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Heliyon May 2024Meditation has been integral to human culture for millennia, deeply rooted in various spiritual and contemplative traditions. While the field of contemplative science... (Review)
Review
Meditation has been integral to human culture for millennia, deeply rooted in various spiritual and contemplative traditions. While the field of contemplative science has made significant steps toward understanding the effects of meditation on health and well-being, there has been little study of advanced meditative states, including those achieved through intense concentration and absorption. We refer to these types of states as advanced concentrative absorption meditation (ACAM), characterized by absorption with the meditation object leading to states of heightened attention, clarity, energy, effortlessness, and bliss. This review focuses on a type of ACAM known as jhana (ACAM-J) due to its well-documented history, systematic practice approach, recurring phenomenological themes, and growing popularity among contemplative scientists and more generally in media and society. ACAM-J encompasses eight layers of deep concentration, awareness, and internal experiences. Here, we describe the phenomenology of ACAM-J and present evidence from phenomenological and neuroscientific studies that highlight their potential applications in contemplative practices, psychological sciences, and therapeutics. We additionally propose theoretical ACAM-J frameworks grounded in current cognitive neuroscientific understanding of meditation and ancient contemplative traditions. We aim to stimulate further research on ACAM more broadly, encompassing advanced meditation including meditative development and meditative endpoints. Studying advanced meditation including ACAM, and specific practices such as ACAM-J, can potentially revolutionize our understanding of consciousness and applications for mental health.
PubMed: 38803854
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31223 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2024Adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer are increasingly recognized as a vulnerable group with unique emotional, social, and practical needs due...
BACKGROUND
Adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer are increasingly recognized as a vulnerable group with unique emotional, social, and practical needs due to the intersection of cancer survivorship and normal developmental processes. Mindfulness meditation has shown early efficacy in improving psychological distress among cancer patients. However, the overall scientific study of app-based mindfulness-based interventions is still in its early stages. The goal of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a commercially available mindfulness mobile app intervention "Ten Percent Happier" among AYA survivors of childhood cancer.
METHODS
We conducted a single-arm pilot intervention with 25 AYA survivors of childhood cancer ages 18-29 years.
RESULTS
A total of 108 potentially eligible individuals were initially identified for screening. Of the 45 individuals reached (contact rate = 41.67%), 20 declined to participate; 25 were enrolled in the study and completed the baseline survey (enrollment rate = 55.56%). Twenty-one participants completed the study (retention rate = 84%). Changes in several outcomes were promising, with medium to large effect sizes: Mindfulness ( = 0.74), Negative Emotion ( = 0.48), Perceived Stress ( = 0.52), and Mental Health ( = 0.45). Furthermore, results suggested that participants with consistent app usage showed greater improvement in reported outcomes than those who stopped their usage (e.g., Mindfulness: = 0.74, Perceived Stress: = 0.83, Mental Health: = 0.51; Meaning and Purpose: = 0.84; and Sleep Disturbance: = 0.81). Qualitative feedback indicated high satisfaction, but participants suggested adding group or individual peer support to improve their experience with the app.
CONCLUSIONS
AYA survivors can be difficult to reach, but a mindfulness app was feasible and acceptable to this group. In particular, the robust retention rate and high satisfaction ratings indicate that the meditation mobile app was well received. Preliminary results suggest positive changes in health-related quality of life outcomes, warranting a larger efficacy trial.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Mobile Applications; Young Adult; Male; Female; Cancer Survivors; Adult; Meditation; Mindfulness; Feasibility Studies; Neoplasms; Pilot Projects; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 38791797
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21050584 -
Brain Sciences May 2024Lucid dreaming involves becoming aware that one's current experience is a dream, which has similarities with the notion of mindfulness-becoming aware of moment-to-moment...
Lucid dreaming involves becoming aware that one's current experience is a dream, which has similarities with the notion of mindfulness-becoming aware of moment-to-moment changes in experience. Additionally, meta-awareness, the ability to explicitly notice the current content of one's own mental state, has also been proposed to play an important role both in lucid dreaming and mindfulness meditation practices. However, research has shown conflicting strengths of associations between mindfulness, meditation, and lucid dreaming frequency, and the link between lucid dreaming and meta-awareness has not yet been empirically studied. This study evaluated the associations between lucid dreaming frequency and different meditation practice styles, mindfulness traits, and individual differences in meta-awareness through an online survey ( = 635). The results suggest that daily frequent meditators experience more lucid dreams than non-frequent meditators. However, weekly frequent meditators did not have a higher lucid dreaming frequency. A positive association was observed between open monitoring styles of meditation and lucid dreaming. The findings also indicate that meta-awareness is higher for meditators and weekly lucid dreamers. Furthermore, frequent lucid dreaming was commonly associated with a non-reactive stance and experiencing transcendence. Overall, the findings suggest a positive relationship between specific meditation practices and lucid dreaming as well as the importance of meta-awareness as a cognitive process linking meditation, mindfulness, and lucid dreaming.
PubMed: 38790474
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14050496 -
JMIR Research Protocols May 2024Globally, approximately 1 in 3 women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. Brain injury (BI) is a common, yet often unrecognized, consequence of...
Investigating the Efficacy of a Community Support Network Rehabilitation Intervention for Improving Resiliency, Quality of Life, and Neurocognitive Function in Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence-Caused Brain Injury: Protocol for a Feasibility Study.
BACKGROUND
Globally, approximately 1 in 3 women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. Brain injury (BI) is a common, yet often unrecognized, consequence of IPV. BIs caused by IPV tend to be mild, occur repetitively over the course of months or years, are remote in time, and result in chronic symptoms. Similar to BI from other causes, therapeutic treatment for women with IPV-caused BI (IPV-BI) is crucial to help resolve any physical or cognitive impairments, enhance the quality of life (QoL), and minimize longer-term neurodegeneration.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of a community support network (CSN) rehabilitation intervention regarding its impact on resiliency, QoL, and neurocognitive function.
METHODS
In this pre- and postexperimental design, women (aged 18 to 50 years) who are survivors of IPV and IPV-BI will be recruited from various community organizations serving survivors of IPV. Exclusion criteria will include current pregnancy and any diagnosed neurological disorder known to affect cerebrovascular, neurocognitive, or sensorimotor function. A CSN rehabilitation intervention that includes aerobic exercise, cognitive training, mindfulness meditation, and counseling will be administered. A trauma-informed approach will be integrated into the design and implementation of the program. Furthermore, the program will include a participant navigator who will provide trauma- and violence-informed advocacy and systems navigation support to participants, in addition to facilitating a monthly peer support group. The intervention will be provided for 2.5 hours a day and 2 days a week for 3 months. Participants will complete psychological assessments and provide clinic-demographic information in the first assessment. In the second (before intervention), third (after intervention), and fourth (at follow-up) sessions, they will complete tests of resiliency, QoL, and neurocognition. The estimated sample size is 100. The objective of this study will be accomplished by quantitatively measuring resiliency, QoL, and neurocognition before and immediately after the intervention. A follow-up assessment will occur 3 months after the completion of the intervention to evaluate the maintenance of any improvements in function. One-way ANOVAs will be used to evaluate the intervention outcome across the testing times. Relationships among various variables will be explored using regression analysis.
RESULTS
We anticipate that the CSN rehabilitation intervention will be effective in improving resiliency, QoL, and neurocognitive function in women who have experienced IPV-BI. Furthermore, we anticipate that this intervention will be feasible in terms of study recruitment, adherence, and retention.
CONCLUSIONS
The CSN rehabilitation intervention will have a positive impact on resiliency, QoL, and neurocognitive functions in survivors of IPV-BI. Subsequently, a comparative study will be conducted by recruiting a control group receiving usual care.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)
PRR1-10.2196/54605.
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; Female; Adult; Feasibility Studies; Intimate Partner Violence; Middle Aged; Resilience, Psychological; Brain Injuries; Young Adult; Adolescent; Survivors; Community Networks; Cognition
PubMed: 38788207
DOI: 10.2196/54605 -
Postepy Dermatologii I Alergologii Apr 2024Psoriasis has a clear and strong connection with smoking in both its pathogenesis and clinical course. Smoking can cause a serious worsening of both the disease itself... (Review)
Review
Psoriasis has a clear and strong connection with smoking in both its pathogenesis and clinical course. Smoking can cause a serious worsening of both the disease itself and the systemic complications such as cardiovascular events, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), cancer and depression. Smoking also seems to alter the gut microbiota and thus promote psoriasis itself. The aim of our article is to review all the most interesting discoveries on its role and thus provide a good picture of the current state of knowledge. Furthermore, we provide some alternative and healthier coping mechanisms for stress and depression related to the disease such as exercise, meditation, balneotherapy and acupuncture.
PubMed: 38784922
DOI: 10.5114/ada.2023.133582 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2024The use of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) is very popular among the general population in Germany. However, international studies show that nurses,...
INTRODUCTION
The use of Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) is very popular among the general population in Germany. However, international studies show that nurses, physicians, and other health care professionals (HCPs) at hospitals often do not feel sufficiently informed about different CIM approaches. Moreover, they do not feel trained enough to counsel their patients appropriately. In the German-speaking context, particularly within university hospitals, research on this subject is scarce. Therefore, the aim of this explorative study was to evaluate attitudes, subjective knowledge, and needs regarding CIM among HCPs with direct patient interaction across all four university hospitals in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany (Tübingen, Ulm, Freiburg, Heidelberg).
METHODS
The multicenter, cross-sectional, anonymous full survey was conducted online using a self-developed, semi-structured, web-based questionnaire. Recruitment took place via all-inclusive e-mail distribution lists of all four university hospitals.
RESULTS
A total of = 2,026 participants (response rate varied by location from about 5 to 14%) fully answered the questionnaire. Nurses constituted the largest professional group ( = 1,196; 59%), followed by physicians ( = 567; 28%), physiotherapists ( = 54), psychologists ( = 48), midwives ( = 37), and other professions ( = 124). More than two-thirds (71%, = 1,437) of the participants were female and 14% ( = 286) reported additional training in CIM. The overall attitude toward CIM (10-point Likert scale, 10 = "very favorable") was clearly positive ( ± : 7.43 ± 2.33), with notable differences between professional groups: midwives (9.05 ± 1.18), physiotherapists (8.44 ± 1.74), and nurses (8.08 ± 1.95) expressed the highest support, whereas physicians (5.80 ± 2.39) the lowest. 42% of the participants incorporated CIM in patient care (from 33% of physicians to 86% of midwives). Overall, relaxation therapy ( = 1,951; 96%), external applications ( = 1,911; 94%), massage ( = 1,836; 91%), and meditation/mindfulness ( = 1,812; 89%) were rated as useful or rather useful for patients. The average self-assessed knowledge level about CIM was moderate (M ± SD: 5.83 ± 2.03). Most of the participants found CIM training at university hospitals important and saw research about CIM as one of the tasks of university hospitals. The participants expressed the highest interest in education for acupuncture/acupressure, relaxation therapies, and manual medicine.
DISCUSSION
This comprehensive survey of health care professionals (HCPs) at university hospitals in Germany reveals a clearly positive disposition toward CIM, aligning with findings from other hospital-based surveys and highlighting differences among professional groups. While most therapies deemed beneficial for patient care are supported by positive evidence, further research is required for others. Given the average self-reported knowledge of CIM, targeted education is essential to meet the needs of both HCPs and patients and to ensure the provision of evidence-based information on the risks and benefits of CIM.
PubMed: 38784234
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1408653 -
IScience Jun 2024Precocious puberty, a pediatric endocrine disorder classified as central precocious puberty (CPP) or peripheral precocious puberty (PPP), is influenced by diet, gut...
Precocious puberty, a pediatric endocrine disorder classified as central precocious puberty (CPP) or peripheral precocious puberty (PPP), is influenced by diet, gut microbiota, and metabolites, but the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Our study found that increased alpha-diversity and abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria led to elevated levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, contributing to precocious puberty. The integration of specific microbiota and metabolites has potential diagnostic value for precocious puberty. The genus-controlled interaction factor, influenced by complex carbohydrate consumption, mediated a reduction in estradiol levels. Interactions between obesity-related bacteria and metabolites mediated the beneficial effect of seafood in reducing luteinizing hormone levels, reducing the risk of obesity-induced precocious puberty, and preventing progression from PPP to CPP. This study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between diet, gut microbiota and metabolites in the onset, development and clinical classification of precocious puberty and warrants further investigation.
PubMed: 38784002
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109887 -
Scientific Reports May 2024Achieving successful pregnancy outcomes is a delicate interplay between the maternal and the fetal counterparts. Paternal factors play a critical role in health and...
Achieving successful pregnancy outcomes is a delicate interplay between the maternal and the fetal counterparts. Paternal factors play a critical role in health and disease of offspring. Early pregnancy loss (EPL) is a psychologically devastating condition affecting the quality of life (QOL). Thus, it needs to be managed by a mind body integrated approach like yoga.The prospective single arm exploratory studyincluded male partners of couples experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL, n = 30), and recurrent implantation failure (RIF, n = 30) and semen samples wereassessed at the beginning and completion of yoga (6 weeks) (WHO 2010).A significant increase in the sperm concentration, motility, decrease in seminal ROS, DFI and increase in relative sperm telomere length was found at the end of yoga. The relative expression of genes critical for early embryonic developmentnormalized towards the levels of controls. WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire scores to assess QOL also showed improvement.Integration of regular practice yoga into our lifestyle may help in improving seminal redox status, genomic integrity, telomere length, normalizing gene expression and QOL, highlighting the need to use an integrated, holistic approach in management of such cases. This is pertinent for decreasing the transmission of mutation and epimutation load to the developing embryo, improving pregnancy outcomes and decreasing genetic and epigenetic disease burden in the next generation.
Topics: Yoga; Humans; Quality of Life; Male; Female; Pregnancy; Spermatozoa; Adult; Abortion, Habitual; Telomere; Prospective Studies; Telomere Homeostasis; Sperm Motility
PubMed: 38777848
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62380-w -
Explore (New York, N.Y.) May 2024Stage IV colorectal cancer is a highly challenging condition to treat, with 5-year survival rates of 13% in Australia, improving to 40% for those patients with locally...
INTRODUCTION
Stage IV colorectal cancer is a highly challenging condition to treat, with 5-year survival rates of 13% in Australia, improving to 40% for those patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer who are suitable for total neoadjuvant therapy and pelvic exenterative surgery. This study reports a unique case of a patient with Stage IV locally recurrent rectal cancer (LRRC), who designed and implemented a holistic integrative oncology intervention.
CASE PRESENTATION
The patient was 59-years-old when diagnosed with Stage IV locally recurrent rectal cancer, and referred to a highly specialised centre for colorectal cancer care at a tertiary teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia. Treatment included chemo/radiotherapy, liver resection and posterior pelvic exenteration surgery. The patient's background as a health researcher and clinician optimised her ability to design and implement an integrative oncology model of care, including yoga, mindfulness, Buddhist meditation and study, social connection, exercise, psychotherapeutic and nutritional support. This paper describes these mind-body practices and lifestyle modifications and outlines her experiences and outcomes at each stage of her extensive and radical treatment.
CONCLUSION
This case provides a unique perspective into how the integration of mind-body practices and lifestyle modifications with conventional treatment can support those living with colorectal cancer.
PubMed: 38777724
DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2024.05.002 -
Turkish Journal of Physical Medicine... Dec 2023The study aimed to investigate the effect of yoga-based exercises on functional capacity, dyspnea, quality of life, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality following...
Effect of yoga-based exercises on functional capacity, dyspnea, quality of life, depression, anxiety, and sleep of infected healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A prospective clinical trial.
OBJECTIVES
The study aimed to investigate the effect of yoga-based exercises on functional capacity, dyspnea, quality of life, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Forty-one COVID-19-infected healthcare professionals (35 females, 6 males; mean age: 39.7±6.5 years; range, 28 to 55 years) who were actively working during the subacute period were included in the prospective controlled study between March 2021 and September 2021. The participants were divided into two groups: the yoga-based exercise group (YBEG; n=26) and the nonintervention group (n=15). Besides routine recommendations, the YBEG performed stretching, relaxation, isometric strengthening, breathing, and meditation exercises of 60 min twice a week for eight weeks. Clinical outcome was measured with flexibility tests (shoulder flexibility and sit and reach tests), hand grip strength, 6-min walk test, dyspnea score, Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventory, Short Form 36 (SF-36) quality of life, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) before and after eight weeks in both groups.
RESULTS
Beck anxiety scores, IPAQ scores, PSQI, SF-36 pain, and social functioning subparameters were positively statistically significant in the YBEG (p<0.05). The only parameter found to be insignificant in time and between groups was the SF-36 mental health subparameter (p>0.05). In addition, the YBEG had significant improvements in muscle strength, flexibility, functional capacity, physical activity level, quality of life, anxiety, depression levels, and sleep scores between before and after the eight-week intervention period (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Yoga programs have led to an increase in functional capacity and physical performance, a decrease in anxiety and depression complaints, and an increase in the quality of life in healthcare professionals who were in the process of returning to work during the post-COVID-19.
PubMed: 38766577
DOI: 10.5606/tftrd.2023.11605