Canadian Journal of Pain
November 8, 2024
Jiwon Lee, Kaylyssa Philip, Hance Clarke et al.
3 citations
A proposed clinical trial design for psilocybin as a treatment for neuropathic pain, called the PEACE-PAIN trial, is supported by patient survey responses but could be improved by adding detailed discussions of the existing evidence on efficacy, safety, tolerability, and management of adverse effects. The finding that individuals with prior psychedelic use are interested in participating has important implications for the trial's inclusion and exclusion criteria.
JMIR mental health
May 13, 2025
Meysam Pirbaglou, Christo El Morr, Farah Ahmad et al.
2 citations
An 8-week online mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral therapy program for students reduced depression, anxiety, and perceived stress while improving quality of life compared to a waitlist control. The intervention's benefits were partly explained by increased mindful non-reactivity—the ability to let thoughts and feelings pass without reacting—which then reduced anxiety and depression, which in turn lowered stress and improved quality of life. Direct effects showed depression scores dropped by 1.65 points, anxiety by 3.29 points, perceived stress by 2.28 points, and quality of life rose by 4.07 points, all statistically significant. The findings highlight mindful non-reactivity as a key mechanism driving improvements.
JMIR research protocols
April 17, 2024
Akash Goel, Bhavya Kapoor, Hillary Chan et al.
2 citations
Chronic pain affects about 8 million Canadians (20%) and costs the healthcare system over US $60 billion yearly. This paper describes the planned protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial testing three treatments: intravenous ketamine alone, cognitive behavioral therapy with mindfulness meditation (CBT/MM), or a combination of both. The primary goal is to assess feasibility—recruitment, consent, withdrawal, adherence, missing data, and adverse events—in 30 participants over 20 weeks. Secondary outcomes include changes in pain intensity and pain interference at week 20. Recruitment had not started as of November 2023; the study is expected to complete by December 2025. Results will inform a larger trial.
Journal of Pain Research
June 1, 2022
Sandra J Drozdz, Akash Goel, Matthew W Mcgarr et al.
2 citations
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) can, in specific circumstances, initiate and prolong clinically significant reductions in pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, while encouraging rapport and treatment engagement, and promoting abstinence in patients addicted to other substances. A systematic review of seventeen articles including 603 participants found that combining ketamine with psychotherapy, provided before, during, and after ketamine sessions, can maximize and prolong benefits despite much variance in how KAP is applied. Additional large-scale randomized controlled trials are warranted to understand better the mutually influential relationships between psychotherapy and ketamine in optimizing responsiveness and sustaining long-term benefits in patients with chronic pain.
Canadian Journal of Pain
March 4, 2026
Nandana D. Parakh, Danielle Lessor, Kevin Dang et al.
All participants reported decreased pain with ketamine infusions, though pain experiences varied. To improve ketamine's benefit for chronic neuropathic pain, it is important to address stigma, research ways to extend the duration of its effects, and provide a safe treatment environment. Understanding barriers and facilitators, along with implementing participant suggestions, can inform ketamine programs, improve access to pain management, and guide future research.
Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthesie
September 1, 2025
Mindy Lu, Victoria Tucci, Nandana Parakh et al.
Most patients with chronic pain at a Toronto pain clinic were willing to join a clinical trial testing MDMA-assisted therapy for pain relief. Among 42 patients surveyed, 76% expressed willingness to participate in the EASE-Pain trial, which compares MDMA with an active placebo. White/European participants were more likely to be willing than nonwilling. The main motivators were pain relief (62%) and seeking alternatives to ineffective treatments (26%). Common concerns included side effects (43%), impacts on comorbidities (19%), and stigma associated with MDMA (19%). The findings suggest that protocol modifications, such as better patient education on drug effects, may improve trial enrollment and acceptability.