate the literature analyzing placebo effects in MBIs for pain, we performed a systematic review based on searches conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases. Our search revealed a total of 272 studies, of which only 19 studies were included (10 acute pain and nine chronic pain), considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria related to expectations and placebo effects.ResultsFrom the 19 included studies, six measured placebo effects only in relation to the pharmacological intervention used in the study and not to an MBI.DiscussionThe results of the few studies that focused on the placebo effects of the MBIs indicate that placebo and expectations play a role in the MBIs' effects on pain. Although expectations and placebo effects are frequently discussed in the context of mindfulness and pain research, these results show that these factors are still not routinely considered in experimental designs. However, the results of the few studies included in this systematic review highlight a clear role for placebo and expectancy effects in the overall effects of MBIs for both acute and chronic pain, suggesting that routine measurement and further consideration in future studies are warranted. Additional research in this fascinating and challenging field is necessary to fully understand the connection between MBIs, placebo/expectations, and their effects on pain relief.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142217453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-26eCollection Date: 2024-01-01DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1476870
William R Reed, Maruti R Gudavalli, Daniel F Martins
{"title":"Editorial: Mechanisms and models of musculoskeletal pain and nonpharmacological treatment, volume II.","authors":"William R Reed, Maruti R Gudavalli, Daniel F Martins","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1476870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1476870","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11381369/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142301846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Within the realms of human and artificial intelligence, the concepts of consciousness and comprehension are fundamental distinctions. In the clinical sphere, patient awareness regarding medication and its physiological processes plays a crucial role in determining drug efficacy and outcomes. This article introduces a novel perspective on prescription practices termed "Ultra-Overt Therapy" (UOT). A review of current supporting evidence was conducted through a non-systematic search in PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on concepts such as the "mind-body relationship," "placebo response," "neuroscience," and "complementary medicine." Our findings, rooted in the mechanisms of the "placebo effect," the intricacies of "intersubjective therapy," the potency of "interoceptive awareness," and other domains of medical science, suggest that UOT holds theoretical promise. Future research endeavors focusing on these areas may elucidate the global impact of this method on medical treatment and patient care.
{"title":"Ultra-overt therapy: a novel medical approach centered on patient consciousness.","authors":"Kamran Shirbache, Amirreza Liaghat, Sanam Saeifar, Ahmadreza Nezameslami, Ali Shirbacheh, Hamid Nasri, Hamidreza Namazi","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1457936","DOIUrl":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1457936","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Within the realms of human and artificial intelligence, the concepts of consciousness and comprehension are fundamental distinctions. In the clinical sphere, patient awareness regarding medication and its physiological processes plays a crucial role in determining drug efficacy and outcomes. This article introduces a novel perspective on prescription practices termed \"Ultra-Overt Therapy\" (UOT). A review of current supporting evidence was conducted through a non-systematic search in PubMed and Google Scholar, focusing on concepts such as the \"mind-body relationship,\" \"placebo response,\" \"neuroscience,\" and \"complementary medicine.\" Our findings, rooted in the mechanisms of the \"placebo effect,\" the intricacies of \"intersubjective therapy,\" the potency of \"interoceptive awareness,\" and other domains of medical science, suggest that UOT holds theoretical promise. Future research endeavors focusing on these areas may elucidate the global impact of this method on medical treatment and patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2024-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11363186/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142116957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-07DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1419607
Chu Jiang, Jun Guan, Xiangrong Tang, Yichun Zhang, Xiangyu Li, Yuting Li, Zhiheng Chen, Jing Zhang, Jia-Da Li
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widely used plasticizer known to cause various disorders. Despite a global reduction in the use of BPA-containing products, prenatal exposure to low-dose BPA, even those below established safety limits, has been linked to neurological and behavioral deficits in childhood. The precise mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. In the present study, we observed a significant increase in the number of cortical neurons in offspring born to dams exposed to low-dose BPA during pregnancy. We also found that this prenatal exposure to low-dose BPA led to increased proliferation but reduced migration of cortical neurons. Transcriptomic analysis via RNA sequencing revealed an aberrant activation of the cAMP-PKA-CREB pathway in offspring exposed to BPA. The use of H89, a selective PKA inhibitor, effectively rescued the deficits in both proliferation and migration of cortical neurons. Furthermore, offspring from dams exposed to low-dose BPA exhibited manic-like behaviors, including hyperactivity, anti-depressant-like responses, and reduced anxiety. While H89 normalized hyperactivity, it didn't affect the other behavioral changes. These results suggest that the overactivation of PKA plays a causative role in BPA-induced changes in neuronal development. Our data also indicate that manic-like behaviors induced by prenatal low-dose BPA exposure may be influenced by both altered neuronal development and abnormal PKA signaling in adulthood.
双酚 A(BPA)是一种广泛使用的塑化剂,已知会导致各种疾病。尽管全球范围内都在减少含双酚 A 产品的使用,但产前接触低剂量的双酚 A(即使低于既定的安全限值)仍与儿童期的神经和行为缺陷有关。这些影响的确切机制尚不清楚。在本研究中,我们观察到在孕期暴露于低剂量双酚 A 的母体所生后代的大脑皮层神经元数量显著增加。我们还发现,产前暴露于低剂量双酚 A 会导致大脑皮层神经元增殖增加,但迁移减少。通过 RNA 测序进行的转录组分析表明,暴露于双酚 A 的后代体内 cAMP-PKA-CREB 通路被异常激活。使用 H89(一种选择性 PKA 抑制剂)可有效缓解大脑皮层神经元增殖和迁移的缺陷。此外,母体暴露于低剂量双酚 A 的后代表现出类似狂躁症的行为,包括多动、抗抑郁样反应和焦虑减少。虽然H89能使多动正常化,但并不影响其他行为变化。这些结果表明,PKA 的过度激活在双酚 A 诱导的神经元发育变化中起着致病作用。我们的数据还表明,产前低剂量双酚 A 暴露诱发的躁狂症样行为可能同时受到神经元发育改变和成年后 PKA 信号异常的影响。
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Pub Date : 2024-08-07DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1437585
Masatoshi Yamashita, Qiulu Shou, Yoshifumi Mizuno
IntroductionChronotype refers to individual preference in circadian cycles and is associated with psychiatric problems. It is mainly classified into early (those who prefer to be active in the morning and sleep and wake up early) and late (those who prefer to be active in the evening and sleep and wake up late) chronotypes. Although previous research has demonstrated associations between chronotype and cognitive function and brain structure in adults, little is known regarding these associations in children. Here, we aimed to investigate the relationship between chronotype and cognitive function in children. Moreover, based on the significant association between chronotype and specific cognitive functions, we extracted regions-of-interest (ROI) and examined the association between chronotype and ROI volumes.MethodsData from 4,493 children (mean age of 143.06 months) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study were obtained, wherein chronotype (mid-sleep time on free days corrected for sleep debt on school days) was assessed by the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. Subsequently, the associations between chronotype, cognitive function, and ROI volumes were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models.ResultsBehaviorally, chronotype was negatively associated with vocabulary knowledge, reading skills, and episodic memory performance. Based on these associations, the ROI analysis focused on language-related and episodic memory-related areas revealed a negative association between chronotype and left precentral gyrus and right posterior cingulate cortex volumes. Furthermore, the precentral gyrus volume was positively associated with vocabulary knowledge and reading skills, while the posterior cingulate cortex volume was positively associated with episodic memory performance.DiscussionThese results suggest that children with late chronotype have lower language comprehension and episodic memory and smaller brain volumes in the left precentral gyrus and right posterior cingulate cortex associated with these cognitive functions.
导言:昼夜节律型是指个人对昼夜节律周期的偏好,与精神问题有关。昼夜节律型主要分为早睡早起型和晚睡晚起型。尽管以往的研究已经证明了时间型与成人认知功能和大脑结构之间的关系,但对儿童的这些关系却知之甚少。在此,我们旨在研究儿童的时间型与认知功能之间的关系。方法:我们从青少年大脑认知发展研究(Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study)中获得了4493名儿童(平均年龄为143.06个月)的数据,并通过慕尼黑时间型态问卷(Munich Chronotype Questionnaire)对时间型态(空闲日的中间睡眠时间校正了上学日的睡眠欠缺)进行了评估。结果从行为上看,时型与词汇知识、阅读技能和外显记忆表现呈负相关。基于这些关联,对语言相关区域和表观记忆相关区域的 ROI 分析显示,年代型与左侧前中央回和右侧扣带回皮层体积之间存在负相关。讨论 这些结果表明,年代型较晚的儿童的语言理解能力和外显记忆能力较低,而与这些认知功能相关的左侧前脑回和右侧扣带后皮层的脑容量较小。
{"title":"Association of chronotype with language and episodic memory processing in children: implications for brain structure","authors":"Masatoshi Yamashita, Qiulu Shou, Yoshifumi Mizuno","doi":"10.3389/fnint.2024.1437585","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2024.1437585","url":null,"abstract":"IntroductionChronotype refers to individual preference in circadian cycles and is associated with psychiatric problems. It is mainly classified into early (those who prefer to be active in the morning and sleep and wake up early) and late (those who prefer to be active in the evening and sleep and wake up late) chronotypes. Although previous research has demonstrated associations between chronotype and cognitive function and brain structure in adults, little is known regarding these associations in children. Here, we aimed to investigate the relationship between chronotype and cognitive function in children. Moreover, based on the significant association between chronotype and specific cognitive functions, we extracted regions-of-interest (ROI) and examined the association between chronotype and ROI volumes.MethodsData from 4,493 children (mean age of 143.06 months) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study were obtained, wherein chronotype (mid-sleep time on free days corrected for sleep debt on school days) was assessed by the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. Subsequently, the associations between chronotype, cognitive function, and ROI volumes were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models.ResultsBehaviorally, chronotype was negatively associated with vocabulary knowledge, reading skills, and episodic memory performance. Based on these associations, the ROI analysis focused on language-related and episodic memory-related areas revealed a negative association between chronotype and left precentral gyrus and right posterior cingulate cortex volumes. Furthermore, the precentral gyrus volume was positively associated with vocabulary knowledge and reading skills, while the posterior cingulate cortex volume was positively associated with episodic memory performance.DiscussionThese results suggest that children with late chronotype have lower language comprehension and episodic memory and smaller brain volumes in the left precentral gyrus and right posterior cingulate cortex associated with these cognitive functions.","PeriodicalId":56016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141933268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-07-26DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2024.1426219
Courtney G. Kocum, Yonca Cam, Dusti A. Shay, Tim A. Schweizer, Ella R. Konrad, Tabitha K. Houska, Carlos A. Sardina, Todd R. Schachtman, Victoria J. Vieira-Potter, Matthew J. Will
The relationship between physical activity levels and feeding behaviors has been a focus of preclinical research for decades, yet this interaction has only recently been explored for potential sex differences. The aim of the present study was to isolate sex-dependent effects of voluntary wheel running (RUN) vs. sedentary locked wheel (SED) home cage conditions on palatability-driven feeding behavior using a 2-diet choice task between standard chow and a high-fat diet. The sex-dependent effects of physical activity on feeding behavior were examined following a within-subject novel reversal design of physical activity conditions (i.e., RUN > SED > RUN), to assess temporal sensitivity of the interaction. Following the final 2 weeks of reestablished and sustained RUN vs. SED conditions in separate groups of both males and females, reward-related opioid and dopamine gene expression within the nucleus accumbens (Acb) brain region were analyzed. Results demonstrated that the initial RUN > SED transition led to sex-dependent effects of SED condition, as males increased, and females decreased their high fat consumption, compared to their respective high fat consumption during previous RUN condition phase. Following reintroduction to the RUN condition, males decreased, and females increased their high fat consumption, compared to their separate SED control group. Last, sex-dependent shifts in ventral striatal opioid- and dopamine-related gene expression were observed to parallel the behavioral effects. The major findings of the study reveal that SED and RUN home cage conditions shift palatability-driven feeding in the opposite direction for males and females, these effects are sensitive to reversal, and these sex-dependent feeding behaviors track sex-dependent changes to critical reward-related gene expression patterns in the Acb. Considering the present high rates of sedentary behavior and obesity, furthering our understanding of the interaction between physical activity (or lack thereof) and feeding behavior should be a priority, especially in the context of these divergent sex-dependent outcomes.
几十年来,体力活动水平与摄食行为之间的关系一直是临床前研究的一个重点,但这种相互作用的潜在性别差异直到最近才被探索出来。本研究的目的是通过在标准饲料和高脂肪饲料之间进行2种饮食选择任务,分离自愿轮跑(RUN)和静止锁定轮跑(SED)家笼条件对适口性驱动的摄食行为的性别依赖性影响。为了评估交互作用的时间敏感性,研究人员对运动条件(即 RUN > SED > RUN)进行了主体内新颖的反转设计,以考察运动对摄食行为的性别依赖性影响。在对男性和女性分别进行为期两周的重新建立和持续 RUN 与 SED 条件对比后,分析了脑部伏隔核(Acb)区域内与奖赏相关的阿片类和多巴胺基因表达。结果表明,最初的 RUN > SED 过渡导致了 SED 条件的性别依赖效应,与之前 RUN 条件阶段的高脂肪消耗相比,男性增加了高脂肪消耗,而女性则减少了高脂肪消耗。与单独的 SED 对照组相比,重新进入 RUN 条件后,雄性动物减少了高脂肪摄入量,而雌性动物则增加了高脂肪摄入量。最后,在行为效应的同时,还观察到腹侧纹状体阿片和多巴胺相关基因表达的性别依赖性变化。该研究的主要发现表明,SED和RUN家笼条件会使雌雄动物的适口性驱动摄食行为向相反的方向转变,这些效应对逆转很敏感,而且这些性别依赖性摄食行为会跟踪Acb中与奖赏相关的关键基因表达模式的性别依赖性变化。考虑到目前久坐不动和肥胖症的高发率,进一步了解体力活动(或缺乏体力活动)与摄食行为之间的相互作用应该是当务之急,尤其是在这些不同性别依赖性结果的背景下。
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