Suzy Chiazzari is recognised as a leader in the field of Holistic Design and Colour Therapy. She is the author of seven books on holistic living, Colour Scents, Flower Psychometry and Colour therapy. Her work has been featured on radio, television and in many newspapers and magazines. She is a gifted and experienced healer, international lecturer and workshop leader. Suzy is on the panel of experts for several magazines and also on the international board for the association for Holistic Design and founder of the International Wheel of Colour Association (IWOC). She began painting and drawing at an early age, and later lived and worked in an ecological village self-help scheme supported by UNESCO, in India. Suzy returned to London where she obtained her first degree in Education specialising in the Visual Arts, but later returned to college to study Interior Design and Creative Perfumery with a leading Perfume house. For several years, she ran her own design consultancy in London specialising in creating healing homes and work interiors using colour and environmental design. Her personal experience of the therapeutic use of colour led her to study Colour Therapy to advanced level accredited by the Institute of Complementary Medicine and later she explored and researched the links between colour therapy healing and other complementary therapies including Aromatherapy, Flower Essences and Herbal Medicine.

Suzy is now a respected member of many organisations including the International Association of Colour, British Flower and Vibrational Essence Association and Association of Stress Consultants and Associate Member of the British Institute of Architects (RIBA). She is also the founder of The International Wheel of Colour (IWOC). In 1992 Suzy moved to Devon, England, where she founded The Holistic Design Institute and Iris School of Colour Therapy which she now runs. She also offers a Summer programme of practical seminars and master classes which are attended by people from all over the world.

For more information visit: www.IrisColour.co.uk.

This article reviews a technological advance that originates from two areas of ongoing neuroimaging innovation-(1) the use of multivariate supervised learning to decode brain states and (2) real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI). The approach uses multivariate methods to train a model capable of decoding a subject's brain state from fMRI images. The decoded brain states can be used as a control signal for a brain computer interface (BCI) or to provide neurofeedback to the subject. The ability to adapt the stimulus during the fMRI experiment adds a new level of flexibility for task paradigms and has potential applications in a number of areas, including performance enhancement, rehabilitation, and therapy. Multivariate approaches to real-time fMRI are complementary to region-of-interest (ROI)-based methods and provide a principled method for dealing with distributed patterns of brain responses. Specifically, a multivariate approach is advantageous when network activity is expected, when mental strategies could vary from individual to individual, or when one or a few ROIs are not unequivocally the most appropriate for the investigation. Beyond highlighting important developments in rtfMRI and supervised learning, the article discusses important practical issues, including implementation considerations, existing resources, and future challenges and opportunities. Some possible future directions are described, calling for advances arising from increased experimental flexibility, improvements in predictive modeling, better comparisons across rtfMRI and other BCI implementations, and further investigation of the types of feedback and degree to which interface modulation is obtainable for various tasks.

Neuroimage. 2011 May 15;56(2):440-54. Epub 2010 Jun 30. LaConte SM. Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. slaconte@cpu.bcm.edu

Cathal O'Briain is a registered hypnotherapist and psychotherapist. He is Honorary Secretary of the Hypnotherapy Association in Ireland. As an active campaigner for the regulation of all 'psychological therapies' in Ireland, he works closely with the ICHP PGA who are in regular talks with the Irish Government over the proposed recognition, expansion and regulation of hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and many other psychological professions. He writes for Insight Magazine Australia, AHP Perspective Magazine Canada (Association for Humanistic Psychology), USA Today, Alternate Perceptions Magazine USA', Mercury Magazine UK, Synergy Magazine Canada, Think Big Magazine Australia and many more, including daily international blogs, articles and columns on matters concerning mental health.

For more information visit: www.wix.com/therapistireland/cathalobriain.

BACKGROUND: Although acupuncture sensation (also known as de qi) is a cornerstone of traditional acupuncture therapy, most research has accepted the traditional method of defining acupuncture sensation only through subjective patient reports rather than on any quantifiable physiological basis. Purpose To preliminarily investigate the frequency of key sensations experienced while needling to specific, quantifiable tissue levels (TLs) guided by ultrasound (US) imaging. METHODS: Five participants received needling at two acupuncture points and two control points at four TLs. US scans were used to determine when each TL was reached. Each volunteer completed 32 sets of modified Southampton Needle Sensation Questionnaires. Part one of the study tested sensations experienced at each TL and part two compared the effect of oscillation alone versus oscillation + rotation. RESULTS: In all volunteers, the frequency of pricking, sharp sensations was significantly greater in shallower TLs than deeper (p=0.007); the frequency of sensations described as deep, dull and heavy, as spreading, and as electric shocks was significantly greater in deeper TLs than shallower (p=0.002). Sensations experienced did not significantly differ between real and control points within each of three TLs (p>0.05) except TL 4 (p=0.006). The introduction of needle rotation significantly increased deep, dull, heavy sensations, but not pricking and sharp sensations; within each level, the spectrum of sensation experienced during both oscillation + rotation and oscillation alone did not significantly differ between acupuncture and control points. CONCLUSION: The preliminary study indicates a strong connection between acupuncture sensation and both tissue depth and needle rotation. Furthermore, the new methodology has been proven feasible. A further study with an objective measurement is warranted.

Acupunct Med. 2011 Jun 4. Park JJ, Akazawa M, Ahn J, Beckman-Harned S, Lin FC, Lee K, Fine J, Davis RT, Langevin H. 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.

As part of a wider argument that history is essential to psychological understanding because of the reflexive nature of psychological knowledge, this article examines the case of mesmerism in early Victorian Britain as an example of how psychological knowledge is both constructive and constructed. It is argued that the shift from "mesmerism" to "hypnotism" was a change in understanding that created a new kind of psychological experience. It is also argued that demonstrations of mesmerism, far from being self-evident facts, could be framed as evidence either for or against the central claims of mesmerism. It is concluded that the case of mesmerism in early Victorian Britain provides a further example of the need for historical understanding within Psychology.

Hist Psychol. 2010 Nov;13(4):393-408. Lamont P. Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. peter.lamont@Ed.ac.uk

Full title: Effects of mindfulness meditation training on anticipatory alpha modulation in primary somatosensory cortex.

During selective attention, ~7-14Hz alpha rhythms are modulated in early sensory cortices, suggesting a mechanistic role for these dynamics in perception. Here, we investigated whether alpha modulation can be enhanced by "mindfulness" meditation (MM), a program training practitioners in sustained attention to body and breath-related sensations. We hypothesized that participants in the MM group would exhibit enhanced alpha power modulation in a localized representation in the primary somatosensory neocortex in response to a cue, as compared to participants in the control group. Healthy subjects were randomized to 8-weeks of MM training or a control group. Using magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recording of the SI finger representation, we found meditators demonstrated enhanced alpha power modulation in response to a cue. This finding is the first to show enhanced local alpha modulation following sustained attentional training, and implicates this form of enhanced dynamic neural regulation in the behavioral effects of meditative practice.

Brain Res Bull. 2011 May 30;85(3-4):96-103. Epub 2011 Apr 8. Kerr CE, Jones SR, Wan Q, Pritchett DL, Wasserman RH, Wexler A, Villanueva JJ, Shaw JR, Lazar SW, Kaptchuk TJ, Littenberg R, Hämäläinen MS, Moore CI. Harvard Osher Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Full title: EEG Biofeedback Treatment Improves Certain Attention and Somatic Symptoms in Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study.

Fibromyalgia (FMS) is a chronic, painful disorder often associated with measurable deficiencies in attention. Since EEG biofeedback (EEG-BF) has been used successfully to treat attention problems, we reasoned that this modality might be helpful in the treatment of attention problems in FMS. We also speculated that improvement in central nervous system (CNS) function might be accompanied by improvement in FMS somatic symptoms. We studied fifteen FMS patients with attention problems, demonstrated by visual and auditory continuous performance testing (CPT), while completing 40 or more EEG-BF sessions. Training consisted of a "SMR protocol" that augmented 12-15 Hz brainwaves (sensory motor rhythm; SMR), while simultaneously inhibiting 4-7 Hz brainwaves (theta) and 22-30 Hz brainwaves (high beta). Serial measurements of pain, fatigue, psychological distress, morning stiffness, and tenderness were also obtained. Sixty-three FMS patients who received standard medical care, but who did not receive EEG-BF, served as controls. Visual, but not auditory, attention improved significantly (P < 0.008). EEG-BF treated subjects also showed improvement in tenderness, pain and fatigue. Somatic symptoms did not change significantly in controls. Visual attention parameters and certain somatic features of FMS appear to improve with an EEG-BF SMR protocol. EEG-BF training in FMS deserves further study.

Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2011 Jun 9. Caro XJ, Winter EF. David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA, xjcaro@earthlink.net.

Full title: Between psychology and pedagogy: "moral orthopedics" and case studies of children in fin-de-siècle French medicine.

In the latter decades of the 19th century, European physicians debated a controversial practice that mixed placebos with suggestion therapy to treat children diagnosed with neurotic disorders and behavioral problems. Designed to optimize suggestibility in juvenile patients, this "moral orthopedics" offered parents and therapists the message that children could be saved from becoming victims of their own personalities, of familial neuroses, or even of public health problems. Case studies, published in medical journals and books, circulated accounts of innovative strategies to treat childhood hysteria and to change habits that were considered destructive. Moral orthopedics actualized the insight that suggestibility could be therapeutically productive for juvenile subjects. However, because its adherents sought to manipulate patients' behavior and health by influencing unconscious thought, moral orthopedics provoked questions of expertise and disciplinary propriety among domains of medicine, law, and philosophy. This article reconstructs the controversy surrounding moral orthopedics by examining case studies. I argue that adherents of moral orthopedics did overcome philosophical objections raised against the method, and that they did so through what physician Edgar B6rillon referred to as "education of the will."

Hist Psychol. 2011 Feb;14(1):26-52. Rose AC. Department of History, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI 49401, USA. crestienne@gmail.com

Aim: Infantile colic is a prevalent and distressing condition for which there is no proven standard therapy. The aim of this paper is to review medical and conventional treatments for infantile colic. Methods: A systematic literature review was undertaken of studies on medical and conventional interventions for infantile colic from 1980 to March 2009. The results and methodological rigour of included studies were analysed using the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials) 2001 statement checklist and Centre for Evidence Based Medicine critical appraisal tools. Results: Nineteen studies and two literature reviews were included for review. Pharmacological studies on Simethicone gave conflicting results and with Dicyclomine hydrochloride and Cimetropium bromide results were favourable but side effects were noted along with issues in study methodology. Some nutritional studies reported favourable results for the use of hydrolysed formulas in bottle-fed infants or low-allergen maternal diets in breastfed infants but not for the use of additional fibre or lactase. There were several issues in regards to methodological rigour. Behavioural studies on the use of increased stimulation gave unfavourable results, whereas results from the use of decreased stimulation and contingent music were favourable. These studies demonstrated poor methodological rigour. Conclusion: There is some scientific evidence to support the use of a casein hydrolysate formula in formula-fed infants or a low-allergen maternal diet in breastfed infants with infantile colic. However, there is little scientific evidence to support the use of Simethicone, Dicyclomine hydrochloride, Cimetropium bromide, lactase, additional fibre or behavioural interventions. Further research of good methodological quality on low-allergenic formulas and maternal diets is indicated.

J Paediatr Child Health. 2011 Apr 7. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2011.02061.x. Hall B, Chesters J, Robinson A. Department of Rural and Indigenous Health, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Moe, Victoria, Australia.

Dr. Philip Holder is the president of Master's Center Institute of Hypnosis Sciences. He is a motivational speaker and published author. He has appeared in many magazines, on television, on talk radio, and is featured in a number of instructional tapes.

Dr. Holder is also one of the world's most highly respected Shaolin Kung Fu and meditation masters.

Full title: Clinical Neurofeedback: Case Studies, Proposed Mechanism, and Implications for Pediatric Neurology Practice.

Trends in alternative medicine use by American health care consumers are rising substantially. Extensive literature exists reporting on the effectiveness of neurofeedback in the treatment of autism, closed head injury, insomnia, migraine, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, epilepsy, and posttraumatic stress disorder. We speculated that neurofeedback might serve as a therapeutic modality for patients with medically refractory neurological disorders and have begun referring patients to train with clinical neurofeedback practitioners. The modality is not always covered by insurance. Confident their child's medical and neurological needs would continue to be met, the parents of 3 children with epilepsy spectrum disorder decided to have their child train in the modality. The children's individual progress following neurofeedback are each presented here. A proposed mechanism and practice implications are discussed.

J Child Neurol. 2011 May 16. Legarda SB, McMahon D, Othmer S, Othmer S. Georgetown University Medical Center, Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Washington, DC.

Dr. Steven Gurgevich is a psychologist specializing in Mind-Body Medicine. He is Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona, College of Medicine, and Director of The Mind-Body Clinic within Dr. Andrew Weil's Arizona Center of Integrative Medicine. Dr. Gurgevich continues his thirty-seven years of private practices at Behavioral Medicine, Ltd, and Sabino Canyon Integrative Medicine, LLC, in Tucson, Arizona. He is a Fellow, Approved Consultant, and faculty of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. Other memberships include: the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, the American Psychological Association, state and local psychological societies. Dr. Gurgevich's most recent book is Hypnosis House Call, which includes a 2-hour DVD. He is author of the Sounds True publications: The Self-Hypnosis Home Study Course, Relax Rx, Relieve Anxiety with Medical Hypnosis, The Self-Hypnosis Diet (audio), The Self-Hypnosis Diet (book, co-author Joy Gurgevich), and Heal Yourself with Medical Hypnosis (co-author Andrew Weil, MD) and Relieve Stress with Medical Hypnosis. He is also the author of over 60 titles of medical hypnosis applications published by Tranceformation Works' Healing with Hypnosis Series, numerous textbook chapters and professional papers about medical hypnosis.

For more information visit: HealingWithHypnosis.com.

Full title: Discrimination accuracy between real and sham needles using the Park sham device in the upper and lower limbs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the blinding effectiveness of the Park sham acupuncture device using participants' ability to discriminate between the real and sham acupuncture needles in the (1) upper limb (TE points) compared with pure guessing and (2) lower limb (BL points) compared with pure guessing. METHODS: 20 healthy acupuncture-naïve university students and staff were recruited through convenience sampling. Participants made Yes-No judgements on whether the real or sham needle was administered to four TE acupoints on the dominant upper limb, and four acupoints along the BL meridian on the dominant lower limb. The proportion of correct judgements, P(C), for each participant was calculated to indicate the discrimination accuracy of participants in distinguishing between the real and sham needles. Separate P(C) were computed for the upper limb acupoints and lower limb acupoints. The data were also pooled to calculate a P(C) for a combination of both body regions. RESULTS: The participants' discrimination accuracy between the real and sham needles was not statistically significant from P(C)=0.5 (chance level) for the lower limb alone and combined body regions' acupoint comparisons (lower limb: t(19)=0.00, unadjusted p=1.00; combined: t(19)=1.75, unadjusted p=0.10). However, the participants' discrimination accuracy was statistically significant from P(C)=0.5 for the upper limb acupoints alone comparison (t(19)=2.36, unadjusted p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the Park sham device is more likely to blind participants in differentiating between the real and sham needles in the lower limb (BL meridian) acupoints than in the upper limb (TE meridian). However, the participants' ability to differentiate between the needle types for the upper limb acupoints was significantly different from chance levels.

Acupunct Med. 2011 Jun 7. Tan CW, Sheehan P, Santos D. School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety during pregnancy is a common problem. Anxiety and stress could have consequences on the course of the pregnancy and the later development of the child. Anxiety responds well to treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy and/or medication. Non-pharmacological interventions such as mind-body interventions, known to decrease anxiety in several clinical situations, might be offered for treating and preventing anxiety during pregnancy. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits of mind-body interventions during pregnancy in preventing or treating women's anxiety and in influencing perinatal outcomes. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (30 November 2010), MEDLINE (1950 to 30 November 2010), EMBASE (1974 to 30 November 2010), the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) (1 December 2010), ClinicalTrials.gov (December 2010) and Current Controlled Trials (1 December 2010), searched the reference lists of selected studies and contacted professionals and authors in the field. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials, involving pregnant women of any age at any time from conception to one month after birth, comparing mind-body interventions with a control group. Mind-body interventions include: autogenic training, biofeedback, hypnotherapy, imagery, meditation, prayer, auto-suggestion, tai-chi and yoga. Control group includes: standard care, other pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions, other types of mind-body interventions or no treatment at all. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion all assessed risk of bias for each included study. We extracted data independently using an agreed form and checked it for accuracy. MAIN RESULTS: We included eight trials (556 participants), evaluating hypnotherapy (one trial), imagery (five trials), autogenic training (one trial) and yoga (one trial). Due to the small number of studies per intervention and to the diversity of outcome measurements, we performed no meta-analysis, and have reported results individually for each study. Compared with usual care, in one study (133 women), imagery may have a positive effect on anxiety during labor decreasing anxiety at the early and middle stages of labor (MD -1.46; 95% CI -2.43 to -0.49; one study, 133 women) and (MD -1.24; 95% CI -2.18 to -0.30). Another study showed that imagery had a positive effect on anxiety and depression in the immediate postpartum period. Autogenic training might be effective for decreasing women's anxiety before delivering. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Mind-body interventions might benefit women's anxiety during pregnancy. Based on individual studies, there is some but no strong evidence for the effectiveness of mind-body interventions for the management of anxiety during pregnancy. The main limitations of the studies were the lack of blinding and insufficient details on the methods used for randomization.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Jul 6;(7):CD007559. Marc I, Toureche N, Ernst E, Hodnett ED, Blanchet C, Dodin S, Njoya MM. Département de pédiatrie, Université Laval, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec, 2705 boulevard Laurier, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1V 4G2.

Electroencephalography (EEG)-neurofeedback has been shown to offer therapeutic benefits to patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in several, mostly uncontrolled studies. This pilot study is designed to test the feasibility and safety of using a double-blind placebo feedback-controlled design and to explore the initial efficacy of individualized EEG-neurofeedback training in children with ADHD. Fourteen children (8-15 years) with ADHD defined according to the DSM-IV-TR criteria were randomly allocated to 30 sessions of EEG-neurofeedback (n = 8) or placebo feedback (n = 6). Safety measures (adverse events and sleep problems), ADHD symptoms and global improvement were monitored. With respect to feasibility, all children completed the study and attended all study visits and training sessions. No significant adverse effects or sleep problems were reported. Regarding the expectancy, 75% of children and their parent(s) in the active neurofeedback group and 50% of children and their parent(s) in the placebo feedback group thought they received placebo feedback training. Analyses revealed significant improvements of ADHD symptoms over time, but changes were similar for both groups. This pilot study shows that it is feasible to conduct a rigorous placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of neurofeedback training in children with ADHD. However, a double-blind design may not be feasible since using automatic adjusted reward thresholds may not work as effective as manually adjusted reward thresholds. Additionally, implementation of active learning strategies may be an important factor for the efficacy of EEG-neurofeedback training. Based on the results of this pilot study, changes are made in the design of the ongoing study.

J Neural Transm. 2011 Feb;118(2):275-84. Epub 2010 Dec 17. Lansbergen MM, van Dongen-Boomsma M, Buitelaar JK, Slaats-Willemse D. Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. mariekelansbergen@hotmail.com

Full title: Examining Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Perceptions from Minority Older Adults Residing in a Low-income Housing Facility.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs are becoming increasingly common, but have not been studied in low income minority older populations. We sought to understand which parts of MBSR were most important to practicing MBSR members of this population, and to understand whether they apply their training to daily challenges. METHODS: We conducted three focus groups with 13 current members of an MBSR program. Participants were African American women over the age of 60 in a low-income housing residence. We tape recorded each session and subsequently used inductive content analysis to identify primary themes. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Analysis of the focus group responses revealed three primary themes: stress management, applying mindfulness, and the social support of the group meditation. The stressors they cited using MBSR with included growing older with physical pain, medical tests, financial strain, and having grandchildren with significant mental, physical, financial or legal hardships. We found that participants particularly used their MBSR training for coping with medical procedures, and managing both depression and anger. CONCLUSION: A reflective stationary intervention delivered in-residence could be an ideal mechanism to decrease stress in low-income older adult's lives and improve their health.

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2011 May 31;11(1):44. Szanton SL, Wenzel J, Connolly AB, Piferi RL.

Paced 0.1 Hz breathing causes high-amplitude HR oscillation, triggering resonance in the cardiovascular system (CVS). This oscillation is considered to be a primary therapeutic factor in HRV biofeedback treatments. This study examined whether rhythmical skeletal muscle tension (RSMT) can also cause 0.1 Hz resonance in the CVS, and compared oscillatory reactivity in CVS functions caused by RSMT and paced breathing (PB). Sixteen young healthy participants completed five tasks: baseline, three RSMT tasks at frequencies of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 Hz, and a 0.1 Hz PB task. ECG, respiration, finger pulse, and skin conductance data were collected. Results showed that 0.1 Hz RSMT as well as 0.1 Hz PB triggered resonance in the CVS and caused equivalent oscillations in all measured CVS functions, although in women, RSMT compared to PB caused lower HR oscillation. Clinical application of 0.1 Hz RSMT is discussed.

Psychophysiology. 2011 Jul;48(7):927-36. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2010.01156.x. Epub 2010 Dec 10. Vaschillo EG, Vaschillo B, Pandina RJ, Bates ME. Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.

Paced 0.1 Hz breathing causes high-amplitude HR oscillation, triggering resonance in the cardiovascular system (CVS). This oscillation is considered to be a primary therapeutic factor in HRV biofeedback treatments. This study examined whether rhythmical skeletal muscle tension (RSMT) can also cause 0.1 Hz resonance in the CVS, and compared oscillatory reactivity in CVS functions caused by RSMT and paced breathing (PB). Sixteen young healthy participants completed five tasks: baseline, three RSMT tasks at frequencies of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 Hz, and a 0.1 Hz PB task. ECG, respiration, finger pulse, and skin conductance data were collected. Results showed that 0.1 Hz RSMT as well as 0.1 Hz PB triggered resonance in the CVS and caused equivalent oscillations in all measured CVS functions, although in women, RSMT compared to PB caused lower HR oscillation. Clinical application of 0.1 Hz RSMT is discussed.

Psychophysiology. 2011 Jul;48(7):927-36. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2010.01156.x. Epub 2010 Dec 10. Vaschillo EG, Vaschillo B, Pandina RJ, Bates ME. Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.

Full title: Touching ethics: assessing the applicability of ethical rules for safe touch in CAM--outcomes of a CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) practitioner survey in Israel.

INTRODUCTION: Recently, ethical guidelines regarding safe touch in CAM were developed in Israel. Publishing ethical codes does not imply that they will actually help practitioners to meet ethical care standards. The effectiveness of ethical rules depends on familiarity with the code and its content. In addition, critical self-examination of the code by individual members of the profession is required to reflect on the moral commitments encompassed in the code. METHODS: For the purpose of dynamic self-appraisal, we devised a survey to assess how CAM practitioners view the suggested ethical guidelines for safe touch. We surveyed 781 CAM practitioners regarding their perspectives on the safe-touch code. RESULTS: There was a high level of agreement with general statements regarding ethics pertaining to safe touch with a mean rate of agreement of 4.61 out of a maximum of 5. Practitioners concurred substantially with practice guidelines for appropriate touch with a mean rate of agreement of 4.16 out of a maximum of 5. Attitudes toward the necessity to touch intimate areas for treatment purposes varied with 78.6% of respondents strongly disagreeing with any notion of need to touch intimate areas during treatment. 7.9% neither disagreed nor agreed, 7.9% slightly agreed, and 7.6% strongly agreed with the need for touching intimate areas during treatment. There was a direct correlation between disagreement with touching intimate areas for therapeutic purposes and agreement with general statements regarding ethics of safe touch (Spearman r=0.177, p<0.0001), and practice guidelines for appropriate touch (r=0.092, p=0.012). CONCLUSION: A substantial number of practitioners agreed with the code, although some findings regarding the need to touch intimate area during treatments were disturbing. Our findings can serve as a basis for ethical code development and implementation, as well as for educating CAM practitioners on the ethics of touch.

Complement Ther Med. 2011 Feb;19(1):12-8. Epub 2010 Dec 24. Schiff E, Ben-Arye E, Shilo M, Levy M, Schachter L, Weitchner N, Golan O, Stone J. Department of Internal Medicine, Bnai-Zion Hospital, Haifa, Israel. eschiff@bezeqint.net

BACKGROUND: Music therapy has previously been found to be effective in the treatment of depression but the studies have been methodologically insufficient and lacking in clarity about the clinical model employed. AIMS: To determine the efficacy of music therapy added to standard care compared with standard care only in the treatment of depression among working-age people. METHOD: Participants (n = 79) with an ICD-10 diagnosis of depression were randomised to receive individual music therapy plus standard care (20 bi-weekly sessions) or standard care only, and followed up at baseline, at 3 months (after intervention) and at 6 months. Clinical measures included depression, anxiety, general functioning, quality of life and alexithymia. Trial registration: ISRCTN84185937. RESULTS: Participants receiving music therapy plus standard care showed greater improvement than those receiving standard care only in depression symptoms (mean difference 4.65, 95% CI 0.59 to 8.70), anxiety symptoms (1.82, 95% CI 0.09 to 3.55) and general functioning (-4.58, 95% CI -8.93 to -0.24) at 3-month follow-up. The response rate was significantly higher for the music therapy plus standard care group than for the standard care only group (odds ratio 2.96, 95% CI 1.01 to 9.02). CONCLUSIONS: Individual music therapy combined with standard care is effective for depression among working-age people with depression. The results of this study along with the previous research indicate that music therapy with its specific qualities is a valuable enhancement to established treatment practices.

Br J Psychiatry. 2011 Apr 7. Erkkilä J, Punkanen M, Fachner J, Ala-Ruona E, Pöntiö I, Tervaniemi M, Vanhala M, Gold C. University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

by Tim Brunson, PhD

There is a big difference between the popular use of many terms and their more precise – and correct – usage. While conversations may abound using the former, legal authority and credibility depend upon the latter. And, it is through the precise use of our terminology that we set ourselves apart from others.

Are you a professional practitioner or just a lay person? Are all of your degrees from "fully accredited" universities? Over the years I've heard many of the leaders of numerous international associations talk about their organizations being comprised of professionals despite their having only a vague idea as to what they were saying. And, there are plenty of websites on which practitioners are extremely adamant claiming that the legitimacy of their organizations or their degrees and certifications are more valid than others. Unfortunately, too many people – with numerous initials trailing their names – are excessively quick when it comes to throwing around terms as if they are certain that they know about what they are talking.

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OBJECTIVE: Previous studies report that enhanced power in the delta range (1.5-4Hz) and reduced power in the alpha frequency band (8-12Hz) were most pronounced in the temporal regions. These studies referred to the 8-12Hz activity as tau activity, and they created a new neurofeedback protocol to treat tinnitus using a temporally generated tau rhythm (8-12Hz) and slow waves in the delta range (3-4Hz) for feedback. This study aims to repeat this protocol and to evaluate its effect on tinnitus. METHODS: Fifteen normal-hearing patients with tinnitus were treated with the neurofeedback protocol. The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory and Visual Analogue Scales were administered before and after treatment and at 1, 3 and 6 months post-treatment. RESULTS: After therapy, all questionnaires scores were significant improved, and the improvements persisted throughout the followup period. Moreover, an increasing trend in the tau/delta ratio was observed; specifically, the trend was more stable respect of the pre-recording measure. However, only in some subjects may the signal alone be enough to develop the correct behaviors. CONCLUSION: Further studies are necessary to characterize the tinnitus subjects who recovered from and adapted to this psychophysical condition and, therefore, responded to neurofeedback therapy.

Auris Nasus Larynx. 2011 May 16. Crocetti A, Forti S, Del Bo L. Fondazione Ascolta e Vivi, Via Foppa 15, 20144 Milan, Italy.

Background: Dissociative identity disorder (DID) remains a controversial diagnosis due to conflicting views on its etiology. Some attribute DID to childhood trauma and others attribute it to iatrogenesis. The purpose of this article is to review the published cases of childhood DID in order to evaluate its scientific status, and to answer research questions related to the etiological models. Methods: I searched MEDLINE and PsycINFO records for studies published since 1980 on DID/multiple personality disorder in children. For each study I coded information regarding the origin of samples and diagnostic methods. Results: The review produced a total of 255 cases of childhood DID reported as individual case studies (44) or aggregated into empirical studies (211). Nearly all cases (93%) emerged from samples of children in treatment, and multiple personalities was the presenting problem in 23% of the case studies. Four US research groups accounted for 65% of all 255 cases. Diagnostic methods typically included clinical evaluation based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder criteria, but hypnosis, structured interviews, and multiple raters were rarely used in diagnoses. Conclusion: Despite continuing research on the related concepts of trauma and dissociation, childhood DID itself appears to be an extremely rare phenomenon that few researchers have studied in depth. Nearly all of the research that does exist on childhood DID is from the 1980s and 1990s and does not resolve the ongoing controversies surrounding the disorder.

Psychother Psychosom. 2011 Aug 5;80(6):329-334. [Epub ahead of print] Boysen GA. Department of Psychology, State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia, Fredonia, N.Y., USA.

Susan Salvo is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Natural Therapeutic Specialist, and a Certified Instructor. Ms. Salvo holds an associate in history and a baccalaureate in education from McNeese State University , where she is currently working on her master's degree. She received her massage training from the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics in Albuquerque where she completed a 1000-hour program in 1982. Ms. Salvo's training includes: cadaver labs, polarity, infant massage instructor, myotherapy, Trager, hakomi, reflexology, sports massage, craniosacral therapy, neuromuscular therapy, body mobilization techniques, spa specialist, and watsu. She has studied under many talented people including Bonnie Prudden, Ben Benjamin, Bob King, Benny Vaughn, Maria Mathias, and Harold Dull. She owns and operates ""Bodyworks Massage Therapy by Susan Salvo and Associates"" which she founded in Lake Charles in 1983. Bodyworks specializes in deep Swedish, relaxation massage, watsu, and spa packages. Ms. Salvo is a charter member of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association and has served as: President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Chairman of the Board, and Education Director. In 1989 she was honored with the title ""Member of the Year"" by the Louisiana AMTA. Ms. Salvo is nationally certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. In 1987 she founded the Louisiana AMTA sports massage team, which is still active today.

For more information visit: www.LaMassageSchool.com.

Full title: Acupuncture for hot flushes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women: a randomised, sham-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of acupuncture in treating hot flushes in perimenopausal or postmenopausal women. METHODS: The study was a randomised single-blind sham-controlled clinical trial. Perimenopausal or postmenopausal women with moderate or severe hot flushes were randomised to receive real or sham acupuncture. Both groups underwent a 4-week run-in period before the treatment. The real acupuncture group received 11 acupuncture treatments for 7 weeks, and the control group underwent sham acupuncture on non-acupuncture points during the same period. Both groups were followed for 8 weeks after the end of treatment period. Changes from baseline in the hot flush scores at week 7, measured by multiplying the hot flush frequency and severity, were the primary outcome. Hot flush frequency, severity and menopause-related symptoms measured with the Menopause Rating Scale Questionnaire were regarded as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: 54 participants were randomised into the real acupuncture group (n=27) and the sham acupuncture group (n=27). The mean change in hot flush scores was -6.4±5.2 in the real acupuncture group and -5.6±9.2 in the sham group at week 7 from values at the start of the acupuncture treatment (10.0±8.1 vs 11.7±12.6), respectively (p=0.0810). No serious adverse events were observed during the whole study period. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to sham acupuncture, acupuncture failed to show significantly different effects on the hot flush scores but showed partial benefits on the hot flush severity. Further consideration is needed to develop appropriate strategies for distinguishing non-specific effects from observed overall effectiveness of acupuncture for hot flushes. Whether acupuncture has point-specific effects for hot flushes should be also considered in designing future researches.

Acupunct Med. 2011 Jun 8. Kim DI, Jeong JC, Kim KH, Rho JJ, Choi MS, Yoon SH, Choi SM, Kang KW, Ahn HY, Lee MS. 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Traditional Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Seoul, South Korea.

by Coach Cary Bayer

Many giants of the 20th Century have had more adventures with the mirror than Lewis Carroll's Alice. Foster Hibbard, an inspired teacher I've worked with, said that Napoleon Hill, his teacher of 13 years, claimed many of the great inventors, business magnates, and political leaders whom he met through his 20-year mentor relationship with billionaire Andrew Carnegie, derived great results in front of the glass. Hill studied with Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, Winston Churchill, Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, among others.

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by Tim Brunson, PhD

As it is applied in the United States, educational theory is severely in need of a major overhaul. Over the past four decades neuroscientists have made startling discoveries regarding how the brain perceives, interprets, and encodes. Additionally, research has continually revealed differences in such learning processes as a person transitions between infancy, early childhood, teenage years, and finally into full adulthood. Thus the currently emphasized two-phase approach should be questioned. It focuses on teaching process skills up to and through the 3rd grade then shifting to content acquisition. However, it fails to recognize the need for long-term process skill improvement and that as the brain continues to develop, there is a need to alter learning techniques so as to take advantage of increased neurological capabilities.

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Full title: Neurofeedback-enhanced gamma brainwaves from the prefrontal cortical region of meditators and non-meditators and associated subjective experiences.

OBJECTIVES: This study had two aims: (1) to explore the inner experiences associated with increased production of gamma brainwaves in an initial neurofeedback experience; and (2) to measure and compare neurofeedback-enhanced increased output from the prefrontal cortical region of meditators and non-meditators, using the Peak Brain Happiness Trainer(™) neurofeedback system. DESIGN: This was a controlled pilot study; it involved a single session per subject. SETTING: The research was conducted in a nonprofit laboratory in the United States. SUBJECTS: There were 12 adults in 2 groups (N?=?12): 6 practitioners of Transcendental Meditation(™) and six controls. MEASURES: The measures were self-assessed inner experiences and measurements of clarified gamma output at the prefrontal cortical region. RESULTS: (1) Self-assessed descriptions were comparable for both groups; (2) the associations of 16 supplied descriptors with the initial neurofeedback experience were comparable for both groups and showed highest scores for "happy" (p? J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Feb;17(2):109-15. Epub 2011 Feb 8. Rubik B. Institute for Frontier Science, Oakland, CA 94611-2802, USA. brubik@earthlink.net

A Book Review by Tim Brunson, PhD

Psychological trauma is probably the most prevalent problem currently addressed by mental health practitioners. Unfortunately for many people, trauma often results in a variety of dissociation reactions – many of which go by diagnostic names such Dissociative Identity Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation: Skills Training for Patients and Therapists by Suzette Boon, PhD, Kathy Steele, MN, CS, and Onno Van Der Hart, PhD, is an extremely comprehensive volume. It is intended to provide therapists, patients, and their families considerable insight and numerous effective tools.

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"Mindfulness" is a capacity for heightened present-moment awareness that we all possess to a greater or lesser extent. Enhancing this capacity through training has been shown to alleviate stress and promote physical and mental well-being. As a consequence, interest in mindfulness is growing and so is the need to better understand it. This study employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify the brain regions involved in state mindfulness and to shed light on its mechanisms of action. Significant signal decreases were observed during mindfulness meditation in midline cortical structures associated with interoception, including bilateral anterior insula, left ventral anterior cingulate cortex, right medial prefrontal cortex, and bilateral precuneus. Significant signal increase was noted in the right posterior cingulate cortex. These findings lend support to the theory that mindfulness achieves its positive outcomes through a process of disidentification.

Soc Neurosci. 2011 Jun;6(3):231-42. Epub 2010 Sep 9. Ives-Deliperi VL, Solms M, Meintjes EM. University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Holism is the philosophy of understanding people by addressing factors that affect people in all situations. The goal of holistic nursing is to help patients integrate appropriate self-care into their lives. By providing holistic care, the perioperative nurse can help surgical patients experience fewer problems (eg, surgical trauma, pain, anesthetic complications), reach discharge more quickly, attain satisfaction with health care, and more easily resume normal activities. Holistic nursing may include the use of music, guided imagery, therapeutic massage, play therapy, touch therapy, and communication skills. Successful surgery for the patient means not only recovering but regaining physical, mental, and spiritual health as a whole.

AORN J. 2011 Apr;93(4):482-7; quiz 488-90. Selimen D, Andsoy II. Surgical Nursing Department, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey.

BACKGROUND: : Fecal incontinence affects up to 11% of Australian community-dwelling adults and 72% of nursing home residents. Biofeedback is a recommended conservative therapy when medication and pelvic floor exercises have failed to improve patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE: : This study aimed to investigate the impact of a new exercise regimen on the severity of fecal incontinence and the quality of life of participants. DESIGN: : This was a randomized clinical study. SETTINGS: : This study was conducted at the Anorectal Physiology Clinic, Townsville Hospital, Queensland, Australia. PATIENTS: : Seventy-two participants (19 male), with a mean age of 62.1 years, attended 5 clinic sessions: 4 weekly sessions followed by 4 weeks of home practice and a follow-up assessment session. A postal survey was conducted 2 years later. INTERVENTION: : Thirty-seven patients (12 male) were randomly assigned to the standard clinical protocol (sustained submaximal anal and pelvic floor exercises) and 35 patients (7 male) were randomly assigned to the alternative group (rapid squeeze plus sustained submaximal exercises). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: : The main outcomes were measured by use of the Cleveland Clinic Florida Fecal Incontinence score and the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale survey tool. RESULTS: : No significant differences were found between the 2 exercise groups at the beginning or at the end of the study or as a result of treatment in objective, quality-of-life, or fecal incontinence severity measures. Sixty-nine participants completed treatment. The severity of fecal incontinence decreased significantly (11.5/20 to 5.0/20, P < .001). Eighty-six percent (59/69) of participants reported improved continence. Quality of life significantly improved for all participants (P < .001). Results were sustained 2 years later. Patients who practiced at least the prescribed number of exercises had better outcomes than those who practiced fewer exercises. LIMITATIONS: : This study was limited because it involved a heterogeneous sample, it was based on subjective reporting of exercise performance, and loss to follow-up occurred because of the highly mobile population. CONCLUSIONS: : Patients attending this biofeedback program attained significant improvement in the severity of their fecal incontinence and in their quality of life. Although introduction of rapid muscle squeezes had little impact on fecal incontinence severity or patient quality of life, patient exercise compliance at prescribed or greater levels did.

Dis Colon Rectum. 2011 Jul;54(7):846-56. Bartlett L, Sloots K, Nowak M, Ho YH. 1School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine & Rehabilitation Science, North Queensland Centre for Cancer Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia 2Clinical Measurements Unit, The Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Australia 3School of Medicine and the Australian Institute of Tropical Medicine, North Queensland Centre for Cancer Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Chiropractic in Australia has seen many changes over the past 30 years. Some of these changes have advanced the professional status of chiropractic, improved undergraduate training and paved the way for a research culture. Unfortunately, other changes or lack of changes has hindered the growth and prosperity of chiropractic in Australia. This article explores what influences have impacted on the credibility, advancement and public utilisation of chiropractic in Australia. DISCUSSION: The 1970's and 1980's saw a dramatic change within the chiropractic profession in Australia. With the coming of government regulation, came government funded teaching institutions, quality research and increased public acceptance and utilisation of chiropractic services. However, since that time the profession appears to have taken a backward step, which in the author's opinion is directly linked to a shift by certain sections of the profession to the fundamentalist approach to chiropractic and the vertebral subluxation complex. The abandonment, by some groups, of a scientific and evidenced based approach to practice for one founded on ideological dogma is beginning to take its toll. SUMMARY: The future of chiropractic in Australia is at a crossroads. For the profession to move forward it must base its future on science and not ideological dogma. The push by some for it to become a unique and all encompassing alternative system of healthcare is both misguided and irrational.

Chiropr Man Therap. 2011 May 21;19(1):11. Reggars JW.

Full title: Effects of music therapy on pain among female breast cancer patients after radical mastectomy: results from a randomized controlled trial.

Music therapy has been used in multiple health care settings to reduce patient pain, anxiety, and stress. However, few available studies have investigated its effect on pain among breast cancer patients after radical mastectomy. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of music therapy on pain reduction in patients with breast cancer after radical mastectomy. This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Surgical Department of Oncology Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from March to November 2009. A total of 120 breast cancer patients who received Personal Controlled Analgesia (PCA) following surgery (mastectomy) were randomly allocated to two groups, an intervention group and a control group (60 patients in each group). The intervention group accepted music therapy from the first day after radical mastectomy to the third admission to hospital for chemotherapy in addition to the routine nursing care, while the control group received only routine nursing care. Pain scores were measured at baseline and three post-tests using the General Questionnaire and Chinese version of Short-Form of McGill Pain Questionnaire. The primary endpoint was the change in the Pain Rating Index (PRI-total) score from baseline. Music therapy was found to reduce the PRI-total score in the intervention group significantly compared with the control group with a mean difference (95% CI) of -2.38 (-2.80, -1.95), -2.41 (-2.85, -1.96), and -1.87 (-2.33, -1.42) for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd post-tests, respectively. Similar results were found for Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Present Pain Intensity (PPI) scores. The findings of the study provide some evidence that music therapy has both short- and long-term positive effects on alleviating pain in breast cancer patients following radical mastectomy.

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2011 May 3. Li XM, Yan H, Zhou KN, Dang SN, Wang DL, Zhang YP. Department of Nursing, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, 710061, People's Republic of China.

Nancie M. Barwick, DCH, has a clinical hypnotherapy practice in Fairfax, Virginia where she focuses on working with individuals who are dealing with challenges in their health and personal lives. Dr. Barwick holds a Doctorate in Clincal Hypnotherapy from the American Institute of Hypnotherapy and a Ph.D. from American Holistic University. She is the author of two books and teaches aspiring hypnotherapists while maintaining a full practice and lecturing at hypnotherapy conferences several times a year. Since recovering from muscular dystropy, Dr. Barwick enjoys competitive ballroom dancing.

For more information visit: www.DoctorNancie.com

Dr. Ortiz is the founder and director of The Institute of Applied Psychomusicology (SM). He is a licensed psychologist, educator, consultant, author, musician, certified clinical hypnotist and psychoeducational trainer. Listed in the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, his professional affiliations include the American Counseling Association, American Music Therapy Association, American School Counselor Association, and Association for Humanistic Psychology. He served on the editorial board of the American Counseling Association's Journal of Counseling and Development between 1996-1998. His international lectures on Sound Psychology are based on his books, The Tao of Music: Sound Psychology and Nurturing Your Child With Music: How Sound Awareness Creates Happy, Smart and Confident Children.

For more information visit: www.SoundPsych.com.

Animals can learn to voluntarily control neuronal activity within various brain areas through operant conditioning, but the relevance of that control to cognitive functions is unknown. We show that monkeys can control the activity of neurons within the frontal eye field (FEF), an oculomotor area of prefrontal cortex. However, operantly driven FEF activity was primarily associated with selective visual attention and not oculomotor preparation. Attentional effects were untrained and were observed both behaviorally and neurophysiologically. Furthermore, selective attention correlated with voluntary, but not spontaneous, fluctuations in FEF activity. Our results reveal a specific association of voluntarily driven neuronal activity with "top-down" attention and suggest a basis for the use of neurofeedback training to treat disorders of attention.

Science. 2011 May 26. Schafer RJ, Moore T. Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.

Dr. Andrew Weil has degrees in biology and medicine from Harvard University. He is the author of the best-selling Spontaneous Healing and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health. He has traveled the world experiencing and studying healers and healing systems and has earned an international reputation as an expert on alternative medicine, mind-body interactions, and medical botany. He is the associate director of the Division of Social Perspectives in Medicine and the director of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson."

For more information visit: www.DrWeil.com.

ABSTRACT: Chinese medicine has been used to treat a variety of cancer-related conditions. This study aims to examine the prevalence and patterns of Chinese medicine usage by cancer patients. We reviewed articles written in English and found only the Chinese medicine usage from the studies on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Seventy four (74) out of 81 articles reported rates of CAM usage ranging from 2.6 to 100%. Acupuncture was reported in 71 out of 81 studies. Other less commonly reported modalities included Qigong (n=17), Chinese herbal medicine (n=11), Taichi (n=10), acupressure (n=6), moxibustion (n=2), Chinese dietary therapy (n=1), Chinese massage (n=1), cupping (n=1) and other Chinese medicine modalities (n=19). This review also found important limitations of the English language articles on CAM usage in cancer patients. Our results show that Chinese medicine, in particular Chinese herbal medicine, is commonly used by cancer patients. Further research is warranted to include studies not written in English.

Chin Med. 2011 Jun 9;6(1):22. Carmady B, Smith CA.