Scientific Reports
February 25, 2026
Albert Garcia-Romeu, Gideon P. Naudé, Alison W. Rebman et al.
2 citations
An estimated 10–20% of Lyme disease patients develop post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD), a chronic syndrome with no established treatments. In an open-label pilot study of 20 participants with PTLD, two sessions of psilocybin (15 mg then 15 or 25 mg) with psychological support led to significant improvements in symptom burden and quality of life from enrollment through one month after the second dose, with benefits sustained at six months. At six months, general PTLD symptom burden decreased 40% from baseline, and mental and physical quality-of-life scores improved 13%. Mood, fatigue, sleep, and pain also improved. No serious adverse events occurred; common side effects were transient hypertension, headache, and tachycardia. The findings suggest psilocybin-assisted treatment is feasible and well-tolerated, warranting further research.
Behavioral Sciences
February 23, 2026
Joshua Lipson, Hannes Kettner, Robin Carhart-Harris et al.
Mood before taking a psychedelic substance and factors like social connectedness, mindfulness, and spirituality influence how the experience unfolds. People with higher baseline depression and anxiety tend to have more challenging experiences but not more mystical ones, while those with greater wellbeing report more mystical and fewer challenging experiences. Mindfulness and spirituality are linked to more mystical experiences, and social connectedness and mindfulness are linked to fewer challenging ones. Mystical and challenging experiences were weakly but positively correlated overall.
Qualitative Health Research
February 17, 2026
Zaynab Khan, Sterre Weaver, Rachael V. Dando et al.
1 citation
Seven women in the United Kingdom with a current or previous cancer diagnosis were interviewed about their attitudes toward using psilocybin for mental health. Four had used psilocybin and three had considered it. Participants viewed psilocybin as a needed alternative to traditional treatments for depression and anxiety linked to their cancer diagnosis, but they felt its illegal status was a major barrier to access. Three themes emerged: somatic healing needs, illegality as both a burden and boundary, and reconnecting self, nature, and mortality. The authors suggest a compassionate access scheme in the UK could transform mental health care for people with cancer.
Ganaya Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora
February 14, 2026
Tinon Citraning Harisuci, Vikri Islah Khafidz, Faricha Annisa et al.
A pre-experimental study with 15 residents of a social service center found that a program combining Dance Movement Therapy with Osho Kundalini music reduced symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. Participants showed statistically significant decreases in scores on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale after the intervention, with large effect sizes. The program involved expressive movement, rhythmic stimulation, relaxation, and silent meditation to support emotional release and body awareness. Because the study lacked a control group, the results suggest but do not prove that the therapy caused the improvements. The findings indicate that this approach may be a useful psychosocial intervention for people with mental disabilities in care settings.
Research Square
February 11, 2026
Jack Swain, Davis Carter, Leonardo Vando
Among 374 adults with moderate-to-severe PTSD who completed six sessions of at-home, telehealth-supported ketamine-assisted therapy, PTSD symptoms improved substantially. Mean PCL-5 scores dropped from 51.1 at baseline to 28.3 after session 6, a 44.6% reduction. The clinical response rate was 79.7%, and 60.7% achieved remission. Suicidal ideation resolved completely in 75.9% of those who reported it at baseline. Depression and anxiety scores also declined by about half. Side effects occurred in 4.3% of participants. Controlled trials are needed to confirm causality.
Journal of reproductive and infant psychology
February 5, 2026
Mardiana Mansor, Mei-Chan Chong, Chui Ping Lei et al.
A quasi-experimental study found that mindful breathing exercises reduced anxiety and depression and improved quality of life in women with endometriosis. Among 108 participants, those who practiced the exercises showed a decrease in mean anxiety scores from 13.22 to 6.70 and in depression scores from 12.56 to 4.31, while quality-of-life scores improved from 70.48 to 21.28. The control group did not show comparable changes. The results suggest that mindful breathing can be a helpful addition to care for women with this condition.
Biological psychiatry
February 3, 2026
Mehmet Bostancıklıoğlu, Davut Sinan Kaplan, Ramazan Bal et al.
Psilocybin and MDMA reduce anxiety-like behaviors in a rat model of fear conditioning, and these effects depend on myelin plasticity in the dentate gyrus. Both drugs triggered oligodendroglial changes and multi-omic signatures of myelin remodeling, though mean myelin thickness (g-ratio) did not differ significantly between treated and untreated fear-conditioned animals. Disrupting myelin abolished the anxiolytic effects. Psilocybin preferentially activated early oligodendroglial gene programs, while MDMA enhanced markers of mature myelin. Blocking the 5-HT2A receptor completely eliminated both the myelin and behavioral enhancements. Enhancing myelination may be a viable strategy to sustain therapeutic effects of psychedelic-assisted treatments for PTSD.
Epilepsy & behavior : E&B
February 3, 2026
Kairui Li, Hui Song, Chenxiao Zhao et al.
A simplified, app-based mindfulness program for people with epilepsy in mainland China was feasible and well-accepted. Ten adults completed a 6-week self-guided program (15 minutes daily, 6 days per week) via a WeChat mini-program. Completion rates averaged 110.1%, and user feedback was positive. Exploratory assessments suggested improvements in quality of life (median increase of 9.12 points on the QOLIE-31) and reductions in anxiety (median decrease of 5.50 points on the GAD-7). Seizure frequency descriptively decreased by a median of 1.17 seizures per 4 weeks, with half of participants experiencing at least a 50% reduction. These findings support planning a future randomized controlled trial.
Psychiatry research
February 2, 2026
T Aboulafia-Brakha, A Buchard, C Mabilais et al.
1 citation
In a real-world clinical setting, a single session of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy with either LSD or psilocybin was well tolerated and linked to significant reductions in depression and anxiety among adults with treatment-resistant disorders. Symptoms improved substantially, with large effects for depression and moderate effects for anxiety. Cognitive changes included less self-blame, rumination, and catastrophizing, along with more positive refocusing and reappraisal. Adverse effects were mild and temporary, with no serious complications. The findings suggest that both substances can be effective and safe in specialized routine care.
Journal of Military Veteran and Family Health
February 1, 2026
Ian Stefanuk, Kaitlin Chivers-Wilson, Rakesh Jetly et al.
A retrospective chart review of 56 Veterans who completed a program combining sublingual ketamine therapy with a transdiagnostic intensive outpatient program (IOP) found significant reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress, along with improved quality of life. Clinically meaningful improvements were most notable among those with moderate to severe baseline symptoms. The intervention is thought to enhance neuroplasticity and emotional learning while increasing treatment engagement and long-term resiliency. The lack of a control group limits the findings, and further research is needed to validate the results and adapt the model for Veterans.
Clinical psychology review
February 1, 2026
Liucan Xu, Simon B Goldberg, Lin Zhang et al.
1 citation
Second-generation mindfulness-based interventions (SG-MBIs), which incorporate ethical and moral practices, effectively reduce depression and anxiety in adults. A meta-analysis of 43 randomized controlled trials on depression (3,756 participants) and 37 on anxiety (3,199 participants) found moderate to large effects: depression improved by a standardized mean difference of 0.59 and anxiety by 0.61. Effects remained significant after removing outlier studies (depression: 0.44; anxiety: 0.40). Clinical populations benefited more than healthy or mixed samples. Follow-up data from 20 trials showed sustained depression reductions (0.70). Most trials had some methodological concerns, but excluding high-risk studies did not change the results. SG-MBIs appear especially valuable for clinical groups and self-compassion-focused interventions.
Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand
February 1, 2026
Neil McNaughton, Shabah M Shadli, B Beaglehole et al.
Neurotic disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD are diagnosed by symptoms rather than biological causes, making them costly and difficult to treat. Researchers in New Zealand have developed an EEG biomarker for anxiety disorders that can detect resistance to conventional treatments, with similar work underway for depression. Ketamine has been identified as a novel treatment for treatment-resistant neurotic disorders, supported by a proposed "double hit" hypothesis of its mechanisms. Similar results have been obtained with ketamine, LSD, and psilocybin, and treatment-related EEG changes have been demonstrated. These developments, potentially combined with psychotherapy, may lead to faster, broader, and more effective treatments, especially with the recent development of oral tablet delivery for home dosing.
Journal of religion and health
February 1, 2026
Arbind Kumar Choudhary, R Abirami
A systematic review and meta-analysis of eight studies from the USA, Europe, and China found that spiritual interventions—including meditation, prayer, mindfulness, and compassionate care—significantly reduce anxiety (effect size 0.70), improve quality of life (effect size 0.75), and provide moderate benefits for chronic disease symptoms (effect size 0.65). Patient satisfaction with spiritual support consistently exceeded 80%, with highest ratings in palliative care. Stronger effects appeared among older adults, those with chronic illness, and participants in meditation-based programs. The findings support integrating spiritual care into patient-centered health models.
Brain and behavior
February 1, 2026
Burçin Ün, Zeki Akarsakarya, Özlem Yorulmaz Özü et al.
THC induces anxiety-like behavior in mice, and this effect involves an interaction between the brain's adenosinergic and cannabinoidergic systems. Gene expression patterns showed that THC's effects were partially modulated by changes in the expression of both CB1R and A2A receptors. The data suggest that THC plays a predominant role in this molecular interplay, highlighting the importance of receptor cross talk in modulating anxiety.