Cell biology and toxicology
January 30, 2026
Jia-Yi Wei, Peng Lv, Jiayu Zhang et al.
Repeated ketamine exposure over seven days causes anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors along with cognitive deficits in mice. The dopamine receptor DRD1 plays a key role in these effects: activating DRD1 produces anxiety-like behavior similar to ketamine and worsens ketamine's effects, while blocking DRD1 partially reduces anxiety but worsens depression. Ketamine triggers apoptosis (cell death) in HT22 cells by suppressing Akt/Gsk3β phosphorylation through DRD1. In mice, ketamine promotes neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex; blocking DRD1 partially reduces this apoptosis, but knocking down DRD1 in neurons unexpectedly increases both apoptosis and anxiety-like behavior.
Journal of psychiatric research
January 29, 2026
Dandan Luo, Wenjun Dang, Jie Luo et al.
A systematic review of 13 clinical studies suggests that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) may help improve anxiety and depression in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may relieve psychological stress and improve emotional states in their caregivers. Among adults with ASD (8 studies), MBSR showed potential for reducing emotional symptoms. For ASD caregivers (4 studies), preliminary effects included reduced stress and better emotional well-being. Only one study examined children with ASD, and none covered adolescents. The evidence is limited by small sample sizes and high heterogeneity, so conclusions should be interpreted cautiously.
Clinical journal of oncology nursing
January 26, 2026
Amy Caramore, Justin M O'Leary, Raymond E Baser et al.
1 citation
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people with cancer experienced heightened anxiety. A brief, five-minute guided meditation, self-administered via personal mobile devices while waiting after a vaccination, significantly reduced acute anxiety more than usual care. Among 256 adult patients, 14% reported moderate to severe anxiety. The intervention is feasible for outpatient oncology settings and can be implemented by nurses to support emotional well-being.
Quality in Sport
January 26, 2026
Adam Wolski, Ewa Szplit, Mikołaj Franciszek Patalong et al.
Psychedelic substances, including psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and ketamine, show promise for treating psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder, PTSD, substance use disorders, and anxiety. Psilocybin produces robust antidepressant effects, reduces anxiety, and benefits substance use disorders after limited dosing sessions. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy yields high remission rates in PTSD. LSD shows promising effects for anxiety and substance use disorders. Ketamine provides rapid antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects in depression and potential benefits in addiction and anxiety, though results in PTSD are mixed. Risks require careful screening and clinical oversight, but evidence supports psychedelic-assisted therapies as adjunctive or alternative interventions for selected patients.
Journal of affective disorders
January 23, 2026
Reinhard Janssen-Aguilar, Jithin Joseph, Huda Al-Shamali et al.
In a retrospective chart review of 209 adults with treatment-resistant depression treated with intravenous ketamine, depressive and anxiety symptoms improved significantly over four or six infusions, but the improvements were modest and highly variable across individuals. Anxiety symptoms improved more slowly and less robustly than depressive symptoms. End-of-treatment response and remission rates were numerically higher after six infusions than after four, but the difference was not statistically significant. Four distinct patterns of symptom change emerged for both depression and anxiety, highlighting the heterogeneity of treatment response. Durability after six infusions could not be assessed because follow-up data were available only for the four-infusion group.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 22, 2026
Alka Christnacht, Therry Rose Eparwa, Emily Whinkin et al.
Ketamine assisted psychotherapy (KAP) may help treat postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) when introduced within the first two years after childbirth. Existing medications often fail to work quickly enough, are hard to access, or provide only short-term relief. This retrospective case series describes three individuals who received KAP as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. The report highlights how psychedelic insights gained during sessions may contribute to symptom improvement, suggesting KAP could offer a more effective and sustained therapeutic option for postpartum mental health.
Appalachian State University
January 21, 2026
Four sessions of mindful walking did not improve trait mindfulness, depression, anxiety, or stress compared to an active control group among 58 non-meditating participants. The mindful walking group's trait mindfulness scores remained stable, while the control group's scores declined after the first session. State mindfulness was consistently higher in the mindful walking group immediately after each session. These results contradict earlier research and question the effectiveness of mindful walking programs for improving mental health outcomes in novice meditators.
Psychology of sport and exercise
January 20, 2026
Jeffrey Yu, Jui-Ti Nien, Mu-Yen Chu et al.
3 citations
Among collegiate Taekwondo athletes (N = 105), mindfulness is linked to higher pre-event self-efficacy by reducing cognitive anxiety. This pathway was especially strong for injured athletes, for whom mindfulness had a greater effect on lowering cognitive anxiety. Injury status did not alter the overall indirect pathway, but it did moderate the direct link between mindfulness and cognitive anxiety. The findings suggest that mindfulness can help combat sports athletes, particularly those injured, feel more confident before competition by easing anxious thoughts.
Psychedelic Medicine
January 18, 2026
Anthony L. Back, Bonnie A. Mcgregor, Leslie Lazar Thorn et al.
1 citation
A group retreat model of psilocybin therapy for people with metastatic cancer and anxiety or depression was safe and well tolerated. Fifty-two participants attended a 3-day retreat with 25 mg psilocybin, supported by virtual and in-person sessions. No episodes of unattended distress occurred during the psilocybin sessions. Anxiety and depression symptoms, measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, decreased by an average of 7.3 points from baseline to 28 days after the retreat, a statistically significant reduction. The findings suggest that a group configuration of eight participants with four core facilitators can be safe for future studies in people with serious medical illness.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
January 11, 2026
Yosuke Tomita, Mari Yokoo, Kaori Shimoda et al.
A single session of focused attention meditation before high-intensity interval training reduces state anxiety in university-level speed skaters more than random thinking does. In a randomized crossover study, twenty-six athletes completed three pre-exercise conditions—focused attention meditation, controlled breathing, and random thinking—before performing eight 20-second maximal cycling sprints. State anxiety dropped by 5.0 points after meditation versus 1.0 point after random thinking, a statistically significant difference with a moderate effect size. Controlled breathing improved heart rate variability but did not affect anxiety. Neither meditation nor breathing altered average power output or fatigue during the sprints. The results suggest that focused attention meditation offers a practical, immediate anxiety reduction without harming high-intensity performance.
Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research
January 7, 2026
A phosphodiesterase-10 inhibitor, papaverine, protected mice from schizophrenia-like behavioral and brain changes caused by ketamine. Mice given ketamine for 10 days showed increased immobility, altered movement and anxiety-like behavior, reduced social interaction, cognitive impairment, and catalepsy, along with higher oxidative stress and altered acetylcholinesterase activity and brain histology. Both papaverine and the standard antipsychotic clozapine significantly reversed these behavioral, biochemical, and histological abnormalities. The findings suggest papaverine may have neuroprotective potential against schizophrenia-related deficits.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 2, 2026
Frederick D. Sancilio, Maghsoud Dariani, Purvi Chavda et al.
A stable salt of psilocin, psilocin mucate (L-130), delivers increased bioavailability and more precise control of therapeutic levels compared to oral psilocybin. In this study, daily dosing of L-130 led to significant reductions in cortisol levels and improved performance on anxiety-related behavioral tasks, including the Elevated Plus Maze, Open Field Test, and Novel Object Recognition Task, while weekly dosing did not generally produce significant results. Clinical assessments and blood analyses suggest L-130 is safe with no toxicological effects. Larger studies are needed to determine optimal doses and dosing schedules.
BMC Psychology
January 2, 2026
Reza Moshfeghinia, Sara Mostafavi, Kimia Jazi et al.
2 citations
Psilocybin may reduce depressive symptoms in cancer patients, with mixed effects on anxiety and time-dependent improvements in spiritual well-being and, in single-arm data, quality of life. However, due to the small number of studies, high heterogeneity, challenges with blinding and expectancy, and frequent co-intervention with psychotherapy, these findings are preliminary. Larger, rigorously blinded trials are needed to determine clinical effectiveness and safety.
General hospital psychiatry
January 1, 2026
Gabrielle F M Lovell, Shreya Vasudeva, Diana K Orsini et al.
Ketamine, an anesthetic also used for mood and anxiety disorders, may cause mild, temporary elevations in liver enzymes, but serious liver damage appears rare. A systematic review of 13 studies (5 randomized trials, 3 observational studies, and 5 case reports) involving 1,017 patients—mostly with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder—found 75 mild liver enzyme elevations across trials, with only a few cases of impaired liver function. No cases met Hy's Law criteria for severe drug-induced liver injury. Case reports described more severe liver issues that improved with dose reduction or stopping treatment. Routine liver monitoring during ketamine treatment remains advisable.
Journal of Neuroscience Research
January 1, 2026
Hediye Moghadam, Parisa Akbari, Elmira Beirami et al.
Oral consumption of the psilocybin-containing mushroom Psilocybe azurescens at doses of 10, 100, and 250 mg/kg every other day for 14 days increased anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and disrupted social interaction in male Wistar rats. These behavioral changes were accompanied by elevated neuroinflammation (IL-6 and TNFα) and oxidative stress (ROS and SOD) and reduced neurotrophic factors (BDNF and GDNF) in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. The findings suggest that high doses of P. azurescens can induce mood disorders through increased inflammatory responses and oxidative stress alongside decreased neurotrophic factor expression.
Imaging Neuroscience
January 1, 2026
Hagar Tal, Winson F. Z. Yang, Matthew D. Sacchet
Neurofeedback (NF) has been proposed as a tool to support meditation practice, but a systematic review mapping the field across clinical and non-clinical contexts reveals that most studies are proof-of-concept and vary widely in design, implementation, and outcome measures. While NF consistently modulates neural activity, evidence for corresponding improvements in behavior, phenomenology, or transferable meditative skills remains limited. The review concludes that additional research is essential to determine whether NF can help practitioners overcome common meditative barriers, such as anxiety and self-doubt, and accelerate meditative development from novice to advanced meditators.
General hospital psychiatry
January 1, 2026
David T Kryszajtys, Carol J Strike, Brian Rush et al.
1 citation
Desperation for relief from persistent depression and anxiety, after standard treatments fail, shapes how people decide to self-treat with psychedelics. Analyzing 108 Reddit discussion threads, members who expressed desperation described a tipping point where worsening mental health and frustration with conventional care made relief feel urgent. This urgency led to rapid, unplanned self-treatment with psychedelics, often without researching options or using harm reduction, despite acknowledged risks. Some reported relief, while others linked worsening mental health to multiple desperation-driven decisions. These interpretations may inform clinical psychedelic models, where access is often granted after other treatments fail, and similar urgency may influence engagement and outcomes.
Frontiers in public health
January 1, 2026
Lori Rubenstein Fazzio, Anne Pitman, Shelly Prosko
Death anxiety is common in modern cultures and leads to avoidance of advance care planning and overuse of life-prolonging treatments. This Perspective proposes shifting from a pathogenic focus on life-extension and symptom reduction to a salutogenic approach emphasizing meaning-making and adaptive engagement with mortality. Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence framework—comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness—is presented as a psychosocial resource that supports wellbeing amid existential stressors. Cultivating conscious mortality awareness may strengthen Sense of Coherence. Savasana (corpse pose) is proposed as an embodied contemplative practice for experiential engagement with impermanence, not as a treatment for death anxiety but as a salutogenic practice supporting reflective meaning-making when practiced intentionally across the lifespan.
PloS one
January 1, 2026
Yijun Wang, Xiaolu Lin, Xiang Zou et al.
After cesarean section, intravenous esketamine added to standard pain control reduced maximum pain scores within the first 24 hours (median 5 vs. 6 on a 0-10 scale) and also lessened pain at rest, with movement, and visceral pain at all measured time points. Women receiving esketamine had lower rates of postoperative depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, as well as lower levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein. The time before the first patient-controlled painkiller press was longer in the esketamine group. No significant differences were seen in hyperalgesia or side effects between groups.
The National medical journal of India
January 1, 2026
Ozlem Ecem Ograk, Merve Eksioglu, Tuba Cimilli Ozturk et al.
Both regular yoga and guided meditation effectively reduce anxiety and stress and improve well-being in emergency medicine residents. After six weeks, the control group had the highest average anxiety score (20.63), while both intervention groups showed significant reductions in perceived stress. The yoga group also showed a significant increase in well-being from baseline compared to the control group. The findings suggest that yoga may offer even greater benefits than meditation alone.
Figshare
January 1, 2026
Jesse Dallery, Jennifer L. Miller, Jeff Boissoneault et al.
A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, combined with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, was tested in five adults with binge-eating disorder. The treatment was well tolerated with no serious adverse events. All participants reported reduced binge eating frequency that lasted through 14 weeks. Improvements also occurred in depression, anxiety, and psychological inflexibility. Three participants lost weight and reduced waist circumference. Brain scans showed increased activity in regions linked to cognitive control and self-awareness when viewing processed versus unprocessed food cues. Because the study was small and open-label, causality cannot be determined, but the results support larger controlled trials.
Psychological Medicine
January 1, 2026
Ricarda Evens, Abdo Uyar, Emily Gosslau et al.
About 31% of people who had a distressing psychedelic experience that lasted beyond the acute phase met diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Avoidance during the acute experience predicted worse PTSD symptoms, while acceptance predicted milder symptoms. Post-traumatic growth was unrelated to the intensity of the challenge or avoidance but was linked to acceptance. Most participants sought help from online resources or friends, though psychotherapy was rated most helpful. The study targeted those with highly challenging experiences, so findings do not reflect prevalence among all psychedelic users.
Frontiers in psychiatry
January 1, 2026
Gláucio Silva Camargos, Geraldo Magela De Faria Júnior, Marcelo Lourenço et al.
Over six months, depressive symptoms decreased significantly in 280 adults with depressive, anxiety, or substance use disorders after ritualistic ayahuasca use combined with psychotherapeutic support. Scores on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale dropped shortly after the intervention and remained lower for up to 180 days, though individual responses varied. The findings suggest that ayahuasca-assisted therapy can reduce depression and anxiety and may help treat substance dependence. Variability in outcomes indicates that psychodynamic factors, including integration of the psychedelic experience and ongoing therapeutic support, are crucial for effectiveness. The work supports developing personalized psychedelic-assisted treatment protocols for complex psychiatric conditions.