Qi-gong relaxation exercise was used for treatment of pregnancy induced hypertension(PIH). Patients exercised 3 times a day until labor. In this study, there were two groups with 60 cases of PIH who had delivered in each group, they were treated by Qi-gong for one group and by medicine for another used as control. The clinical efficacy was evaluated according to PIH combined scores showed effective for 54 cases (90.0%) in Qi-gong group and 33 cases (55.0%) for the control group (P less than 0.01). Meconium stain in amniotic fluid was present in 12 cases (20.0%) in Qi-gong group and 29 cases (48.3%) in the control group (P less than 0.05). The incidence of abnormal hematocrit (greater than 35%) before treatment was 52.4% and decreased to 23.8% (P less than 0.05) in Qi-gong, while in the control group was 35.7% before treatment and 45.2% after treatment (P greater than 0.05). The mean value of blood E2 by RIA showed increased from 22.97 +/- 13.16 micrograms/ml to 33.74 +/- 34.01 micrograms/ml after Qi-gong treatment in 29 cases. The microscopical observation of finger nail capillaries showed various degrees of improvement of microcirculation after Qi-gong exercise for 17 cases and after a course of Qi-gong treatment for 11 cases in Qi-gong group. While for the control group, there was no changes after sit-still for some time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1989 Jan;9(1):16-8, 4-5. Zhou MR, Lian MR.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess repeated needle acupuncture in the treatment of postoperative pain and nausea after visceral surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients undergoing visceral surgery (hysterectomy, cholecystectomy) were randomly assigned to group A (three sessions of needle acupuncture, n=21), group M (3x1000 mg metamizole, n=20), or group K (control, n=25). All patients received patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) using piritramide. To adjust for nonspecific effects due to physician-patient interaction during acupuncture sessions in group A, patients in groups M and K also received three standardized visits. Primary outcome parameters were defined as pain intensity, analgesic consumption, and frequency of nausea and vomiting in a period up to the morning of the second postoperative day. RESULTS: Patients in group A reported significant less pain, nausea, and vomiting compared to patients in group K. Mean cumulative piritramide consumption was significantly lower in group A (25.0 mg) than in group M (34.5 mg) and group K (55.2 mg). CONCLUSION: Repeated needle acupuncture may be effective in postoperative pain relief and the treatment of nausea and vomiting in the postoperative period. These effects seem not to be due solely to interaction between the acupuncturist and the patient.

Schmerz. 2009 Aug;23(4):370-6. Grube T, Uhlemann C, Weiss T, Meissner W. Kreiskrankenhaus Greiz, GmbH, Wichmannstrasse 12, 07973, Greiz, Deutschland. t.grube@hospital-greiz.de

Full Title: Differentiating a network of executive attention: LORETA neurofeedback in anterior cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices

INTRODUCTION: This study examines the differential effects of space-specific neuro-operant learning, utilizing low-resolution electromagnetic tomographic (LORETA) neurofeedback in three regions of training (ROTs), namely, the anterior cingulate gyrus (AC) and right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (RPFC and LPFC respectively). METHODS: This study was conducted with 14 nonclinical students with a mean age of 22. We utilized electrophysiological measurements and subtests of the WAIS-III for premeasures and postmeasures. RESULTS: The data indicate that the AC shares a significant association with the RPFC and LPFC; however, each of the ROTs exhibits different cortical effects in all frequencies when trained exclusively. DISCUSSION: LORETA neurofeedback (LNFB) appears to enhance the functioning and strengthening of networks of cortical units physiologically related to each ROT; moreover, significant changes are mapped for each frequency domain, showing the associations within this possible attentional network.

Int J Neurosci. 2009;119(3):404-41. Cannon R, Congedo M, Lubar J, Hutchens T. Brain Research and Neuropsychology Laboratory Department of Psychology, Suite 312 Austin Peay Bldg, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA. rcannon2@utk.edu

Hypnotizability is a cognitive multidimensional trait that involves peculiar imagery characteristics. Subjects with high- (Highs) and low (Lows)-susceptibilities to hypnosis have shown different levels of skill at visual and somesthetic-guided imageries performed during upright stance. The aim of this experiment is to study the modulation of the EEG alpha and theta band amplitude during guided visual and somesthetic imageries in Highs and Lows, as these rhythms are responsive to the cognitive activities involved in mental imagery. Our results show that, at variance with standing subjects, subjects in both groups in a semi-reclined position report higher vividness and lower effort for visual than for somesthetic imagery. EEG patterns however are different between the two groups. Highs exhibit a more widespread alpha desynchronization and slightly different EEG patterns during visual and somesthetic imageries, while Lows show segregated alpha- and theta-desynchronization, without any difference between the tasks. Our results indicate that different, hypnotizability-related cognitive strategies, that are revealed by differences in EEG modulation, are responsible for the similar subjective experience associated with visual and somesthetic imageries in Highs and Lows. In addition, in both groups higher order mental representation of different sensory modalities might be subserved by a unique integrated neural network. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neurosci Lett. 2009 Dec 23. Cavallaro FI, Cacace I, Del Testa M, Andre P, Carli G, De Pascalis V, Rocchi R, Santarcangelo EL. Department of Physiology, University of Siena, Italy.

by Daniel J. Benor, M.D.

Experiments have shown that the functions of analytical, logical, intellectual thinking and expression of language are carried out largely in the brain's left hemisphere. The right hemisphere performs intuitive, artistic, symbolic and analogical thinking functions.

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This study aims at determining the effectiveness of music therapy in a hospice setting. We employed the salivary cortisol level, which is widely used to measure stress level, as an objective and physical indicator and the Mood Inventory, which measures mood change, as the subjective and psychological indicators. Though many preceding studies have demonstrated that listening to music lowers cortisol levels and reduces stress, no study seems to have included hospice patients. This study measured, with the consent of 10 hospice inpatients, their salivary cortisol levels. Individual interviews, according to the Mood Inventory, were conducted before and after a small-group session. Since all the participants had terminal cancer, the 40-minute live session of songs of seasons and the participants' requests was given in a mostly passive manner considering their physical strength. Results showed significant lowering of salivary cortisol levels after the therapy session. As for the parameters of mood, refreshment was significantly increased. Though fatigue remained unchanged, anxiety and depression decreased while the score for excitement tended to increase. Thus, it was indicated that music therapy in a hospice setting reduces the stress level of patients and thereby plays a positive role in improving patients' quality of life.

J Music Ther. 2009 Summer;46(2):160-72. Nakayama H, Kikuta F, Takeda H. Sapporo Otani College.

Dr. Kenneth J. Doka is a Professor of Gerontology at the Graduate School of The College of New Rochelle and Senior Consultant to the Hospice Foundation of America. A prolific author, Dr. Doka has written many books, and he has published over 100 articles and book chapters. Dr. Doka is editor of both Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying and Journeys: A Newsletter to Help in Bereavement.

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Can suggestion, particularly hypnotic suggestion, influence cognition? Addressing this intriguing question experimentally is on the rise in cognitive research, nowhere more prevalently than in the domain of cognitive control and attention. This may well rest on the intuitive connection between hypnotic suggestion and attention, where the hypnotist controls the subject's attention. Particularly impressive has been the work of Raz and his colleagues demonstrating the modulation and even the complete elimination of classic Stroop color-word interference when subjects are given a posthypnotic suggestion that words are meaningless. Overriding a highly practiced, possibly even automatic response like reading is testament to the attentional control that can be exerted under (post)hypnotic suggestion. What else do we need to know-in the Stroop context and more broadly-to obtain a clear picture of how suggestion can orchestrate attention?

Conscious Cogn. 2009 Dec 5. Macleod CM. Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1.

by Jevon Dängeli

Wake up; Hypnosis is not about being unconscious!

As a Hypnotherapy trainer I keep being asked questions about Hypnosis which indicate to me that masses of people are still hypnotised by the misconceptions and negative propaganda which they've allowed themselves to be influenced by. Their false ideas about Hypnosis and their impression that only certain people can be hypnotised are evidence of the power of hypnosis and its lasting effects.

Many stage Hypnosis performers along with some misleading cultural and religious doctrines do the Hypnotherapy profession little good. Meanwhile certain doctors, therapists and specialised coaches quietly go about empowering their patients and clients to overcome or manage "incurable" ailments.

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Full Title: A cross-sectional analysis of clinical outcomes following chiropractic care in veterans with and without post-traumatic stress disorder

This study was a cross-sectional analysis of clinical outcomes for 130 veteran patients with neck or low back complaints completing a course of care within the chiropractic clinic at the VA of Western New York in 2006. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was utilized, comparing baseline and discharge scores for both the neck and low back regions and for those patients with and without post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients with PTSD (n = 21) experienced significantly lower levels of score improvement than those without PTSD (n = 119) on self-reported outcome measures of neck and low back disability. These findings, coupled with the theorized relationships between PTSD and chronic pain, suggest that the success of conservative forms of management for veteran patients with musculoskeletal disorders may be limited by the presence of PTSD. Further research is warranted to examine the potential contributions of PTSD on chiropractic clinical outcomes with this unique patient population.

Mil Med. 2009 Jun;174(6):578-83. Dunn AS, Passmore SR, Burke J, Chicoine D. Chiropractic Service, VA of Western New York Healthcare System, 3495 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14215, USA.

About one third of patients with epilepsy do not benefit from medical treatment. For these patients electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback is a viable alternative. EEG biofeedback, or neurofeedback, normalizes or enhances EEG activity by means of operant conditioning. While dozens of scientific reports have been published on neurofeedback for seizure disorder, most have been case series with too few subjects to establish efficacy. The purpose of this paper is to meta-analyze existing research on neurofeedback and epilepsy. We analyzed every EEG biofeedback study indexed in MedLine, PsychInfo, and PsychLit databases between 1970 and 2005 on epilepsy that provided seizure frequency change in response to feedback. Sixty-three studies have been published, 10 of which provided enough outcome information to be included in a meta-analysis. All studies consisted of patients whose seizures were not controlled by medical therapies, which is a very important factor to keep in mind when interpreting the results. Nine of 10 studies reinforced sensorimotor rhythms (SMR) while 1 study trained slow cortical potentials (SCP). All studies reported an overall mean decreased seizure incidence following treatment and 64 out of 87 patients (74%) reported fewer weekly seizures in response to EEG biofeedback. Treatment effect was mean log (post/pre) where pre and post represent number of seizures per week prior to treatment and at final evaluation, respectively. Due to prevalence of small groups, Hedges's g was computed for effect size. As sample heterogeneity was possible (Q test, p=.18), random effects were assumed and the effect of intervention was -0.233, SE = 0.057, z = -4.11, p<.001. Based on this meta-analysis, EEG operant conditioning was found to produce a significant reduction on seizure frequency. This finding is especially noteworthy given the patient group, individuals who had been unable to control their seizures with medical treatment.

Clin EEG Neurosci. 2009 Jul;40(3):173-9. Tan G, Thornby J, Hammond DC, Strehl U, Canady B, Arnemann K, Kaiser DA. Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. tan.gabriel@va.gov

by Nelson Abreu

The International Academy of Consciousness is a non-profit research and education organization dedicated to the scientific study of the consciousness beyond the conventional limitations of materialist science. The IAC had its roots in the International Institute of Projectiology, which was founded in 1988 in Brazil. Since 2002, IIPC offices outside of Brazil became IAC – today a truly global organization with broad objectives in education as well as research, having a permanent presence in four continents and having presented in 20 countries around the world.

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Spontaneous EEGs recorded with 12 channels (International 10-20 system) on the scalp were analyzed by statistical brain topographic mapping (t-test and correlation coefficient topographic mappings) to reveal changes of the electrical activity in the brain during Qi Gong state. The control subjects and two groups of masters and beginners in accordance with the time and the skilled degree practising Qi Gong were compared. The changes of EEGs of the Qi Gong masters during the Qi Gong state were clearly different from those recorded during the resting state with closed eyes. The EEG alpha activity occurred predominantly in the anterior half, and occurred silently in the posterior half of the brain during Qi Gong state. The peak frequency of EEG alpha rhythm during Qi Gong state was slower than resting state without practicing Qi Gong. The results of the t-test and correlation coefficient topographic mappings showed this finding quantitatively and statistically significant. The changes in EEG between resting and Qi Gong state for Qi Gong masters appear to be opposite. This findings indicates that Qi Gong state is a special and unusual state and this state is not an inherent state existing in each person. The occurrence of this phenomenon of EEG depends on the duration and the skilled degree of the practising Qi Gong.

Int J Neurosci. 1988 Feb;38(3-4):415-25. Zhang JZ, Li JZ, He QN. Computer Laboratory, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.

Full Title: Traditional needle acupuncture treatment for insomnia: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVES: Previous reviews regarding traditional needle acupuncture (TNA) treatment for insomnia were limited to English scientific literature. A comprehensive review including Chinese and English literature has therefore been conducted to examine the efficacy of TNA for insomnia. METHODS: We performed systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of TNA as intervention for insomnia against placebo, Western medication, and non-treated controls. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed by the modified Jadad score and the acupuncture procedure was appraised by the STRICTA criteria. RESULTS: Twenty RCTs were identified for detailed analysis. Majority of the RCTs concluded that TNA was significantly more effective than benzodiazepines for treating insomnia, with mean effective rates for acupuncture and benzodiazepines being 91% and 75%, respectively. In two more appropriately conducted trials, TNA appeared to be more efficacious in improving sleep than sleep hygiene counseling and sham acupuncture. Standardized and individualized acupuncture had similar effective rates. Despite these positive outcomes, there were methodological shortcomings in the studies reviewed, including imprecise diagnostic procedure, problems with randomization, blinding issues, and insufficient safety data. Hence, the superior efficacy of TNA over other treatments could not be ascertained. CONCLUSION: Since the majority of evidence regarding TNA for insomnia is based on studies with poor-quality research designs, the data, while somewhat promising, do not allow a clear conclusion on the benefits of TNA for insomnia. Moreover, the results support the need for large scale placebo-controlled double-blinded trials.

Sleep Med. 2009 Aug;10(7):694-704. Epub 2009 Mar 19. Yeung WF, Chung KF, Leung YK, Zhang SP, Law AC. Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Full Title: Power spectral frequency and coherence abnormalities in patients with intractable epilepsy and their usefulness in long-term remediation of seizures using neurofeedback

Medically intractable seizures appear to be highly correlated with focal slow activity (delta or theta). They also correlate highly with decreases in the coherence of theta. Normalization of focal slowing and of decreased theta coherence will probably be the neurofeedback approaches most likely to decrease or eliminate seizures in future cases. Neurofeedback has been used for over 35 years to reduce the incidence and severity of seizures. With power training to decrease theta and increase the sensorimotor rhythm (12-15 Hz), an average of 82% of patients experienced a significant reduction in seizure frequency, and occasional remissions were seen. Recent improvements using QEEG to guide neurofeedback training have made it possible to eliminate seizures in most patients, even those with intractable seizures. Following our previous study in 2005, we report an additional 25 patients so treated. We also report an analysis of the frequency of QEEG abnormalities in this patient group. All of the intractable epileptic patients had one or more slow foci (excessive theta or delta compared with the normal database). One third had a relative deficiency of beta power. One fourth had a deficiency of absolute delta. Eighteen percent had excessive absolute alpha power, 18% had deficient absolute alpha power, 18% percent had excessive absolute beta power, and 18% percent had deficient absolute beta power. Hypocoherence of theta was found in 75%, and decreases in alpha coherence were noted in 42%. Hypocoherence of beta was found in 50%, and hypocoherence of delta was found in 25%. Increases in alpha coherence were noted in 33%. Seventeen percent had no coherence abnormalities. When most of the power and coherence abnormalities were normalized with neurofeedback training, all the patients became seizure-free; 76% no longer required an anticonvulsant for seizure control.

Clin EEG Neurosci. 2008 Oct;39(4):203-5. Walker JE. Neurotherapy Center of Dallas, 12870 Hillcrest, Dallas, Texas 75230, USA. admin@neurotherapydallas.com

We examined two potential correlates of hypnotic suggestibility: dissociation and cognitive inhibition. Dissociation is the foundation of two of the major theories of hypnosis and other theories commonly postulate that hypnotic responding is a result of attentional abilities (including inhibition). Participants were administered the Waterloo-Stanford Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form C. Under the guise of an unrelated study, 180 of these participants also completed: a version of the Dissociative Experiences Scale that is normally distributed in non-clinical populations; a latent inhibition task, a spatial negative priming task, and a memory task designed to measure negative priming. The data ruled out even moderate correlations between hypnotic suggestibility and all the measures of dissociation and cognitive inhibition overall, though they also indicated gender differences. The results are a challenge for existing theories of hypnosis.

Conscious Cogn. 2009 Dec;18(4):837-47. Epub 2009 Aug 25. Dienes Z, Brown E, Hutton S, Kirsch I, Mazzoni G, Wright DB. School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QH, UK. dienes@sussex.ac.uk

This study investigated sudden gains, i.e., rapid and stable improvements, in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms that may occur in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Twenty-nine of 72 participants (39.2%) experienced a sudden gain during treatment. Mixed model ANOVAs analyzed sudden gains impact on clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity, patient-rated PTSD symptom severity, and patient-rated depressive symptom severity. Sudden gains in PTSD symptomology were associated with greater reductions in PTSD symptom severity for the avoidance/numbing and hyperarousal symptom clusters at posttreatment. By 6-month follow-up, the sudden gains group had maintained those reductions in symptoms, but the nonsudden gains group had achieved equal reductions in symptom severity. Participants experiencing sudden gains on PTSD measures had lower depression severity at posttreatment and follow-up.

J Trauma Stress. 2009 Aug;22(4):287-93. Kelly KA, Rizvi SL, Monson CM, Resick PA. Women's Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.

by Coach Cary Bayer

Whenever I teach my 6-CE workshop, "Build a $100,000 a Year Healing Arts Business in Just 1 Hour a Day," I take two hours to awaken prosperity and success thinking in the facilitators in my classroom. I do that because the overwhelming majority of healers I've come across-now numbering in the thousands-do not think this way naturally. I often say that a slowed down economy is not a problem for such therapists. The problem is how a healer thinks, speaks, and acts about it.

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Full Title: The effect of expressive and instrumental touch on the behavior states of older adults with late-stage dementia of the Alzheimer's type and on music therapist's perceived rapport

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of music therapy interventions utilizing two types of touch, expressive touch and instrumental touch, on the behavior states of older adults who have late-stage dementia of the Alzheimer's type. A secondary purpose of this study was to examine the perceived effectiveness of the music therapist when expressive and instrumental touch was employed during music therapy sessions. A within-subject design was used with 9 participants receiving 3 sessions in each of the experimental conditions: no touch, expressive touch, and instrumental touch. Results of a one-way ANOVA revealed that expressive touch was significantly more effective during the initial session in eliciting and maintaining alert behavior states than the instrumental and control conditions; however, there were no significant differences between the experimental and control conditions during the first and second session repetitions. Rapport ratings revealed that the therapist's client rapport was perceived to be significantly higher during both the expressive touch and instrumental touch conditions than during the control condition. These findings have important implications for music therapy practice and the effective use of nonverbal communication.

J Music Ther. 2009 Summer;46(2):132-46. Belgrave M. The Florida State University, FL, USA.

Babette Rothschild has been a practicing psychotherapist and body-psychotherapist since 1976 and a California Licensed clinical Social Worker since 1978. She is a member of the International and European Societies for Traumatic Stress Studies, the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists and the National Association of Social Workers. Babette has trained extensively in Transactional Analysis, Gestalt Therapy, Psychodrama, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and Somatic Experiencing, and is a certified Bodynamic Analyst and certified Radix Teacher.

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OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify short-term and long-term determinants of costs and pain improvement for care of low back pain (LBP) provided by medical doctors (MDs) and chiropractors (DCs). METHODS: Determinants of office-based costs and pain improvement were modeled for 2872 patients with primary complaint of acute or chronic LBP of mechanical origin enrolled from practices of 111 MDs and 60 DCs using multiple regression analysis. The independent variables were baseline pain intensity (10 cm visual analog scale), chronicity (current episode > or <7 weeks), referred pain above/below the knee, history of LBP, physical health, depression screen, comorbidity, and stress index; age, sex, married, and smoker; pay variables including out-of-pocket, health insurance, auto insurance, Workers' Compensation, and Oregon Health Plan/Medicaid; and a choice of provider indicator based on relative confidence in DC and MD care. RESULTS: Determinants of increased office-based costs for MD care were Workers' Compensation, pain below the knee, and chronic LBP with comorbidity. Predictors of increased cost for DC care were Workers' Compensation, auto and health insurance, LBP chronicity, and baseline pain. Predictors of decreased DC cost were Medicaid and better physical health. Pain improvement was predicted consistently across groups by baseline pain, pain radiating below the knee, physical health, LBP chronicity, and chronicity by baseline pain interaction. There was also a large chronicity by comorbidity interaction at 12 months for both provider types. CONCLUSIONS: Cost predictors were driven by insurance type and pain improvement was driven by LBP complaint characteristics.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009 May;32(4):252-61. Sharma R, Haas M, Stano M, Spegman A, Gehring R. Department of Economics, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207, USA. sharmar@pdx.edu

by Jon Rhodes

The fear of crowds is an anxiety disorder which can severely limit the lifestyle of the sufferer. Those who suffer from this fear usually have several symptoms when in or approaching a crowd. These include heightened alertness, increased anxiety, nausea, headaches, excessive sweating, shortness of breath, shaking, and chest pains.

This leads to those who have a fear of crowds avoiding situations where they may have to confront there fears. Crowded places such as public transport, shopping malls and busy streets are avoided at all cost. If this fear is left untreated, sufferers can find smaller and smaller groups of people affecting them to the point where just a handful of people is perceived as a 'crowd' that must be avoided. This can lead to isolation and depression. This is why it is so important to treat a fear of crowds as soon as possible.

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Full Title: Risk of vertebrobasilar stroke and chiropractic care: results of a population-based case-control and case-crossover study

STUDY DESIGN: Population-based, case-control and case-crossover study. OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between chiropractic visits and vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stroke and to contrast this with primary care physician (PCP) visits and VBA stroke. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Chiropractic care is popular for neck pain and headache, but may increase the risk for VBA dissection and stroke. Neck pain and headache are common symptoms of VBA dissection, which commonly precedes VBA stroke. METHODS: Cases included eligible incident VBA strokes admitted to Ontario hospitals from April 1, 1993 to March 31, 2002. Four controls were age and gender matched to each case. Case and control exposures to chiropractors and PCPs were determined from health billing records in the year before the stroke date. In the case-crossover analysis, cases acted as their own controls. RESULTS: There were 818 VBA strokes hospitalized in a population of more than 100 million person-years. In those aged <45 years, cases were about three times more likely to see a chiropractor or a PCP before their stroke than controls. Results were similar in the case control and case crossover analyses. There was no increased association between chiropractic visits and VBA stroke in those older than 45 years. Positive associations were found between PCP visits and VBA stroke in all age groups. Practitioner visits billed for headache and neck complaints were highly associated with subsequent VBA stroke. CONCLUSION: VBA stroke is a very rare event in the population. The increased risks of VBA stroke associated with chiropractic and PCP visits is likely due to patients with headache and neck pain from VBA dissection seeking care before their stroke. We found no evidence of excess risk of VBA stroke associated chiropractic care compared to primary care.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009 Feb;32(2 Suppl):S201-8. Cassidy JD, Boyle E, Côté P, He Y, Hogg-Johnson S, Silver FL, Bondy SJ. Centre of Research Expertise for Improved Disability Outcomes, University Health Network Rehabilitation Solutions, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada. dcassidy@uhnresearch.ca

By Dr. Alexander R. Lees, DCH, RCC

We just completed a workshop and a good time was had by all. One of the issues that people wanted to discuss, and get a better understanding of, was how they as the practitioner, can help the client to relax and be able to better articulate why they've come to see him/her.

From my experience of teaching for many years, this is a common issue for many... practitioners sometimes have trouble helping the client be resourceful. The client has difficulty describing the issue or problem, and also accessing any feelings or emotions regarding the issue.

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Full Title: EEG findings during special psychical state (Qi Gong state) by means of compressed spectral array and topographic mapping

Wallace first reported the changes in EEG during transcendental mediation [6]. Banquet [1] observed, on the basis of spectral analysis of the EEG, that the mediation state was a unique state of consciousness, and separate from wakefulness, drowsiness or sleep. The Qi Gong of China is not the same as either transcendental mediation or the Yoga Gong. The EEG during Qi Gong state is clearly different from those recorded during the resting state. The changes in the EEG during the Qi Gong have not been reported previously. The EEG alpha activity during the Qi Gong state occurs predominantly in the anterior regions. The peak frequency of EEG alpha rhythm is slower than the resting state. The change of EEG during Qi Gong between anterior and posterior half is negative correlation. These changes are statistically significant.

Comput Biol Med. 1988;18(6):455-63. Zhang JZ, Zhao J, He QN. Computer Laboratory, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.

Full Title: The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture therapy in depressive disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Although acupuncture has been used as an alternative treatment for depressive disorders, its effectiveness and safety are not well defined. The purpose of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture as monotherapy and as an additional therapy in treating various depressive conditions, particularly major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-stroke depression (PSD). METHODS: Following systematic review, meta-analysis was conducted on high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RESULTS: Of 207 clinical studies of acupuncture for various depression retrieved, 113 (54.6%) were on MDD and 76 (36.7%) on PSD. Twenty RCTs of MDD (n=1998) and 15 of PSD (n=1680) identified for high-quality protocol (Jadad score >/=3) were included for meta-analysis. The efficacy of acupuncture as monotherapy was comparable to antidepressants alone in improving clinical response and alleviating symptom severity of MDD, but not different from sham acupuncture. No sufficient evidence favored the expectation that acupuncture combined with antidepressants could yield better outcomes than antidepressants alone in treating MDD. Acupuncture was superior to antidepressants and waitlist controls in improving both response and symptom severity of PSD. The incidence of adverse events in acupuncture intervention was significantly lower than antidepressants. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture therapy is safe and effective in treating MDD and PSD, and could be considered an alternative option for the two disorders. The efficacy in other forms of depression remains to be further determined.

J Affect Disord. 2009 Jul 24. Zhang ZJ, Chen HY, Yip KC, Ng R, Wong VT. School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

The objective of this work was to explore Neurofeedback (NFB) effects on EEG current sources in Learning Disabled (LD) children, and to corroborate its beneficial consequences on behavioral and cognitive performance. NFB was given in twenty 30-min sessions to 11 LD children to reduce their abnormally high theta/alpha ratios (Experimental Group). Another five LD children with the same characteristics received a placebo treatment (Control Group). In the Control Group no changes in behavior or EEG current source were observed. In the Experimental Group, immediately after treatment children showed behavioral and cognitive improvements, but current source analysis showed few modifications; however, 2 months after treatment many changes occurred: a decrease in current of frequencies within the theta band, mainly in left frontal and cingulate regions, and enhancement in current of frequencies within the alpha band, principally in the right temporal lobe and right frontal regions, and of frequencies within the beta band, mainly in left temporal, right frontal and cingulate cortex regions. In conclusion, NFB is a possibly efficacious treatment for LD children with an abnormally high theta/alpha ratio in any lead. The changes observed in EEG current sources may reflect the neurophysiological bases of the improvement that children experienced in their behavioral and cognitive activities.

Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2007 Dec;32(3-4):169-83. Epub 2007 Nov 3. An exploratory study.Fernández T, Harmony T, Fernández-Bouzas A, Díaz-Comas L, Prado-Alcalá RA, Valdés-Sosa P, Otero G, Bosch J, Galán L, Santiago-Rodríguez E, Aubert E, García-Martínez F. Departamento de Neurobiología Conductual y Cognitiva, Instituto de Neurobiología, Campus UNAM-UAQ, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Boulevard Juriquilla # 3001, Juriquilla, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico. thalia@servidor.unam.mx

by Tim Brunson, PhD

Change is natural. It naturally occurs all around us. Gas prices go up. We weather the mortgage and housing crises. And, violent crimes are increasing in most major cities. Regardless whether of the political party changes, there will have a different president in the White House a minimum of every eight years. Change is not a campaign slogan, it is part of life. It seems nothing in life is permanent other than change.

I vividly remember watching the last Olympics. There were young men and women from around the globe. These were people, like Michael Phelps, who dared to dream and commit to winning multiple gold medals. These are people who have changed themselves and motivated millions. Many are heroes to their countrymen, their families and even to themselves. They've mastered change.

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Participants of low and high hypnotic susceptibility were tested on a temporal order judgement task, both with and without hypnosis. Judgements were made of the order of presentation of light flashes appearing in first one hemi-field then the other. There were differences in the inter-stimulus intervals required accurately to report the order, depending upon which hemi-field led. This asymmetry was most marked in hypnotically susceptible participants and reversed when they were hypnotised. This implies not only that brain activity changes in hypnosis, but also that there is a difference in brain function between people of low and high hypnotic susceptibility. The latter exhibited a faster-acting left hemisphere in the waking state, but faster right when hypnotised.

Conscious Cogn. 2009 Nov 7. Naish PL. Dept. of Psychology, The Open University, Briggs Building, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom.

Full Title: Cognitive-behavioral group therapy is an effective treatment for major depression in hemodialysis patients

Depression is an important target of psychological assessment in patients with end-stage renal disease because it predicts their morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. We assessed the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy in chronic hemodialysis patients diagnosed with major depression by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). In a randomized trial conducted in Brazil, an intervention group of 41 patients was given 12 weekly sessions of cognitive-behavioral group therapy led by a trained psychologist over 3 months while a control group of 44 patients received the usual treatment offered in the dialysis unit. In both groups, the Beck Depression Inventory, the MINI, and the Kidney Disease and Quality of Life-Short Form questionnaires were administered at baseline, after 3 months of intervention or usual treatment, and after 9 months of follow-up. The intervention group had significant improvements, compared to the control group, in the average scores of the Beck Depression Inventory overall scale, MINI scores, and in quality-of-life dimensions that included the burden of renal disease, sleep, quality of social interaction, overall health, and the mental component summary. We conclude that cognitive-behavioral group therapy is an effective treatment of depression in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Kidney Int. 2009 Aug;76(4):414-21. Epub 2009 May 20. Duarte PS, Miyazaki MC, Blay SL, Sesso R. Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. psduarte@nefro.epm.br

by Jon C. Mejia

We are all familiar with the concept of ying and yang, consciousness and unconsciousness, ebb and flow. In yoga, the asanas we strive to perfect with our bodies speak to our deep desire to perfect and unite our mind, body and spirit. And yet, often in spite of years of dedicated practice, many of us find that our mind remains unruly, capricious and, at times, decidedly unfriendly to our stated goal of peacefulness and calm. Why is that?

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This contribution focuses on the definition of music therapy as a specific applicative context to be seen as distinct from the generic use of music in a variety of pathologies. Music therapy is presented as a discipline grounded both upon relationship and upon the theoretical-methodological principles peculiar to each applicative model. The therapeutic nature proper to music therapy is highlighted with specific reference to the domain of the dementias. Music therapy facilitates expression, communication and relationship in the non-verbal context. Such an opportunity allows persons with dementia to establish contact, to express, and even contrive an organisation/regulation of their emotions, through the sonorous-musical relationship with the music therapist. On the basis of a brief analysis of the relevant literature, attention is drawn to the importance of both evidence-based clinical practice and music therapy evaluations, aimed at proving the effectiveness of music therapy, while promoting its correct application.

Curr Alzheimer Res. 2009 Jun;6(3):293-301. Raglio A, Gianelli MV. Sospiro Foundation and INTERDEM Group (Psycho-Social Interventions in Dementia), Cremona, Italy. raglioa@tin.it

R. Reid Wilson, PhD is a licensed psychologist who directs the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center in Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina. He is also Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

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Full Title: Running posture and step length changes immediately after chiropractic treatment in a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum

OBJECTIVE: This case study reports on selected measures of locomotion (running) in a 5-year-old patient with xeroderma pigmentosum after chiropractic care. CLINICAL FEATURE: A 5-year-old female patient (16.4 kg, 99.1 cm) with xeroderma pigmentosum (type A) volunteered to participate in the experiment with the consent of her parents. The patient had well-documented signs of delayed fine motor (eg, difficulty with writing, coloring, cutting) and gross motor control (eg, balance and coordination dysfunction and falling while running), and delayed speech. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES: Trunk forward lean angles, step lengths, and hip horizontal translations were assessed by video as the participant ran as fast as possible down a laboratory runway. After chiropractic manipulation (adjustments), the patient reduced the trunk forward lean angle to become more vertical (P = .000). In addition, the patient experienced an increase in step length (P = .031). No significant change in lateral translation was observed after the intervention. CONCLUSION: For this patient with xeroderma pigmentosum, chiropractic manipulation (adjustments) resulted in immediate changes in running performance. Further investigation is needed to examine the effect of chiropractic on locomotion in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2009 Jan;32(1):93-8. Smith DL, Walsh M, Smith JP. Essence of Wellness Chiropractic Center, Eaton, Ohio 45320, USA. drdean@essenceofwellness.com

by Mark Gorkin, LICSW

Transforming the Conventional into the Creative: Discovering and Designing the "Bright Crystals" of Contradiction

These days everyone wants to be creative, to "think out of the box." But how do you walk the talk? As a workshop leader who often tries to give organizations a "Jolt of CPR: Being Creative, Passionate and Risk-Taking," let me share one concept that just might be an integral component of creative thinking and problem-solving. On stage, I like to introduce this concept through a thought-provoking and, possibly, unsettling exercise that was inspired by the research of Dr. Albert Rothenberg, as reported in his book The Emerging Goddess: Creativity in the Sciences and the Arts. (The title evokes the mythic imagery of Athena, Greek goddess of both war and creativity, being born full-sized from the head of her almighty father, Zeus.) This Yale Psychiatrist and Cognitive Psychologist found that subjects who responded with more opposites or antonyms in a word association test – e.g., "wet" to the word "dry" or "fast" to the word "slow" – had higher scores on certain creative personality measures than subjects generating mostly synonyms or "original" responses. (Rothenberg's sample was fairly small and at most his results can be suggestive. My casual workshop trials indicate that usually less than ten percent of the audience free associate predominantly with antonyms. Of course, I remind participants that this is only one informal measure of creativity.) Considering the small or informal sample size, nonetheless, why might there be a correlation between contradictory association and personality differentiation? To expand your worldview and problem-solving vision, consider these Seven Cognitive Complexity Keys for Transforming the Conventional into the Creative:

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The 'default mode' network refers to cortical areas that are active in the absence of goal-directed activity. In previous studies, decreased activity in the 'default mode' has always been associated with increased activation in task-relevant areas. We show that the induction of hypnosis can reduce anterior default mode activity during rest without increasing activity in other cortical regions. We assessed brain activation patterns of high and low suggestible people while resting in the fMRI scanner and while engaged in visual tasks, in and out of hypnosis. High suggestible participants in hypnosis showed decreased brain activity in the anterior parts of the default mode circuit. In low suggestible people, hypnotic induction produced no detectable changes in these regions, but instead deactivated areas involved in alertness. The findings indicate that hypnotic induction creates a distinctive and unique pattern of brain activation in highly suggestible subjects.

Conscious Cogn. 2009 Dec;18(4):848-55. Epub 2009 Sep 25. McGeown WJ, Mazzoni G, Venneri A, Kirsch I. Department of Psychology, University of Hull, UK.

Full Title: "Overeating is Not About the Food": Women Describe Their Experience of a Yoga Treatment Program for Binge Eating

As part of a larger mixed-methods study, data from 20 personal journals were analyzed to examine the experience of a 12-week yoga treatment program for binge eating among a sample of 25 women who were obese. Qualitative analysis revealed a positive shift experienced by the women during the program, summarized by a general structural description: disconnection versus connection. Women's comments suggested that the program appeared to encourage a healthy reconnection to food, as well as the development of physical self-empowerment, through cultivating present-moment awareness. Specifically, women perceived an overall reduction in the quantity of food they consumed, decreased eating speed, and an improvement in food choices throughout the program. The women also reported feeling more connected to and positive about their physical well-being. These evolving outcomes were summarized through two major themes: the way their physicality changed, and the way their food consumption changed over time. Findings provide insights relevant to therapeutic processes that might occur within eating disorder interventions that draw on meditation-based approaches.

Qual Health Res. 2009 Sep;19(9):1234-45. McIver S, McGartland M, O'Halloran P. Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

by David Kohlhagen LPC, NBCCH

Part 2: The Session

The Status Quo

That brings us full circle to Saturday, August 22, 2009. At that time I was reading everything I could about having my book, Force of Habit, published, and I was giving it a final edit in preparation for submitting it to publishers. I was beginning to write professional articles for publication and I was completely overhauling my website around the book and around my new professional identity as an institute. I was repositioning myself for a life of doing mind/body healing work, public speaking, education and training, and professional writing. It was at once a very exciting and exhilarating and a very intimidating and anxiety provoking prospect. I sometimes didn't feel ready for the pressure and the exposure that I was moving toward; it felt overwhelming to be utterly on my own, teaching and writing from my own school of thought and treatment, and flying in the face of non-holistic medical and healing practices. I also felt suffocated by the pressures and stresses of family life, stifled by the power of prevailing medical thinking and daunted by the competition in the holistic healing field. There are so many notables! If all my projects were to reach fruition I needed to be free of this bothersome and nagging health issue. Metaphorically, the asthma seemed to symbolize my reluctance and fear about the next step in my career. It was holding me back and draining my energy.

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Full Title: Quantitative application of transverse friction massage and its neurological effects on flexor carpi radialis

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of transverse friction massage (TFM) on flexor carpi radialis (FCR) motoneuron (MN) pool excitability. Twenty-eight healthy subjects were randomly assigned into massage and control groups. Pre- vs post-TFM H-reflex data were collected. Controls received a rest period instead of massage. Massage dose was standardized by a novel electronic method which recorded the massage rate, momentary pressure and total cumulative pressure (energy). Two-way ANOVA of H/M ratios derived from maximal amplitudes of Hoffman reflexes (Hmax) and motor responses (Mmax) was used to analyze neurological effects and group differences. Analysis of pressure/time curve data showed: mean massage rate was 0.501+/-0.005 Hz; mean duration of massage sessions was 184.6+/-26.4s; mean peak pressure was 4.990+/-1.006 psi. Hmax/Mmax ratios declined from 14.3% to 10.3% for massage (P<0.01) but showed no change for controls (P>0.05). In conclusion a novel quantitative approach to the study of massage has been demonstrated while testing the effects of TFM on FCR MN pool excitability. TFM appears to reduce MN pool excitability. The novel method of quantifying massage permits more rigorous testing of client-centered massage in future research.

Man Ther. 2009 Oct;14(5):501-7. Epub 2008 Nov 22. Lee HM, Wu SK, You JY. Department of Physical Therapy, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC. hmlee@isu.edu.tw

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis is one of the most common health complaints worldwide. Complementary and alternative medical approaches have been employed to relieve allergic rhinitis symptoms and to avoid the side effects of conventional medication. Acupuncture has been widely used to treat patients with allergic rhinitis, but the available evidence of its effectiveness is insufficient. Our objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in patients in Korea and China with persistent allergic rhinitis compared to sham acupuncture treatment or waitlist control. METHODS: This study consists of a multi-centre (two centres in Korea and two centres in China), randomised, controlled trial with three parallel arms (active acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and waitlist group). The active acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups will receive real or sham acupuncture treatment, respectively, three times per week for a total of 12 sessions over four weeks. Post-treatment follow-up will be performed a month later to complement these 12 acupuncture sessions. Participants in the waitlist group will not receive real or sham acupuncture treatments during this period but will only be required to keep recording their symptoms in a daily diary. After four weeks, the same treatment given to the active acupuncture group will be provided to the waitlist group. DISCUSSION: This trial will provide evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for persistent allergic rhinitis. The primary outcome between groups is a change in the self-reported total nasal symptom score (i.e., nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, sneezing, and itching) from baseline at the fourth week. Secondary outcome measures include the Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire score and total non-nasal symptom score (i.e., headache, itching, pain, eye-dropping). The quantity of conventional relief medication used during the follow-up period is another secondary outcome measure. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN90807007.

Trials. 2009 Jul 14;10:54. Kim JI, Lee MS, Jung SY, Choi JY, Lee S, Ko JM, Zhao H, Zhao J, Kim AR, Shin MS, Kang KW, Jung HJ, Kim TH, Liu B, Choi SM. Medical Research Centre, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. hann8400@hanmail.net