Body, Mind & Spirit Articles and Latest News

Therapeutic riding followed by rhythmic auditory stimulation to improve balance and gait in a subject with orthopedic pathologies.

J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Dec;17(12):1191-5

Authors: Ungermann CM, Gras LZ

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were to investigate the effect of therapeutic riding with a subject who had an orthopedic diagnosis.
DESIGN: This is a single-subject case report.
LOCATION: The study was conducted at an equestrian facility with an indoor riding arena.
SUBJECT: The subject was a 59-year-old woman with grade I spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 and multilevel lumbar spinal stenosis in central and foraminal canals. The subject had an anterior cervical fusion of C3-C7.
EVALUATION: The subject has been ambulating with a straight cane due to her history of frequent falls. Gait, agility, strength, range of motion, and balance testing were performed. The subject had impairments of bilateral lower extremities with an ataxic gait pattern and was at risk for continued falls according to the balance measures.
INTERVENTIONS: The intervention comprised therapeutic riding sessions 3 times a week for 20 minutes for 4 weeks. Each riding session was immediately followed by a 10-minute independent walking program with a metronome for rhythmic auditory stimulation.
OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome measures were as follows: Manual muscle testing and range of motion of the lower extremities, Gait Speed Test, Dynamic Gait Index, Four-Square Step Test, Chair Stand Test, Single Leg Stance.
RESULTS: Improvements were seen in lower extremity strength and range of motion and balance. The subject improved on balance scores, placing her out of the risk for falls category.
CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic riding followed by rhythmic auditory stimulation improved lower extremity range of motion, strength, and balance with this subject.

PMID: 22103981 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Authors’ reply to response to “Mindfulness and psychological well-being: are they related to type of meditation technique practiced?”.

J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Dec;17(12):1101-2

Authors: Nyklíček I, Schoormans D, Zijlstra WP

PMID: 22103295 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Postural effects of imagined leg pain as a function of hypnotizability.

Exp Brain Res. 2012 Feb;216(3):341-8

Authors: Scattina E, Huber A, Menzocchi M, Paoletti G, Carli G, Manzoni D, Santarcangelo EL

Abstract
It has been shown that, in subjects with high hypnotizability (Highs), imagined somatosensory stimulation can involuntarily activate the neural circuits involved in the modulation of reflex action. In this vein, aim of the study was to investigate whether the imagery of nociceptive stimulation in one leg may produce both subjective experience of pain and congruent postural adjustments during normal upright stance. The displacement of the centre of pressure (CoP) was studied during imagery of leg pain (LP) and during the control conditions of imagery of tactile stimulation of the same leg and of throat pain (TP) in 12 Highs and 12 low hypnotizable subjects (Lows). The results showed that the vividness of imagery was higher in Highs than in Lows for all tasks and that only Highs reported actually feeling pain during LP and TP. Congruently, during LP only Highs displaced their CoP towards the leg opposite to the one that was the object of painful imagery and increased their CoP mean velocity and area of excursion. Since the Highs’ postural changes were not accounted for only by vividness of imagery and perceived pain intensity, high hypnotizability is apparently responsible for part of the postural effects of pain imagery.

PMID: 22080105 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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[The model program of psycho-social treatment and staff training].

Seishin Shinkeigaku Zasshi. 2012;114(1):42-8

Authors: Ikebuchi E

Abstract
The model program of psycho-social treatment and staff training were reported in this issue. The mission of model program is supporting recovery of persons with mental illness and their family as well as empowering their hope and sense of values. The personal support specialists belonging to multi-disciplinary team have responsibility to support life-long process of recovery across hospitalization, out-patients clinic, day treatment, and outreach service. The shared value of multi-disciplinary team (the community life supporting team) is recovery so that the team renders self directive life, various alternatives of their lives, and peer group with models of recovery to persons with mental illness. There should be several technologies which are used in the team such as engagement, psycho-education, cognitive-behavior therapy, care-management, cooperating with other resources. The responsibility, assessment and evaluation techniques, guarantee of opportunities for training, and auditing system of the team and process of treatment are important factors to educate team staff. Raising effective multi-disciplinary team requires existence of a mentor or good model near the team.

PMID: 22420150 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Tailored internet-administered treatment of anxiety disorders for primary care patients: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Trials. 2012;13:16

Authors: Nordgren LB, Andersson G, Kadowaki Å, Carlbring P

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Internet-administered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) has been found to be effective for a range of anxiety disorders. However, most studies have focused on one specific primary diagnosis and co-morbidity has not been considered. In primary care settings, patients with anxiety often suffer from more than one psychiatric condition, making it difficult to disseminate ICBT for specific conditions. The aim of this study will be to investigate if ICBT tailored according to symptom profile can be a feasible treatment for primary care patients with anxiety disorders. It is a randomised controlled trial aimed to evaluate the treatment against an active control group.
METHODS: Participants with anxiety disorders and co-morbid conditions (N = 128), will be recruited from a primary care population. The Clinical Outcome in Routine Evaluation (CORE-OM) will serve as the primary outcome measure. Secondary measures include self-reported depression, anxiety, quality of life and loss of production and the use of health care. All assessments will be collected via the Internet and measure points will be baseline, post treatment and 12 months post treatment.
DISCUSSION: This trial will add to the body of knowledge on the effectiveness of ICBT for anxiety disorders in primary care. The trial will also add knowledge on the long term effects of ICBT when delivered for regular clinic patients
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01390168.

PMID: 22321916 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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The impact of false-positive newborn screening results on families: a qualitative study.

Genet Med. 2012 Jan;14(1):76-80

Authors: Schmidt JL, Castellanos-Brown K, Childress S, Bonhomme N, Oktay JS, Terry SF, Kyler P, Davidoff A, Greene C

Abstract
PURPOSE: Newborn screening leads to improved treatment and disease outcomes, but false-positive newborn screening results may cause distress for parents. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of families who receive a false-positive newborn screening result in an attempt to discover ways to help improve the newborn screening communication process for families.
METHODS: This was a qualitative study using two methods of data collection: in-depth, semistructured interviews and focus groups. Participants (N = 27) were parents whose children (ages 6-16 months) underwent follow-up testing after newborn screening and whose follow-up test results indicated that the newborn screening result was a false-positive.
RESULTS: Our analysis found that parents who have a false-positive newborn screening result experience five distinct stages. Most parents did not report long-term negative impacts of the experience, but some experienced some residual worry. Participants described effective provider communication as key in mitigating stress. Some parents identified the experience as leading to positive outcomes.
CONCLUSION: Identifying best practices for communication between the health care providers and parents is an essential component in improving the newborn screening process. Further research is needed to discover best practices for communication to minimize potential harm and maximize the benefits of newborn screening.

PMID: 22237434 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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What to do about restless legs syndrome. Bedtime is far from relaxing for women with this condition.

Harv Womens Health Watch. 2012 Mar;19(7):1-3

Authors:

PMID: 22550731 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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[Designing of social skill training (SST) in response to varied needs, such as those in an acute stage and in day care].

Seishin Shinkeigaku Zasshi. 2012;114(1):15-9

Authors: Shiragata M

PMID: 22518908 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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[Psychosocial therapy needed by medial organizations–a proposal for model programs].

Seishin Shinkeigaku Zasshi. 2012;114(1):13-4

Authors: Ikebuchi E

PMID: 22518907 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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A phenomenological study of spontaneous spiritual and paranormal experiences in a 21st-century sample of normal people.

Psychol Rep. 2012 Feb;110(1):73-132

Authors: Woodard FJ

Abstract
Summary.-This paper presents a phenomenological study using the methodology of Woodard’s phenomenological and perceptual research. This method examines individuals’ internal meanings during spontaneous spiritual and paranormal experiences, as described from their point of view. A group of 40 adults was phenomenologically interviewed after they responded to a newspaper announcement in New Hampshire asking for volunteers who had had spiritual and paranormal experiences. Using the method, Six Individual Situated Structures and a General Structure were identified and examined. Nine major themes were explicated during the participants’ spontaneous experiencing: unexpectedness, contrariness to belief, certainty, contradictory experiencing, language as a barrier to expression, external influences, internal dialogue, evil as separateness, and some social psychological influences. Several themes observed in hypnotic experiencing, such as the characteristics of the Adequate Personality in Perceptual Psychology, are interpreted and discussed. This research illustrates how subjective experience can be adequately researched in a qualitative manner outside the confines of the laboratory setting. Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research are given.

PMID: 22489379 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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