Frontiers in psychiatry
-
Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Self-Rated Effectiveness of Microdosing With Psychedelics for Mental and Physical Health Problems Among Microdosers.
Background: There is a growing interest in the use of psychedelic substances for health related purposes, including symptom relief for disorders like anxiety, depression, and pain. Although the focus of recent clinical trials has been on high doses of these substances, anecdotal evidence suggests that low (micro) doses are also effective, and may be more suitable for certain conditions. Nonetheless, empirical evidence regarding the efficacy of microdosing with psychedelics for symptomatic relief is lacking. ⋯ In contrast, SRE of MDP was lower compared to that of higher, regular psychedelic doses for mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, while for physiological disorders no difference was shown. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that SRE of MDP to alleviate symptoms of a range of mental or physiological diagnoses is higher compared to conventionally offered treatment options, and lower than regular ('full') psychedelic doses. Future RCTs in patient populations should objectively assess the effectivity claims of psychedelics, and whether these are dose related, disorder specific, and superior to conventional treatments.
-
Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Can a Brief Relaxation Exercise Modulate Placebo or Nocebo Effects in a Visceral Pain Model?
Translational research aiming to elucidate mediators and moderators of placebo and nocebo effects is highly relevant. This experimental study tested effects of a brief progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) exercise, designed to alter psychobiological stress parameters, on the magnitude of placebo and nocebo effects in a standardized psychosocial treatment context. In 120 healthy volunteers (60 men, 60 women), pain expectation, pain intensity, and pain unpleasantness in response to individually-calibrated rectal distensions were measured with visual analog scales during a baseline. ⋯ Clearly, visceral pain modulation is complex and involves many cognitive, emotional, and possibly neurobiological factors that remain to be fully understood. Our findings suggest that a brief relaxation exercise may facilitate the induction of placebo analgesia by positive when compared to neutral treatment suggestions. They underscore the contribution of relaxation and stress as psychobiological states within the psychosocial treatment context-factors which clearly deserve more attention in translational studies aiming to maximize positive expectancy effects in clinical settings.
-
Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Mental Health Effects in Primary Care Patients 18 Months After a Major Wildfire in Fort McMurray: Risk Increased by Social Demographic Issues, Clinical Antecedents, and Degree of Fire Exposure.
Objectives: To assess prevalence of likely posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in patients attending the only out-of-hours primary care clinic in Fort McMurray some 18 months following a major fire. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional survey was used to collect data through self-administered paper-based questionnaires to determine likely PTSD, MDD, and GAD using the PTSD Checklists for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) 5, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 9, and GAD-7, respectively, from residents of Fort McMurray who were impacted by the wildfires. This was carried out eighteen (18) months after a major wildfire, which required the rapid evacuation of the entire city population (approximately 90,000 individuals). ⋯ There were also associations between individuals with a likely psychiatric diagnosis and those who also had likely alcohol or drug abuse/dependence. Conclusion: Our study suggests there are high prevalence rates for mental health and addiction conditions in patients attending the out-of-hours clinic 18 months after the wildfires, with significant associations between multiple variables and likely PTSD, MDD, and GAD. Further studies are needed to explore the impact of population-based mental health interventions on the long-term mental health effects of the wildfires.
-
Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Effects of Open- and Closed-Label Nocebo and Placebo Suggestions on Itch and Itch Expectations.
Placebo and nocebo effects have been shown to influence subjective symptoms such as itch. These effects can be induced by influencing outcome expectations through, for example, combining the application of an inert substance (e.g., a cream) with verbal suggestions on the anticipated effects of this substance. Interestingly, placebo effects also occur when it is known that a treatment is inert (i.e., open-label placebo). ⋯ In addition, a smaller increase in skin temperature was found in the positive compared with negative suggestion groups. The findings illustrate a potential role of (open- and closed-label) placebo for optimizing expectations and treatment effects for itch in clinical practice. Clinical Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register, trial number: NTR6530.
-
Frontiers in psychiatry · Jan 2019
Surgery Under General Anesthesia Alleviated the Hyperactivity but Had No Effect on the Susceptibility to PND in ADHD Rats.
Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a typical neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, particularly in children. Recent studies demonstrated a close relationship between the development of ADHD and surgery under general anesthesia. However, few studies illustrated if ADHD symptoms changed after surgery. ⋯ Conclusion: ADHD rats were not sensitive to PND. Surgery with general anesthesia could partly improve the hyperactivity symptom of ADHD rats. This mechanism was related to the suppression of neural activity in the cerebral NAc of ADHD rats induced by general anesthetics.