Review Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Psychiatric Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2024 | Viewed by 1418

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 4 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, China
Interests: psychiatric diseases; major depression; anxiety; stress; neuropharmacology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Depression, anxiety, and PTSD share several symptoms and pathomechanisms, having become prevalent diseases worldwide that seriously endanger human mental health. The pathophysiological mechanisms of these are not yet fully elucidated and the traditional drugs which are commonly used in clinics generally have some defects, including slow action, unremarkable effects, and a number of side effects. Therefore, there is a developing space for the research of new and effective therapeutic medicines to supplement or replace traditional drugs. The last decade has witnessed a significant growth of interest in complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other emotional diseases. However, there are still inconsistent results between these literature studies. Therefore, there is a need to further explore the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicines for the treatment of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions.

Dr. Jianyou Guo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • complementary and alternative medicine
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • PTSD

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1602 KiB  
Article
Influence of Stress Severity on Contextual Fear Extinction and Avoidance in a Posttraumatic-like Mouse Model
by Noémie Eyraud, Solal Bloch, Bruno Brizard, Laurane Pena, Antoine Tharsis, Alexandre Surget, Wissam El-Hage and Catherine Belzung
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(4), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14040311 - 26 Mar 2024
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Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a widespread fear-related psychiatric affection associated with fear extinction impairments and important avoidance behaviors. Trauma-related exposure therapy is the current first-hand treatment for PTSD, yet it needs to be improved to shorten the time necessary to reach remission [...] Read more.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a widespread fear-related psychiatric affection associated with fear extinction impairments and important avoidance behaviors. Trauma-related exposure therapy is the current first-hand treatment for PTSD, yet it needs to be improved to shorten the time necessary to reach remission and increase responsiveness. Additional studies to decipher the neurobiological bases of extinction and effects on PTSD-like symptoms could therefore be of use. However, a PTSD-like animal model exhibiting pronounced PTSD-related phenotypes even after an extinction training directly linked to the fearful event is necessary. Thus, using a contextual fear conditioning model of PTSD, we increased the severity of stress during conditioning to search for effects on extinction acquisition and on pre- and post-extinction behaviors. During conditioning, mice received either two or four electrical shocks while a control group was constituted of mice only exposed to the context. Stressed mice exhibited important fear generalization, high fear reaction to the context and selective avoidance of a contextual reminder even after the extinction protocol. Increasing the number of footshocks did not induce major changes on these behaviors. Full article
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Review

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10 pages, 553 KiB  
Review
Exploring Embodied and Bioenergetic Approaches in Trauma Therapy: Observing Somatic Experience and Olfactory Memory
by Sara Invitto and Patrizia Moselli
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(4), 385; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14040385 - 16 Apr 2024
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Abstract
Recent studies highlight how body psychotherapy is becoming highly cited, especially in connection with studies on trauma-related disorders. This review highlights the theoretical assumptions and recent points in common with embodied simulation and new sensory theories by integrating bioenergetic analysis, embodiment, and olfactory [...] Read more.
Recent studies highlight how body psychotherapy is becoming highly cited, especially in connection with studies on trauma-related disorders. This review highlights the theoretical assumptions and recent points in common with embodied simulation and new sensory theories by integrating bioenergetic analysis, embodiment, and olfactory memory in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) therapy. Embodied memory, rooted in sensorimotor experiences, shapes cognitive functions and emotional responses. Trauma, embodied in somatic experiences, disrupts these processes, leading to symptoms such as chronic pain and dissociation. The literature discussed highlights the impact of burning odors on individuals with PTSD and those who have experienced childhood maltreatment. Burning odors can increase stress and heart rate in war veterans, with sensitivity to these odors intensifying over time since the trauma. Additionally, adults who experienced childhood maltreatment exhibit faster processing of unpleasant odors and increased symptom severity. Grounding techniques, such as adopting a balanced posture, enhance breathing and sensory capabilities, potentially aiding in managing symptoms associated with trauma-related disorders such as PTSD. Full article
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