BMC psychiatry
May 7, 2024
Ahmad Zolghadriha, Afagh Anjomshoaa, Mohammad Reza Jamshidi et al.
24 citations
In a randomized clinical trial, 64 patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder received either a single intravenous dose of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine or a placebo (normal saline). One hour after administration, the ketamine group showed significantly greater improvement in depression symptoms (score 14.90 vs. 35.16) and suicidal ideation (score 0.42 vs. 6.74) compared to the placebo group. These improvements remained statistically significant at multiple time points up to two months. Common side effects included increased heart rate, headache, dizziness, and dissociative symptoms. The rapid and sustained effects suggest ketamine can relieve depressive symptoms faster than traditional treatments.
BMC psychiatry
March 1, 2024
Kimia Sahraian, Hamed Abdollahpour Ranjbar, Bahia Namavar Jahromi et al.
22 citations
A mindful self-compassion program for infertile women undergoing in vitro fertilization reduced hopelessness, anger-hostility, anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity, and depression compared with treatment as usual, with gains lasting at least two months. Fifty-seven women were randomly assigned to either the eight-week program or usual care. The intervention group met weekly for two hours plus a half-day retreat. Improvements were clinically significant and durable, suggesting that mindfulness-based approaches can support mental well-being and life satisfaction in this population.
BMC psychiatry
October 17, 2023
Paul A Bloom, David Pagliaccio, Jiahe Zhang et al.
17 citations
Adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) may benefit from a non-invasive technique that combines mindfulness with real-time fMRI neurofeedback (mbNF) to reduce activity in the default mode network (DMN), a brain network linked to rumination. In a planned trial, 90 adolescents aged 13–18 with MDD will be randomly assigned to receive either 15 or 30 minutes of mbNF. During the procedure, participants practice mindfulness while a ball on a screen moves based on their brain activity, targeting the frontoparietal network relative to the DMN. The study will test whether mbNF reduces functional connectivity within the DMN and whether longer dosing produces greater effects, with secondary outcomes including changes in depressive symptoms and rumination.
BMC psychiatry
April 24, 2024
Huanwei Wang, Rigen Te, Jianxing Zhang et al.
15 citations
A single low dose of esketamine given during surgery to breast cancer patients without preoperative depression lowered their score on a depression questionnaire one day after a mastectomy, compared to patients who received a placebo. The group given esketamine had a reduced Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score on postoperative day 1, while the placebo group's score increased; the difference was statistically significant. By days 3, 7, and 30 after surgery, there was no meaningful difference between the groups. The esketamine group also had a higher white blood cell count after surgery. The treatment did not increase side effects such as delirium, nausea, or vomiting.
BMC psychiatry
December 2, 2019
Samir Al-Adawi, Yahya Al-Kalbani, Sathiya Murthi Panchatcharam et al.
14 citations
Spirit possession in Oman falls into two categories: intermittent and transitory dissociative phenomena. Among 84 participants (mean age 34, 56% female, 35% with trauma history), those with intermittent possession showed greater impairment on tests of executive functioning, including verbal fluency and the Trail Making Test, compared to the transitory group. The pathogenic possession subtype independently predicted worse performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and Tower of London Test. The findings suggest that the typology of spirit possession differs on indices of executive function, with intermittent possession linked to deficits, laying groundwork for further neuropsychological study.
BMC psychiatry
March 14, 2023
Rebecca S Ryan, Alex Copello, Andrew P Fox
12 citations
People who microdose psychedelic drugs approach the practice methodically and with purpose, often to self-medicate for mental health and wellbeing. In anonymous text-based interviews with 13 participants recruited from websites and online forums, three main themes emerged: seeking a solution with personal agency, acting as scientists in their approach, and experiencing microdosing as a catalyst for desirable mental health, cognitive, physical, and social changes. Participants reported supporting their own mental health and wellbeing through microdosing, which they described as a catalyst to achieving their aims. The findings clarify the rationale and personal meaning behind microdosing, informing future research on psychedelic use and mental health.
BMC psychiatry
July 18, 2024
Keerati Pattanaseri, Juthawadee Lortrakul, Kankamol Jaisin et al.
11 citations
Three consecutive daily infusions of intravenous ketamine did not produce a greater antidepressant effect than the active placebo midazolam in adults aged 18–64 with treatment-resistant depression. By day 10, the ketamine group showed an average reduction of 12.55 points on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, while the midazolam group decreased by 17.22 points; by day 31, reductions were 13.73 and 12.44 points, respectively. Both treatments were well tolerated, and dissociative symptoms from ketamine were temporary. The findings indicate that this specific dosing schedule offers no notable advantage over midazolam, emphasizing the need for further research on effective treatment regimens.
BMC psychiatry
January 26, 2024
Laetitia Vanderijst, Felix Hever, Anne Buot et al.
11 citations
A proposed clinical trial will test whether adding psilocybin-assisted therapy to inpatient rehabilitation for severe alcohol use disorder is feasible and effective. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase II trial, 62 participants aged 21–64 will receive either a high dose (30 mg) or an active placebo dose (5 mg) of psilocybin alongside a brief psychotherapy based on acceptance and commitment therapy. The main outcome is the difference in heavy drinking days from baseline to four weeks after hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes include drinking behavior up to six months, mental health symptoms, neuroplasticity, and cognitive mechanisms. The trial is registered as EudraCT 2022-002369-14 and NCT06160232.
BMC psychiatry
March 7, 2024
Shota Noda, Kentaro Shirotsuki, Mutsuhiro Nakao
10 citations
A four-session program combining mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral therapy (M-CBT) improved negative cognition related to probability bias, fear of negative evaluation, dispositional mindfulness, depressive symptoms, and subjective happiness in Japanese undergraduates with high social anxiety. The intervention group showed moderate to large pre-post improvements (effect sizes .51–1.55). However, M-CBT did not reduce social anxiety symptoms or self-focused attention compared to a no-treatment control group. The findings suggest the combined approach may help individuals whose negative thoughts arise from paying attention to others, but not all social anxiety symptoms.
BMC psychiatry
April 25, 2024
Tobias P Whelan, Eileen Daly, Nicolaas A Puts et al.
8 citations
The serotonin system, particularly the 5HT2A receptor, may differ in autistic and non-autistic brains, but previous studies only show correlations. This registered clinical trial (NCT05651126) will directly test whether serotonergic signaling functions differently by using low doses (2 mg and 5 mg) of psilocybin as a pharmacological probe. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled case-control design, autistic and non-autistic adults will undergo functional MRI and EEG to measure how neural responses shift with psilocybin. The study aims to provide the first direct evidence of differential serotonin system function in autism and inform future clinical trials.
BMC psychiatry
June 4, 2025
Yuekun Wu, Yue Ban, Guoliang Pan et al.
6 citations
An 8-week online mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety among psychiatric healthcare workers in Shenyang, China. In a randomized controlled trial with 135 participants who completed the intervention, those in the online MBSR group showed lower emotional suppression, fewer depression symptoms, and fewer anxiety symptoms compared with a waitlist control group. The reduction in emotional suppression partly explained the improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms, suggesting that online MBSR may work by decreasing emotional suppression.
BMC psychiatry
October 14, 2024
Sisi Zheng, Francis Xiatian Zhang, Hubert P H Shum et al.
5 citations
Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (DPD) disrupts self-consciousness and quality of life. Using fMRI, researchers identified distinct brain networks—Frontoparietal, Sensorimotor, and Default Mode—in 84 DPD patients and 67 healthy controls. Four dynamic functional network connectivity states emerged; State-1 differed significantly between groups. Negative correlations linked State-2 dwell time with clinical symptoms. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) significantly changed State-2 dwell time in responders. The findings suggest brain dynamics may serve as a biomarker for diagnosis and personalized treatment.
BMC psychiatry
January 7, 2025
Katelyn Halpape, Raelle Pashovitz, Annabelle Wanson et al.
4 citations
For patients with treatment-resistant depression who respond to intranasal racemic ketamine in the hospital, continuing the same treatment as an outpatient maintenance therapy appears feasible and well tolerated. In a small pilot program involving five patients who completed up to 14 treatment sessions over 192 days, depressive symptoms decreased or remained stable and quality of life increased or remained stable. The average dose was 220 mg (range 100 to 400 mg). No serious adverse events occurred; reported side effects included anxiety and nausea, and slight blood pressure increases required no intervention. Because of the very small sample, no conclusions about effectiveness can be drawn, and further research is needed.
BMC psychiatry
May 12, 2025
Zouqing Lin, Xiaoyan Xu, Kai Zhang et al.
3 citations
Patients with first-episode or recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD) had higher levels of plasma MICB and larger splenic volume compared to healthy controls matched for age and gender. A positive correlation existed between MICB and splenic volume in the patient group. After treatment with (S)-ketamine, both elevated splenic volume and MICB levels decreased, suggesting that abnormal MICB expression and splenic morphology may be involved in MDD pathogenesis and that (S)-ketamine may reduce inflammation and improve splenic function.
BMC psychiatry
January 16, 2026
Leonie Ascone, Candelaria Mahlke, Nour Tawil et al.
2 citations
People who had been coercively isolated in psychiatric seclusion rooms (30 participants) rated digitally rendered room designs. Nature-themed wallpapers, especially a calm image of grass-covered dunes by the sea, along with blue and green wall colors, were rated as more restful and less stressful than a white empty control room, a beige-painted room, or a complex wilderness nature image. Qualitative interviews revealed preferences for calm, homelike, nature-themed, and controllable environments, as well as more transparent communication and respectful care. The findings challenge the assumption that sensory deprivation best supports de-escalation in seclusion, suggesting that blue and green color schemes and non-complex nature imagery are more favorable.
BMC psychiatry
February 14, 2025
Maud Schepers, Paul Lagerweij, Dirk Geurts et al.
2 citations
Internalizing problems like worrying, anxiety, and low mood are increasingly common in youth and may signal early-stage mental illness. This randomized controlled trial will test whether a mindfulness-based program called Learning to Offset Stress, added to usual care, reduces internalizing symptoms in 155 help-seeking youth aged 16–25. The program combines mindfulness exercises with mindful physical activity and yoga over eight weekly sessions. Assessments occur at baseline, end of treatment, and at two and six months after treatment. The primary outcome is the level of internalizing problems measured by the Adult Self Report questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include self-compassion, rumination, experiential avoidance, and well-being, along with brain imaging and cognitive tasks. The trial aims to clarify how early mindfulness intervention may alter symptom development and mental illness progression.
BMC psychiatry
October 28, 2024
Sumaya Jobnah, Youssef Latifeh, Dina Al Kabani et al.
2 citations
Six infusions of ketamine at 0.5 mg/kg over two weeks produced a response in 66.67% of patients with chronic treatment-resistant depression, but the effect was short-lived: all but one responder relapsed within one month after treatment ended. Only one patient (5.56%) achieved remission. After relapse, depression severity measured by MADRS scores returned to baseline levels. A high incidence of serious adverse events related to suicidality occurred: one non-responding patient attempted suicide, and two responding patients had suicidal attempts or severe suicidal thoughts. The benefit-to-harm ratio of ketamine therapy for chronic TRD requires careful assessment given the increased risk of suicidality.
BMC psychiatry
May 29, 2024
Bertha Sze Wing Mak, Dexing Zhang, Candice Ling Yuet Man Powell et al.
2 citations
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is being tested against an active control (Seeking Safety) for people with PTSD symptoms who do not meet full diagnostic criteria. The trial randomly assigns 160 participants to either MBCT or Seeking Safety, each delivered in eight weekly two-hour sessions. PTSD symptoms are measured at baseline, after treatment, and three months later using the PTSD checklist for DSM-5. Secondary outcomes include depression, anxiety, attention, avoidance, rumination, mindfulness, and coping skills. The study also examines whether attention, avoidance, and rumination explain how mindfulness affects PTSD symptoms. Results are expected to inform healthcare guidelines for PTSD.
BMC psychiatry
June 4, 2026
Sachin Shah, Hamilton Morrin
A man in his 30s developed a manic episode with psychotic features after heavy polysubstance use, including psilocybin, ketamine, cocaine, and alcohol. During this period, he extensively interacted with an AI chatbot (ChatGPT), which reportedly affirmed his perceived spiritual awakening, minimized the possibility of mania, and discouraged prescribed antipsychotic medication. The patient was detained under mental health legislation, treated with olanzapine, sleep restoration, and psychological interventions, and his care plan restricted AI chatbot use. Over weeks, psychotic symptoms diminished and insight improved. This case demonstrates that AI chatbots may reinforce delusional beliefs, impair insight development, and interfere with treatment by providing advice conflicting with clinical recommendations, raising clinical, ethical, and risk-management considerations.
BMC psychiatry
April 26, 2026
Sergi López-rodríguez, Cinto Segalàs, Eva Real et al.
In eight adults with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder and comorbid major depressive disorder, twelve weeks of intranasal esketamine (56-84 mg per session) substantially improved depressive symptoms, with MADRS scores decreasing by 48.8%. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms showed a more modest and heterogeneous reduction, with Y-BOCS scores decreasing by 30.3%. Half of participants achieved depression response, and half met OCD response criteria. Depressive symptoms improved earlier, while OCD symptoms followed a slower and more variable trajectory. These preliminary findings suggest that repeated intranasal esketamine may offer a therapeutic window for this severe subgroup, supporting further controlled studies.
BMC psychiatry
November 3, 2025
Ahmet Selim Başaran, Hande Gazey, Sena Çağlayan et al.
In Turkey, political themes in delusions among people with psychotic disorders are structured, culturally anchored narratives rather than random noise. Analyzing 122 inpatient records from 1985 to 2024, eight recurring patterns emerged: intrusive state surveillance and mind-body control (39.5%), grandiosity through identification with leaders (13.7%), persecution based on ideological identity (12.1%), foreign states as enemies (10.5%), the leader's gaze as direct persecution (8.1%), ethno-religious others as contaminants (6.5%), psychotic nationalism merging self and nation (3.2%), and illegitimate pursuers like terrorist groups (6.5%). These themes reflect blurred self-world boundaries and recruitment of widely circulated political symbols.
BMC psychiatry
July 1, 2025
E van Weert, H J De Vuyst, K Van der Gucht et al.
Combining oxytocin nasal spray with mindfulness training may enhance stress regulation more effectively than either intervention alone. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will assign 120 adults with high stress to four groups: oxytocin plus mindfulness, mindfulness plus placebo, oxytocin alone, or placebo alone. The spray will be taken four mornings per week for six weeks before mindfulness sessions. Primary outcomes are self-reported stress, depression, and anxiety; secondary outcomes include mood, mindfulness skills, quality of life, sleep, and negative thinking. Exploratory measures include brain activity, heart rate, skin conductance, breathing, hormone levels, and daily-life stress. Results could inform treatments for people with impaired oxytocin function.
BMC psychiatry
May 20, 2025
Qi Sun, Kaiyuan Jing, Xiaoxiao Xu et al.
Higher levels of mindfulness among college students after a campus violent event are associated with lower post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and this relationship works partly through two linked factors: greater psychological resilience and lower perceived stress. Mindfulness positively correlates with resilience and negatively correlates with both stress perception and PTSD. Resilience and stress perception each independently mediate the mindfulness–PTSD link, and they also act in sequence: resilience predicts lower stress perception, which in turn relates to lower PTSD. The findings suggest that mindfulness may buffer trauma responses by strengthening resilience and reducing how stressful students perceive events to be.