Scientific reports
December 28, 2024
Mei Chih Liao, Ming Sing Jessica Choi, Chak Hei Ocean Huang et al.
2 citations
Loneliness is a global health threat linked to depressive symptoms. Mindfulness moderates this relationship: when mindfulness levels are low, loneliness is more strongly associated with depressive symptoms; higher mindfulness buffers this association. Among 220 Chinese adults, mindfulness significantly predicted depressive symptoms after accounting for demographics and loneliness. Encouraging mindfulness practices may offer public health benefits, though further research is needed to test whether mindfulness-based programs can prevent the mental health consequences of loneliness.
Scientific reports
March 27, 2026
Gianmauro Palombelli, Valentina Zecca, Marta Boffa et al.
1 citation
In a rat model of treatment-resistant depression (Wistar-Kyoto rats exposed to chronic mild stress), brain scans revealed metabolic and structural changes distinct from non-depressed controls. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed reduced glutamate, glutamine, and taurine in the prefrontal cortex and decreased glutamine and choline compounds in the hippocampus, along with increased myo-inositol in the prefrontal cortex. Diffusion tensor imaging indicated higher mean diffusivity in both regions, consistent with demyelination or axonal loss, and lower fractional anisotropy in the hippocampus, suggesting compromised white-matter integrity. These findings mirror depression- and stress-related brain changes in humans, supporting the model's use for testing novel treatments like rTMS and psychedelics.
Scientific reports
January 30, 2026
Lucy B G Tan, Marius Golubickis, C Neil Macrae
1 citation
A brief session of mindfulness-based meditation increases risk-taking behavior, as shown across two experiments using different tasks (Balloon Analogue Risk Task and Bomb Risk Elicitation Task), participants from the UK and Singapore, and both online and in-person settings. Compared to active and passive control conditions, mindfulness meditation led to greater risk taking. Computational modeling traced this effect to a reduction in loss aversion during decision-making.
Scientific reports
November 21, 2025
Kira S A Borgdorf, Gabriela Küchler, Cornelia Wrzus et al.
1 citation
A socioemotional training program that did not mention mindfulness increased weekly state mindfulness and improved trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and perceived stress in 166 healthy German adults, with effect sizes ranging from 0.38 to 0.62. However, increases in state mindfulness did not predict changes in those trait measures, suggesting that simply experiencing more mindful states during training is not enough to drive lasting trait changes. The way an intervention is framed may be important for helping people connect momentary experiences to stable personality shifts.
Scientific reports
July 21, 2025
Suhjung Janet Lee, Claudia Epland, Noah Kaitz et al.
1 citation
Religious or spiritual self-identity strongly predicts how people with prior psychedelic interests react to art displayed in clinical dosing environments, while natural themes in art appeal broadly across groups. A mixed-methods study surveyed psychedelic society members and a non-psychedelic community group, using multivariate regression and focus groups. Spiritual/religious connectivity was the dominant factor influencing art reactions among psychedelic-interested participants, but this link was weaker in the general community group. Natural elements in art consistently corresponded with positive responses in both groups. The findings suggest that incorporating nature-themed art may help create welcoming settings for diverse populations in psychedelic therapy contexts.
Scientific reports
July 16, 2025
Junchao Yuan, Luyu Chen, Hongye Geng
1 citation
Higher mindfulness is associated with lower anxiety symptoms among Chinese university students, and this relationship is explained by two interconnected pathways: lower rumination and lower alexithymia. A sequential pathway also emerged: higher mindfulness correlated with lower rumination, which corresponded to fewer emotional processing difficulties (alexithymia), ultimately associating with fewer anxiety symptoms. These indirect pathways accounted for most of the observed relationship. The findings suggest that interventions addressing both cognitive patterns and emotional regulation may be beneficial for culturally adapted campus mental health programs.
Scientific reports
July 13, 2025
Maryam Mozaffari, Manijeh Naderi, Hosein Zahednezhad et al.
1 citation
A 4-week online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program reduced psychological distress in patients discharged after COVID-19. In a quasi-experimental study with 70 hospitalized COVID-19 survivors in Tehran, those who completed the online MBSR program showed significantly lower stress (12.59 vs. 22.60), anxiety (8.68 vs. 18.16), and depression (8.68 vs. 18.16) scores compared to the control group receiving routine discharge care. The findings suggest online MBSR can be an effective intervention to alleviate mental health complications during health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scientific reports
July 9, 2025
Aude Sangare, Cécile Eymond, Lise Jodaitis et al.
1 citation
Pupil size is influenced not only by light but also by mental factors like perceived brightness. In healthy people, seeing images that semantically imply brightness (e.g., the sun) causes greater pupil constriction than looking at control images of similar luminance. This study tested whether this effect could detect residual cognition in non-communicating patients with disorders of consciousness. In ten healthy participants and seventeen patients (ten minimally conscious, six in vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, one emerging from minimally conscious state), pupillary responses were measured while viewing photographs of the sun versus matched-luminance controls (moon photos, scrambled sun images, gray squares).
Scientific reports
May 12, 2025
Naser M Alotaibi, Latifah Alenezi, Feddah M Ahmad et al.
1 citation
A stress management program for students at Kuwait University's Health Science Center reduced depression and stress. Participants were randomly assigned to a control or intervention group; the intervention group received a seminar covering breathing, imagery, meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy tips, and other strategies. Among 98 participants (56 intervention, 42 control), the intervention group showed significant improvement in stress and depression compared to the control group. Most participants found the program useful (82.1%) and would recommend it (89.3%). The program was feasible and culturally relevant, though larger trials are needed.
Scientific reports
April 25, 2025
Oscar Perez-Diaz, Sergio Elías Hernández, Lucy L Brown et al.
1 citation
Long-term practitioners of Sahaja Yoga Meditation show altered functional connectivity of the striatum, a brain region involved in cognitive, motivational, and emotional processes. During meditation, compared to their own resting state, meditators had altered connectivity between the striatum and parietal, sensorimotor, and cerebellar regions. In resting state, meditators had reduced connectivity between the left accumbens and the mid cingulate compared to non-meditators, and this reduction correlated with better performance on a task measuring interference inhibition. The striatum may play a key role in meditation by shifting attention, self-referencing, and bodily sensations, and long-term practice may produce lasting changes in striatal connectivity.
Scientific reports
April 3, 2025
Julieta Trejo, Kaitlin M Killian, Zhen Wang et al.
1 citation
During euthanasia, rats that were freely moving showed a brief surge in brain activity across five frequency bands in four brain regions about three minutes after carbon dioxide began, followed by a general decline. Anesthetized rats showed only a steady decline with little rebound. The rebound surge in the freely-moving group may help explain the vivid experiences reported in human near-death experiences, suggesting such phenomena could emerge from the brain's final bursts of activity.
Scientific reports
December 28, 2024
Harriet de Wit, Evan Hahn, Shahd Smadi et al.
1 citation
Psychoactive drugs like alcohol and stimulants are often used in social settings, but little is known about how they alter social interactions. This study tested whether MDMA, methamphetamine, and alcohol increase feelings of connection between strangers having a conversation, and also compared conversations with deeper topics versus small talk without drugs. All four conditions—deeper conversations, MDMA, methamphetamine, and alcohol—significantly increased feelings of connection and closeness compared to control conditions (small talk or placebo). The authors suggest these feelings of connection may contribute to the rewarding effects of drugs when used socially.
Scientific reports
July 11, 2026
Monnica T Williams, Sonya C Faber, Jordan Sloshower et al.
A small preliminary study of five diverse individuals found that MDMA-assisted therapy significantly reduced trauma symptoms related to discrimination. Scores on the Trauma Symptoms of Discrimination Scale dropped by an average of 38% after treatment, a large effect. All participants, who had experienced multiple forms of discrimination including gender, racial, and sexual orientation bias, reported marked improvement. The results suggest MDMA-assisted therapy may help alleviate discrimination-related trauma in marginalized populations, though the small sample size calls for cautious interpretation and further research with larger, more diverse groups.
Scientific reports
May 20, 2026
Guan-Jie She, Wei-Chi Li, Chun-Hsiang Chou et al.
Ketamine infusion alters brain activity patterns in people with treatment-resistant depression, specifically in regions involved in sensory-cognitive integration, mood regulation, and cognitive control. In a study of 45 patients, those receiving ketamine showed changes in the timing and shape of hemodynamic responses in the bilateral olfactory cortex and right inferior parietal gyrus, compared to those receiving midazolam. Improvements in suicidal thoughts were linked to changes in the thalamus and superior frontal gyrus. Ketamine responders also had reduced time-to-peak in the left precuneus. These findings suggest ketamine's effects on suicidal ideation may involve neurovascular coupling dynamics.
Scientific reports
May 8, 2026
Erola Pons, Julieta Galante, Nicholas T Van Dam et al.
Depersonalization and derealization (DPDR) involve feeling detached from one's body, thoughts, or emotions, typically triggered by trauma, stress, or drugs and causing high distress. Similar experiences arise during meditation, where they are often described as positive and meaningful. This cross-sectional study compared DPDR-like states triggered by meditation (60 participants) versus other triggers (61 participants). The meditation-triggered group rated their experiences as substantially more positive, though most participants in both groups described them as mixed. Meditation-induced DPDR occurred across types and experience levels. These experiences are phenomenologically similar but more welcome, pleasant, and spiritually meaningful than those from trauma or cannabis, though distress is not uncommon. Contemplative approaches may inform clinical support for DPDR, and guidance within meditation settings is needed.
Scientific reports
April 21, 2026
Rong Ding, Daojie Wang, Guoxin Wang et al.
Adding low-dose esketamine (1 mg/kg) to sufentanil patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) significantly reduces postoperative depression and anxiety in elderly colorectal cancer patients without improving pain control or increasing side effects. In a double-blind trial of 99 patients aged 65 and older, those receiving esketamine had lower anxiety and depression scores at 24 and 72 hours after surgery compared to those given only sufentanil; no dose-dependent difference was seen between 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg esketamine. Pain scores and need for rescue analgesia did not differ between groups. Patient satisfaction was higher with esketamine (77% and 90%) than with sufentanil alone (50%). Adverse events were similar across groups.
Scientific reports
April 16, 2026
Min Seo Lee, Im-Sook Song, Yeonsu Jang et al.
Eutylone, a synthetic cathinone increasingly found in toxicology cases, is often used with other drugs. This work characterized its metabolism and interaction potential. Eutylone showed moderate plasma protein binding and pronounced species differences in clearance, with rat data poorly translating to humans. Twenty metabolites were identified across multiple pathways; four were rodent-specific. CYP2D6 was the primary enzyme for a key metabolic step, with secondary roles for CYP2C19 and CYP2B6. Eutylone caused time-dependent inhibition of CYP2D6 and CYP2B6, comparable to MDMA, suggesting it could increase exposure to co-used drugs metabolized by these enzymes, a clinically relevant risk in polydrug misuse.
Scientific reports
March 3, 2026
Wenbo Li, Tianxing Liu, Chao Sun
Hunyuan Zhuang, a Chinese practice combining posture, breathing, and mental focus, improves the ability to sense internal body signals. In a cross-sectional study, experts outperformed novices in interoceptive accuracy and sensitivity, and both groups showed acute gains during Hunyuan Zhuang compared to control postures. A randomized controlled trial found that eight weeks of training significantly improved these abilities, while a control group did not change. The findings support Hunyuan Zhuang as a non-pharmacological intervention for interoceptive dysfunction, bridging traditional practices with modern neuroscience.
Scientific reports
November 20, 2025
Daniel Perkins, Andreas Halman, Anna Urokohara et al.
Acute subjective experiences induced by psychedelics, particularly mystical experiences, are linked to therapeutic benefits such as reduced depression, anxiety, and addiction. This study assessed a purified encapsulated DMT-harmala alkaloid product in 17 dosing sessions with 9 healthy volunteers. Strong positive correlations were found between total dose and scores on mystical experience questionnaires (MEQ-30 and SIME). The formulation reliably produced intense subjective experiences, exceeding those reported in most naturalistic ayahuasca studies, and these experiences were robustly associated with beneficial persisting psychological effects. The findings suggest this formulation warrants further clinical trials to evaluate its therapeutic potential and safety.
Scientific reports
May 29, 2025
Sebastian Sattler, Suzanne Wood, Margit Anne Petersen et al.
In a nationwide survey of 11,299 adults in Germany, 5.0% reported having used psychedelics at some point in their lives, and 0.7% had used them in the past six months. Medium to high doses were more common than microdosing, and many respondents used multiple forms of psychedelics. Use varied across demographic groups: it was less likely among females and older individuals. Past six-month microdosing was less common in rural areas, while medium to high dosing was less prevalent among those with higher income or living with a partner. The findings suggest limited widespread use and highlight diverse usage patterns.
Scientific reports
May 15, 2025
Expert meditators in older age reported less external distraction and performed better on memory tasks compared to non-meditators, while no differences were found in attention, executive function, or global cognitive scores. These cross-sectional findings from 135 non-meditators and 27 expert meditators suggest that prolonged meditation practice may help preserve memory and manage distractions, two cognitive capacities important for healthy aging.
Scientific reports
December 30, 2024
Reem M Alnemari, Maram H Abduljabbar, Yusuf S Althobaiti et al.
A new, environmentally friendly spectrofluorimetric method detects ketamine in pharmaceutical and plasma samples with high sensitivity. The method relies on a nucleophilic substitution reaction between ketamine and NBD-Cl, producing a fluorescent derivative measurable at 543 nm emission after 481 nm excitation. Over a concentration range of 10–250 ng/mL, fluorescence intensity correlates linearly with ketamine concentration. Detection and quantitation limits are 2.37 ng/mL and 7.18 ng/mL, respectively. The method is precise (relative standard deviation < 1), accurate (mean recovery 99.74%), and robust (recovery 98.00–99.97%). Compared to existing methods, it is more sensitive and ecologically benign.
Scientific reports
November 21, 2024
Maximillian J. Wood, Rosalind G. McAlpine, Sunjeev K. Kamboj
People who have difficult experiences while using psychedelics can benefit from specific coping strategies. A mixed-methods study of psilocybin retreat participants and a larger online survey identified three main ways people navigate challenging psychedelic experiences: accepting and reinterpreting the experience, regulating through sensory and physical interaction, and seeking social support. Acceptance and reappraisal, along with social support and disclosure, were linked to greater emotional breakthrough. Fear-related challenges were associated with less emotional breakthrough and fewer adaptive coping strategies. These findings clarify how challenging experiences can lead to positive outcomes and suggest ways to improve therapeutic protocols and safety.
Scientific reports
November 20, 2024
János Kállai, Orsolya Vincze, Rita Hargitai et al.
Body ownership and the sense of agency are linked during tasks that alter body representation. In 49 healthy college volunteers, the Rubber Hand Illusion was induced, and participants' verbal reports were analyzed for agency-related language. A greater disruption in the sense of agency predicted increased sensitivity to the illusion, meaning individuals with a lower sense of agency showed more malleability in body representation.
Scientific reports
November 12, 2024
András Sárközy, Jonathan E Robinson, Gyula Kovács
Motion-induced blindness (MIB) is an illusion where a peripheral target disappears from awareness when viewed against a moving background. This study measured how long a target remained visible at eight positions around the visual field. Disappearance times and frequencies varied significantly with target location: targets on the cardinal axes (horizontal and vertical) vanished less often and for shorter periods than those on oblique axes, and targets on the horizontal meridian vanished less than those on the vertical. These polar angle asymmetries in MIB suggest that conscious visual perception is not uniform across the visual field, with specific consistencies between visual field location and the timing of perceptual disappearances.