A planned series of N-of-1 trials will evaluate whether a short daily breathwork or mindfulness exercise reduces perceived stress in physicians in residence in Germany. Each participant will choose between box breathing and a guided mindfulness-based breathing exercise, then be randomly assigned to alternating one-week intervention and control phases over four weeks. Daily stress levels will be self-reported via a smartphone app. The study aims to determine if these easy-to-implement interventions can lower work-related stress, potentially reducing treatment errors and improving doctor-patient relationships.
A subset of patients in a minimally conscious state show improved behavioral responsiveness after transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, while those who are unresponsive show limited benefit. Among 131 patients, 32% of minimally conscious patients responded to tDCS, compared to 10% of unresponsive patients. A regression model using baseline diagnosis, Coma Recovery Scale-Revised Index, age, sex, and time since injury correctly identified responders 77% of the time. Patients in a minimally conscious state with better cognitive profiles and longer time since injury appear to respond better to tDCS, suggesting they are better candidates for this treatment.