On Being Sane in Insane Places…
It is clear that we cannot distinguish the sane from the insane in psychiatric hospitals. The hospital itself imposes a special environment in which the meanings of behavior can easily […]
Is Mood related to serotonin…
A meta-analysis of serotonin studies, conducted at the University of Amsterdam, has shown that low serotonin does not act as a depressant because when it was lowered in healthy individuals […]
Breathing-based meditation for depressive-disorder…
A breathing-based meditation practice alleviated severe depression in individuals who did not fully respond to antidepressant treatments, reports a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry from researchers in the Perelman […]
Efficacy of CBT…
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) refers to a popular therapeutic approach that has been applied to a variety of problems. The below mentioned review provides a comprehensive survey of meta-analyses examining […]
What Is…
CBT is based on the cognitive model of mental illness, initially developed by Beck (1964). In its simplest form, the cognitive model ‘hypothesises that people’s emotions and behaviours are influenced […]
The effect of acute treadmill walking on cognitive control and academic achievement in preadolescent children…
Link to paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2667807/
Did You Know… #55
In recent years, discoveries have found that OCD symptoms can be caused by strep C throat infections. When children with strep throat became compulsive hand-washers, MRI scans showed their caudates […]
CBT efficacy for schizophrenia…
Meta-analyses examining the efficacy of psychological treatments for schizophrenia revealed a beneficial effect of CBT on positive symptoms (i.e., delusions and/or hallucinations) of schizophrenia (Gould et al., 2001; Rector & […]
How Does Neuroplasticity Work…
Understanding the numerous complex processes of neuroplasticity. Reference: https://www.nicabm.com
Brain Based Approach to Trauma…
Conceptualising the clinical options one may wish to consider whilst with a client who has experienced trauma. Reference: https://www.nicabm.com/
Music Therapy and Music Neuroscience…
The therapeutic potential of musical activity has been evidenced by neuroscience methods in relation to effects between common areas of processing between speech, memory, attention and motor activity (Schlaug et […]
Did You Know… #54
Deep breathing is linked to positive emotion and the ability to manage anxiety (Borkovec & Sharpless, 2004). Reference: Borkovec, T.D., & Sharpless, B. (2004). Generalized anxiety disorder: Bringing cognitive-behavioral therapy […]
Did You Know… #53
Researchers (Young, Lareau, and Pierre) calculated that in the DSM-5 there are 270 million combinations of symptoms that would meet the criteria for both PTSD and major depressive disorder. Reference: G. Young, […]
Did You Know… #52
Olbert and colleagues (2014) reported considerable heterogeneity within the criteria of individual diagnoses, showing that in the majority of diagnoses in both DSM-IV-TR and DSM-5 (64% and 58.3% respectively), two people […]
Did You Know… #51
There is a stark difference between highly specific diagnostic criteria and those with more flexibility around symptom presentation. As a result, there are almost 24,000 possible symptom combinations for panic […]
Early imaging predictors of long-term outcomes in relapse-onset Multiple Sclerosis…
Conventional magnetic resonance imaging measures available in routine clinical practice may be useful in counselling patients with clinically isolated syndrome and early multiple sclerosis about long-term disease course and might […]
The cerebellum’s role in movement and cognition…
The below mentioned paper gathers diverse views on a variety of important roles played by the cerebellum across a range of cognitive and emotional functioning. In doing so, and whilst […]
The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy?
Empirical evidence has supported the efficacy of psychodynamic therapy. For instance, patients who receive psychodynamic therapy maintain therapeutic gains and appear to continue to improve after treatment ends. Furthermore, non psychodynamic therapies may […]
Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy the current gold standard of psychotherapy?
Taking into account the number of publications/studies, academic programs, and/or practicing professionals, the authors of the below-mentioned article argue cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard of the psychotherapy field. […]
Antidepressant treatment, not depression, leads to reductions in behavioral responses to pain empathy…
Depression is a medical condition comprising of a prominent and persistent period of depressed mood and/or markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities that predominates the clinical […]
Culturally Adapted Therapy for Muslim Clients with Depression…
In recognition of the need for culturally adapted therapies, researchers (Mir, Ghani, Meer and Hussain, 2018), have developed and adapted therapy for Muslim clients, based on behavioural activation, an existing […]
Did You Know… #50
The type of voices people who suffer from schizophrenia are hearing depends on where they live. Clinical studies show that people who have auditory hallucinations in Africa and India describe […]
Did You Know… #49
Morrow at el., (2019) reckon at least 80% of communication is in observable non-verbal behaviour, particularly facio-manual gesturing.
Question… #4
“What do you think and believe about the world?”
Wise Words… #58
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ MAYA ANGELOU
Wise Words… #57
“A man found an eagle’s egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All […]
Attachment Theory…
A link to a brief introduction to attachment theory, as well as information pertaining the Harry Harlow monkey experiments, the stages of attachment, and Konrad Lorenz’s imprinting theory: https://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html
Did You Know… #48
Sara Lazar is a Harvard neuroscientist and a leading researcher in the field.
Question… #3
“What does it mean to you to be human?”
Question… #2
“What would you like to contribute to the world?”
Question… #1
“How do you want to grow as an individual?”
Wise Words… #52
“If I accept the fact that my relationships are here to make me conscious, instead of happy, then my relationships become a wonderful self mastery tool that keeps realigning me […]
Values Questionnaire…
1. What people do I admire or consider role models in my life? 2. What are some common qualities of the people I admire? 3. What is one value that […]
The Pedagogy of Momus Technologies: Facebook, Privacy, and Online Intimacy…
Abstract Through cable and wireless connections at home and at work, through Wi-Fi networks and wireless spots in hotels, coffee shops, and town squares, we are indeed connected to each […]
Multiple Sclerosis Report…
The below mentioned report outlines recommendations on the diagnosis, therapeutic strategies and improving access to treatment in Multiple Sclerosis. The core recommendation pertains to the goal of treating MS should be based […]
Did You Know… #47
Jones and Pulos (1993) looked at the process in thirty brief psychodynamic sessions and thirty-two sessions of CBT. They found that better outcome in CBT was not predicted by cognitiv […]
Major Depressive Disorder and Treatment Resistant Patients…
The presented paper concerns the pharmacological treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It especially focuses on what to do when patients do not respond to a standard dose of an […]
Transcranial direct current stimulation in post stroke aphasia and primary progressive aphasia: Current knowledge and future clinical applications…
During transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a low-intensity direct electrical current is applied to the scalp to influence the electrical activity in the underlying cortex. In most cases, the tDCS […]
Brain Stimulation for Depressive Symptoms…
A new research study by researchers at the University of California San Francisco has found patients with moderate to severe depression reported significant improvements in mood when researchers precisely stimulated […]
Three Shades of Depression…
Researchers from the Neural Computational Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University in collaboration with their colleagues at Nara Institute of Science and Technology and clinicians […]
Cognitive Rehabilitation for Multiple Sclerosis…
The presented review evaluates the effects of cognitive (neuropsychological) rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis. This was done by considering the effects of rehabilitation on cognitive test performance and everyday cognitive performance […]
Social Anxiety Disorder…
Our understanding of social anxiety disorder (also known as social phobia) has moved from rudimentary awareness that it is not merely shyness to a much more extreme and persistent fear of […]
Borderline Personality Disorder…
Borderline Personality Disorder is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by marked impulsivity, instability of mood and interpersonal relationships, and suicidal behaviour that can complicate medical care. Link to reading: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK55400/
Discovery of new inflammatory inhibitor…
A research team from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed an anti-inflammatory drug molecule with a new mechanism of action. By inhibiting a certain protein (such as TNF alpha), the […]
Guillain-Barré Syndrome…
A guide pertaining to Guillain-Barré syndrome – an uncommon illness causing weakness and loss of sensation. The guide is intended for patients who have been told that they have, or may have Guillain-Barré […]
Multiple Sclerois …
More than 100 years have passed since Charcot, Carswell, Cruveilheir, and others described the clinical and pathological characteristics of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorder […]
Understanding Addiction…
The disease of chemical dependency can be traced to neural pathways in the brain predating a diagnosis of addiction. A genetic predisposition alone is not enough to predict addiction. Typically, […]
Transcranial Direct Currant Stimulation in Stroke Recovery …
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) – is an technique of non-invasive brain stimulation that has been found useful in examining cortical function in normal subjects and in facilitating treatments of […]
Nerve stimulation vs. Antidepressant medication for Depression
A study has found individuals’ treated with nerve stimulation (vagus nerve stimulators, which send regular, mild pulses of electrical energy to the brain via the vagus nerve) experienced significant improvements […]
Can pessimism be cure?
A research team, led by MIT’s McGovern Institute research affiliates Kenichi Amemori and Satoko Amemori, has found that the primate caudate nucleus (as part of the striatum region located in […]
Mindfulness mediation found to improve executive attention…
A study published in the Frontiers in Neuroscience journal has found ten minutes of mindfulness mediation can improve an individual’s cognitive (providing individuals’ were relatively lower in neuroticism). Mindfulness may […]
The functional neuroanatomy of bipolar disorder: a review
A review of existing structural and functional neuroimaging studies of patients with bipolar disorder and a discussion of how these investigations enhance our understanding of the neurophysiology of the illness. Link to […]
55% recovery from schizophrenia…
The study, conducted by the University of Oslo’s Department of Psychology, followed about 30 young people diagnosed with schizophrenia, all of whom were recruited to the study within 5 months […]
Cognitive psycho-educational group therapy intervention found to lower relapse rate in depression…
A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, has found patients hospitalized with major depressive disorder who participated in a short-term psycho-educational program with cognitive behavioral group therapy in addition to normal inpatient […]
Early-life exposure to severe famine found to be related to subsequent risk of depressive symptoms in late adulthood…
A research study from the University of Georgia has revealed that exposure to famine during specific moments in early life is associated with depression later in life. The study with […]
Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale
The Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale (TMAS) is a test of anxiety as a personality trait. The link below directs you to a page in which you can inquire about your behavior […]
Can the implantation of positive self-defining memories reduce trait anxiety…
Veronika V. Nourkova and Darya A. Vasilenko, psychologists from the Lomonosov Moscow University, have explored the potential benefits of implanting false positive memories in anxiety sufferers to see if they can […]
Confirmed link between autoimmune disorders and psychosis…
A new study has found individual’s with autoimmune disorders, a collection of diseases where the body’s immune system attacks its own cells, are more likely to have psychosis. The study (link […]
Mindfulness predicts adaptive affective responding to rejection…
Social rejection is a distressing and painful event that many people must cope with on a frequent basis. Mindfulness—defined here as a mental state of receptive attentiveness to internal and […]
Body Dysmorphia Documentary…
Link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p067bnvw
Can probiotics fend off mood disorders?
A new study by University of Colorado Boulder researchers suggests that one particular beneficial bacteria can have long-lasting anti-inflammatory effects on the brain, making it more resilient to the physical […]
ELK-1 as a specific signalling module in depression…
In a study published by the Nature Medicine (link below), a team of scientists at McGill University and France’s Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM) […]
Behavioral Activation found to benefit during TMS for Major Depressive Disorder
The integration of behavioral activation therapy (a form of psychotherapy that supports environmental positive reinforcement for individuals through goal setting and the scheduling of positive reinforcement between-session activities) into Transcranial […]
Brain abnormality associated with mental illness…
Researchers at Duke University have found an abnormality in visual regions of the brain being associated with an individual’s general risk for mental illness. The findings (link below) indicate a signature […]
The Science of Cognitive Therapy…
A relatively short-term form of psychotherapy based on the concept that the way we think about things affects how we feel emotionally. Cognitive therapy (CT) focuses on present thinking, behavior, and […]
Did You Know… #45
In a randomised control trial – patients who rated their clinician as showing greater empathy had reduced common-cold severity and and duration, and increases in immune response levels.
Antidepressant usage related to troubles in identifying feelings…
Individuals on antidepressant medication tend to report experiencing diminished emotional awareness, a condition known as alexithymia, according to a preliminary study. The researchers compared fifty-seven individuals on antidepressant medication (namely fluoxetine, […]
Cognitive dysfunction predictors of depression after first-episode…
Recent research suggests patients suffering from depression should also receive cognitive testing as cognitive impairments were associated with the severity of depressive symptoms. The study found that impairments in executive functioning and language […]
Personality changes linked to unemployment…
Unemployment may change peoples’ core personalities, making some less conscientious, agreeable and open, which may make it difficult for them to find new jobs, according to research published by the American […]
Personality changes linked to unemployment…
Unemployment may change peoples’ core personalities, making some less conscientious, agreeable and open, which may make it difficult for them to find new jobs, according to research published by the American […]
Positive Psychology…
A 2006 paper considering; What positive psychology is? Where it has come from? And Where it is going? Link to paper: Positive psychology
Did You Know… #45
Suicide is the 14th leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for 1.5 per cent of all mortality and it is the leading cause of death among young and middle-aged men […]
Art courses for mental wellbeing improvement…
Researchers from the University of Gloucestershire have recently evaluated data from nearly 1,300 primary care patients in South West England, finding a course of arts-on-prescription to provide a significant improvement in […]
Did You Know… #44
Approximately one-fifth of adult patients with MDD were treated with an antipsychotic medication between 2006 and 2015. The rate of prescribing an antipsychotic medication to treat MDD increased from 18.5% […]
Did You Know… #43
A study in 2014 from St. Michael’s Hospital and the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Science in Toronto indicated that women are more likely to seek out psychological counselling during a […]
Mental Health Status and Gender as risk factors for onset of physical illness over 10 years…
There is a growing interest in understanding the connection between mental illness and the onset of new physical illnesses (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, asthma, hypertension and diabetes) among previously physically healthy […]
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy treatment for Obsessive–Compulsive Sisorder…
The psychological treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is highly effective only when it takes the form of beha viour therapy or cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT). Such treatment is closely linked to […]
