This paper presents a methodology for investigation of functional connectivity in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using Fuzzy Synchronization Likelihood (Fuzzy SL). Fuzzy SLs between and within brain regions are calculated in all EEG sub-bands produced by the wavelet decomposition as well as in the full-band EEG. Then, discriminative Fuzzy SLs between and within different regions and different EEG sub-bands or full-band EEG for distinguishing autistic children from healthy control children are determined based on Analysis of Variation (ANOVA). Finally, the selected features are used as input to an Enhanced Probabilistic Neural Network classifier to make an accurate diagnosis of ASD based on the detected differences in the regional functional connectivity of autistic and healthy EEGs. The methodology is validated using EEG data obtained from 9 autistic and 9 healthy children. The ANOVA test showed high ability of the regional Fuzzy SLs in low frequency bands, delta and theta, as well as alpha band for discriminating the two groups. A high classification accuracy of 95.5% was achieved for distinguishing autistic EEGs from healthy EEGs. It is concluded that the methodology presented in this paper can be used as an effective tool for diagnosis of the autism. Further, the regional Fuzzy SLs discovered in this research can be used as reliable markers in neurofeedback treatments to improve neuronal plasticity and connectivity in autistic patients.

J Neurosci Methods. 2012 Nov 15;211(2):203-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2012.08.020. Epub 2012 Aug 28. Ahmadlou M, Adeli H, Adeli A. Dynamic Brain Research Office, 30 Khoddami, Tehran, Iran.

The ability to mentally imagine the performance of automatic movements has been well-established being employed in sports and physiotherapy as a tool for motor learning and rehabilitation. This is probably mediated by engagement of the same brain areas as during real motor performance. Here we investigated the effect of hypnotic trance on the cerebral activation pattern engaged in motor imagery in 16 healthy, right-handed subjects using fMRI. Motor imagery as compared with rest was related to activations in the left medial frontal areas (preSMA/SMA), prefrontal- and frontal areas, putamen and inferior parietal areas. When compared with performance of the same movements motor imagery resulted in activation of the left middle frontal cortex, precuneus, and posterior cingulate. Under hypnotic trance there was one extra-activation in the left thalamus which occurred specifically in the motor imagery condition. The regional beta indices were highly correlated among the areas of the cortical-subcortical motor network. Our data accord with the notion that hypnotic trance enhances the motor control circuit engaged in motor imagery by modulating the gating function of the thalamus.

Neuroimage. 2012 Nov 2;66C:361-367. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.10.073. Müller K, Bacht K, Prochnow D, Schramm S, Seitz RJ. Heinrich-Heine-University, Department of Neurology, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany. Electronic address: katharina.mueller@uni-duesseldorf.de.

Full title: Effects of tai chi exercise on glucose control, neuropathy scores, balance, and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes and neuropathy.

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Tai Chi exercise on glucose control, neuropathy scores, balance, and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes and neuropathy. Methods: A pretest-posttest design with a nonequivalent control group was utilized to recruit 59 diabetic patients with neuropathy from an outpatient clinic of a university hospital. A standardized Tai Chi for diabetes program was provided, which comprised 1 hour of Tai Chi per session, twice a week for 12 weeks. Outcome variables were fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin for glucose control, the Semmes-Weinstein 10-g monofilament examination scores and total symptom scores for neuropathy, single leg stance for balance, and the Korean version of the SF-36v2 for quality of life. Thirty-nine patients completed the posttest measures after the 12-week Tai Chi intervention, giving a 34% dropout rate. Results: The mean age of the participants was 64 years, and they had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for more than 12 years. The status was significantly better for the participants in the Tai Chi group (n=20) than for their control (i.e., nonintervention) counterparts (n=19) in terms of total symptom scores, glucose control, balance, and quality of life. Conclusion: Tai Chi improved glucose control, balance, neuropathic symptoms, and some dimensions of quality of life in diabetic patients with neuropathy. Further studies with larger samples and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm the effects of Tai Chi on the management of diabetic neuropathy, which may have an impact on fall prevention in this population.

J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Dec;18(12):1172-8. doi: 10.1089/acm.2011.0690. Epub 2012 Sep 17. Ahn S, Song R. Chungnam National University , College of Nursing, Daejeon, South Korea .

Full title: A comparison of mindfulness-based stress reduction and an active control in modulation of neurogenic inflammation.

Psychological stress is a major provocative factor of symptoms in chronic inflammatory conditions. In recent years, interest in addressing stress responsivity through meditation training in health-related domains has increased astoundingly, despite a paucity of evidence that reported benefits are specific to meditation practice. We designed the present study to rigorously compare an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention to a well-matched active control intervention, the Health Enhancement Program (HEP) in ability to reduce psychological stress and experimentally-induced inflammation. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was used to induce psychological stress and inflammation was produced using topical application of capsaicin cream to forearm skin. Immune and endocrine measures of inflammation and stress were collected both before and after MBSR training. Results show those randomized to MBSR and HEP training had comparable post-training stress-evoked cortisol responses, as well as equivalent reductions in self-reported psychological distress and physical symptoms. However, MBSR training resulted in a significantly smaller post-stress inflammatory response compared to HEP, despite equivalent levels of stress hormones. These results suggest behavioral interventions designed to reduce emotional reactivity may be of therapeutic benefit in chronic inflammatory conditions. Moreover, mindfulness practice, in particular, may be more efficacious in symptom relief than the well-being promoting activities cultivated in the HEP program.

Brain Behav Immun. 2013 Jan;27(1):174-84. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2012.10.013. Epub 2012 Oct 22. Rosenkranz MA, Davidson RJ, Maccoon DG, Sheridan JF, Kalin NH, Lutz A. Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging & Behavior and Center for Investigating Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, United States. Electronic address: marosenk@wisc.edu.

Heather McKechnie MSW RSW RMFT has been providing various services for over 30 years in the field of individual, couple and family therapy. Her specializations include hypnotherapy and EMDR. to address the needs of those who have experienced challenging life experiences. Her practice is in Newmarket, Ontario.

For more information visit www.McKechnieCounselling.com

This quasi-experiment using a real/simulator model investigated differences in cognitive flexibility in high and low hypnotizable participants. Using the variables of hypnotizability (low/high), consciousness (nonhypnotized/hypnotized), mood (happy/sad), and visual-information processing (global/local), reaction times and target detection paradigms of the subjects were evaluated during both nonhypnotic and hypnotic states. Flexibility in cognitive processing was operationalized as the ability to overcome the typical global precedence and answer quickly about the nonprevalent local features. It was observed that the low hypnotizable participants were not influenced in their preference for the global or local dimension by any manipulated variable, whereas the high hypnotizables were more flexible.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2013 Jan;61(1):55-70. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2013.729435. Enea V, Dafinoiu I. a Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi , Romania.

by Tim Brunson PhD

While sincere, scientifically-minded professionals should appreciate that their methodology has been consistently used to explore emerging mind/body concepts, still many skeptics still insist that any such research and the resulting findings are a disgrace and are to be classified as "woo woo", an un-scientific, emotionally laden appellation for the more acceptable, yet questionable term "pseudo-science".

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by Coach Cary Bayer

When I was growing up, I often heard an expression from my family that goes: "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Today, I'm going to look a gift certificate in the mouth. The reason is that, contrary to the belief of most of the 300-plus alternative healers whom I've coached, I'm not a big fan of gift certificates. I know this is a controversial topic, because when I'm asked about them at my CE seminars at state conferences, my answer often ruffles so many feathers and rattles so many cages that one might conclude that healer is a bird.

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Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), a yellow coloring agent extracted from turmeric is also used as a remedy for the treatment and prevention of inflammatory diseases. Acute and chronic inflammation is a major factor in the progression of obesity, type II diabetes, arthritis, pancreatitis, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, as well as certain types of cancer. Turmeric has a long history of use in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of inflammatory disorders. Recent studies on the efficacy and therapeutic applicability of turmeric have suggested that the active ingredient of tumeric is curcumin. Further, compelling evidence has shown that curcumin has the ability to inhibit inflammatory cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis through multiple molecular targets and mechanisms of action. Curcumin is safe, non-toxic, and mediates its anti-inflammatory effects through the down-regulation of inflammatory transcription factors, cytokines, redox status, protein kinases, and enzymes that all promote inflammation. In addition, curcumin induces apoptosis through mitochondrial and receptor-mediated pathways, as well as activation of caspase cascades. In the current study, the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin were evaluated relative to various chronic inflammatory diseases. Based on the available pharmacological data obtained from in vitro and in vivo research, as well as clinical trials, an opportunity exists to translate curcumin into clinics for the prevention of inflammatory diseases in the near future. © 2012 BioFactors, 2013.

Biofactors. 2012 Dec 22. doi: 10.1002/biof.1066. Shehzad A, Rehman G, Lee YS. School of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Korea.

Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) is a novel technique that has allowed subjects to achieve self-regulation of circumscribed brain regions. Despite its anticipated therapeutic benefits, there is no report on successful application of this technique in psychiatric populations. The objectives of the present study were to train schizophrenia patients to achieve volitional control of bilateral anterior insula cortex on multiple days, and to explore the effect of learned self-regulation on face emotion recognition (an extensively studied deficit in schizophrenia) and on brain network connectivity. Nine patients with schizophrenia were trained to regulate the hemodynamic response in bilateral anterior insula with contingent rtfMRI neurofeedback, through a 2-weeks training. At the end of the training stage, patients performed a face emotion recognition task to explore behavioral effects of learned self-regulation. A learning effect in self-regulation was found for bilateral anterior insula, which persisted through the training. Following successful self-regulation, patients recognized disgust faces more accurately and happy faces less accurately. Improvements in disgust recognition were correlated with levels of self-activation of right insula. RtfMRI training led to an increase in the number of the incoming and outgoing effective connections of the anterior insula. This study shows for the first time that patients with schizophrenia can learn volitional brain regulation by rtfMRI feedback training leading to changes in the perception of emotions and modulations of the brain network connectivity. These findings open the door for further studies of rtfMRI in severely ill psychiatric populations, and possible therapeutic applications. Hum Brain Mapp, 2013. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hum Brain Mapp. 2013 Jan;34(1):200-12. doi: 10.1002/hbm.21427. Epub 2011 Oct 22. Ruiz S, Lee S, Soekadar SR, Caria A, Veit R, Kircher T, Birbaumer N, Sitaram R. Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Graduate School of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, International Max Planck Research School, Tübingen, Germany. smruiz@med.puc.cl.

by Tim Brunson PhD

There are three very simple two word statements that can sum up how we humans experience our universe. Indeed, these statements, which pretty much respectively follow the three major philosophical epochs of the past few centuries – and especially our last one hundred years – dramatically influence the totality of our subjective experiences to include what we believe to be true, how we act, and how we think (and create). Furthermore, it seems that entire populations of psychologists (and other mental health experts), medical doctors, educators, counselors, sociologists, and social workers ply their trades more so as a result of their affiliation and a priori values as they guide their charges back toward what they presumptively feel and believe to be congruent with their theory of the mind as it may be aligned with one of these statements.

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Full title: Children's event reports: factors affecting responses to repeated questions in vignette scenarios and event recall interviews. When adults repeat questions, children often give inconsistent answers. This study aimed to test the claim that these inconsistencies occur because children infer that their first answer was unsatisfactory, and that the adult expects them to change their answer. Children aged 4, 6, and 8 years (N= 134) were asked about vignettes in which an adult repeated a question, with manipulation of the adult's overt dissatisfaction (high vs. low pressure) and knowledge about the information sought. On a separate occasion, the children were given an unrelated event recall interview containing repeated questions. All age groups showed sensitivity to adult dissatisfaction, interpreting question repetition as an implicit request for answer change more frequently in the high than in the low-pressure vignettes. Overall, however, these 'change-expected' interpretations were least frequent in the younger children, who were the most prone to shifting. Also there was no evidence that these interpretations were associated with more frequent shifting in the recall interview. The results do not provide clear support for a simple conversational inference account of shifting, especially in younger children.

Br J Dev Psychol. 2012 Nov;30(Pt 4):550-68. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-835X.2011.02064.x. Epub 2011 Oct 26. Howie P, Nash L, Kurukulasuriya N, Bowman A. University of Sydney, Australia. pauline.howie@sydney.edu.au

A book review by Tim Brunson PhD

Whether you or not are a clinician or coach who is qualified as a mental health practitioner, you most certainly frequently come into contact with people who have a wide variety of anxiety-related disorders. This is so common that I am confident to say that just about everyone who I deal with has more than a little concern about their anxiousness. This topic is brilliantly addressed in The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques by Margaret Wehrenberg, Psy.D. In this rather handy, well organized workbook Dr. Wehrenberg clearly explains and discusses the topic then provides an extremely simple but cogent explanation of ten highly effective techniques.

This book seems to have three audiences. A mental health professional can gain excellent insight and advice on ways that the various forms of anxiety can be elegantly handled by their clients. For other healing and helping professionals – to include human resource managers, teachers, and athletic coaches – this workbook presents an excellent understanding as to why many people react the way that they do. In turn, they can be more understanding and patient. For those who possess a milder level of anxiety, the author's techniques provide a wealth of information, which gives hope that life can be lived on one's terms. Of course, for anyone who has a more severe issue with anxiety, I highly recommend that they seek a properly qualified mental health professional.

One of the best features of this book is the companion CD, on which Dr. Wehrenberg demonstrates each of her ten techniques. Her clear explanations and soothing, compassionate voice can benefit just about anyone. I plan to integrate regular listening of these short three to 17 minute tracks into my daily mental tuning routine.

Regardless, I have one – and only one – minor misgiving about her claim in that these techniques are the "best-ever." As my readers know, I have a very strong prejudice when it comes to the value of competently applied hypnotherapy as a stress relieving mechanism. I was surprised that there was not a single reference to hypnosis even in the bibliography. Ironically, I could consider the tracks on her CD to be very hypnotic. Nevertheless, I am sure that this omission was most likely done on purpose as there may be a preference to addressing hypnotherapy in a more advanced volume.

I highly recommend Dr. Wehrenberg's book to anyone who is concerned about their stress and anxiety as well as those who assist with the healing process of others.

Full title: Using a mixed methods research design to investigate complementary alternative medicine (CAM) use among women with breast cancer in Ireland.

Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2012 Nov 20. pii: S1462-3889(12)00102-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2012.10.008. Fox P, Butler M, Coughlan B, Murray M, Boland N, Hanan T, Murphy H, Forrester P, O' Brien M, O' Sullivan N. UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: patricia.fox@ucd.ie.

AIM: To investigate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among women with breast cancer in Ireland using a mixed methods modified sequential explanatory design.

METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with oncology professionals (n = 20) and CAM practitioners (n = 20) and this was followed by a survey of 406 women with breast cancer using the 'Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies Survey' questionnaire (UCATS) (Lengacher et al., 2003). Follow up interviews were subsequently undertaken with a subset of this survey sample (n = 31).

RESULTS: Over half of those surveyed (55.7%, n = 226) used some form of CAM since diagnosis. The most frequently used therapies were massage, herbal supplements (including herbs with oestrogenic properties), antioxidants, relaxation, counselling, health supplements, reflexology, reiki and support groups. Dietary interventions were used primarily to reduce symptoms and/or side effects while reduction of psychological stress was the primary reason for use of stress-reducing therapies. Most respondents reported that the CAM therapies they had used were helpful. The qualitative data elaborated on and provided clarification of the survey results.

CONCLUSIONS: Similar to international studies, CAM is popular among women with breast cancer in Ireland. As such, the challenge for Irish oncology professionals is to identify low risk CAM therapies that are likely to benefit patients while educating patients and themselves on therapies which may be of concern. This study clearly illustrates the benefits of using a mixed methods approach to enhance our understanding of a complex clinical issue and thus we recommend that this method should be the method of choice when planning health services research.

Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2012 Dec 5. Marcus DA, Blazek-O'Neill B, Kopar JL.

Wendy Packer, a Registered Nurse/Consulting Hypnotist/Certified Basic Practitioner of NLP/ Certified in Forensics and Pediatrics/President of the Westchester NY Chapter of the NGH as well as a NGH Instructor, Adjunct Faculty Member, has been in the health and wellness industry for the past 34 years. She has worked in hospitals, clinics and private offices in NYC and Westchester. After training with the internationally known NGH Board Certified hypnotist, Carol Denicker of North Shore Hypnosis, Wendy completed a clinical practicum at Farmingdale State University. Wendy maintains a private practice in New Rochelle, NY working with adults and children and also offers her services at the Richard Scott SALON AND SPA in MT. KISCO, NY.

After completion of training and examination, Wendy received her National Guild of Hypnotists Certification in "Forensic Hypnosis". Her goal is to work with law enforcement agencies and the legal community assisting victims of crime along with helping individuals remember pertinent information.

She also received her National Guild of Hypnotists Certification in "Pediatric Hypnosis". Wendy has always found working with children to be very gratifying. "When I can assist children in overcoming a concern which they no longer want or need or when I can assist in creating something in their life which will be positive for them, that's what makes this profession so exciting and fulfilling."

For more information, please visit http://www.hypnonurse.com/.

Full title: Mind-Body CAM Interventions: Current Status and Considerations for Integration Into Clinical Health Psychology.

OBJECTIVE: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly used for treating myriad health conditions and for maintaining general health. The present article provides an overview of current CAM use with a specific focus on mind-body CAM and its efficacy in treating health conditions.

METHOD: Characteristics of CAM users are presented, and then evidence regarding the efficacy of mind-body treatments (biofeedback, meditation, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, hypnosis, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong) is reviewed.

RESULTS: Demographics associated with CAM use are fairly well-established, but less is known about their psychological characteristics. Although the efficacy of mind-body CAM modalities for health conditions is receiving a great deal of research attention, studies have thus far produced a weak base of evidence.

Methodological limitations of current research are reviewed. Suggestions are made for future research that will provide more conclusive knowledge regarding efficacy and, ultimately, effectiveness of mind-body CAM. Considerations for clinical applications, including training and competence, ethics, treatment tailoring, prevention efforts, and diversity, conclude the article.

CONCLUSIONS: Integration of CAM modalities into clinical health psychology can be useful for researchers taking a broader perspective on stress and coping processes, illness behaviors, and culture; for practitioners seeking to incorporate CAM perspectives into their work; and for policy makers in directing healthcare resources wisely.

J Clin Psychol. 2013 Jan;69(1):45-63. doi: 10.1002/jclp.21910. Epub 2012 Aug 30. Park C. University of Connecticut.

by Tim Brunson PhD

Discoveries in the area of neuroplasticity over the past few decades have highlighted the ability for our minds to influence the structure of our brains. Scientists from around the globe have discovered that our experiences will affect how we are neurologically organized. While surgery, medications, and the various forms of psychotherapy, to including hypnosis, have their effects, our existence in an environment of exponentially rapid technological growth is becoming a major factor in the future direction of our minds and the history of humanity. Our electronic "toys" not only affect our professional and social lives. They also impact on how we remember, think, and imagine.

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Chronic migraine is a disabling condition which affects a considerable proportion of patients. Several risk factors and lifestyle habits contribute to the transformation of migraine into a chronic form. Behavioral treatments, including relaxation, biofeedback, and cognitive behavioral therapy reduce the risk of episodic into chronic migraine transformation, thus restraining the headache-related disability. The rationale of behavioral therapies is that a medical problem should be recognized and thoroughly examined by the patient to be successfully managed. Being aware of factors which precipitate or aggravate migraine allows patients to progressively modulate the frequency and duration of their attacks. Similarly, the acquisition of healthy habits improves the quality of life and the subjective well-being of patients and contributes to breaking the vicious cycle that leads to migraine chronification. The highest level of care is achieved when behavioral therapies are integrated with other treatments, including physical and pharmacological interventions.

Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2013 Jan;17(1):304. doi: 10.1007/s11916-012-0304-9. Pistoia F, Sacco S, Carolei A. Department of Neurology, University of L'Aquila, Piazzale Salvatore Tommasi 1, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy, francesca.pistoia@univaq.it.

Full title: Psychological Treatments in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Primer for the Gastroenterologist.

The functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) often show inadequate response to usual medical care. Psychological treatments can help improve functional gastrointestinal disorder patient outcomes, and such treatment should be considered for patients who have moderate or severe symptoms after 3-6 months of medical care and those whose symptoms are clearly exacerbated by stress or emotional symptoms. Effective psychological treatments, which are based on multiple randomized controlled trials, include cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis for irritable bowel syndrome and pediatric functional abdominal pain, cognitive behavioral therapy for functional chest pain, and biofeedback for dyssynergic constipation in adults. Successful referral by the gastroenterologist for psychological treatment is facilitated by educating the patient about the rationale for such treatment, reassurance about the diagnosis and continuation of medical care, firm doctor-patient therapeutic alliance, and identification of and communication with an appropriate psychological services provider.

Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012 Oct 24. pii: S1542-3565(12)01286-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2012.10.031. Palsson OS, Whitehead WE. Center for Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Rheumatologic diseases (e.g., fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis) consist of a complex interplay between biologic and psychological aspects, resulting in therapeutically challenging chronic conditions to control. Encouraging evidence suggests that Tai Chi, a multi-component Chinese mind-body exercise, has multiple benefits for patients with a variety of chronic disorders, particularly those with musculoskeletal conditions. Thus, Tai Chi may modulate complex factors and improve health outcomes in patients with chronic rheumatologic conditions. As a form of physical exercise, Tai Chi enhances cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, balance, and physical function. It also appears to be associated with reduced stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improved quality of life. Thus, Tai Chi can be safely recommended to patients with fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis as a complementary and alternative medical approach to improve patient well-being. This review highlights the current body of knowledge about the role of this ancient Chinese mind-body medicine as an effective treatment of rheumatologic diseases to better inform clinical decision-making for our patients.

Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2012 Dec;14(6):598-603. doi: 10.1007/s11926-012-0294-y. Wang C. Division of Rheumatology, Tufts Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, Box 406, Boston, MA 02111, USA. cwang2@tuftsmedicalcenter.org

The brain mechanisms that subserve music recognition remain unclear despite increasing interest in this process. Here we report the results of a magnetoencephalography experiment to determine the temporal dynamics and spatial distribution of brain regions activated during listening to a familiar and unfamiliar instrumental melody in control adults and adults with Down syndrome (DS). In the control group, listening to the familiar melody relative to the unfamiliar melody, revealed early and significant activations in the left primary auditory cortex, followed by activity in the limbic and sensory-motor regions and finally, activation in the motor related areas. In the DS group, listening to the familiar melody relative to the unfamiliar melody revealed increased significant activations in only three regions. Activity began in the left primary auditory cortex and the superior temporal gyrus and was followed by enhanced activity in the right precentral gyrus. These data suggest that familiar music is associated with auditory-motor coupling but does not activate brain areas involved in emotional processing in DS. These findings reveal new insights on the neural basis of music perception in DS as well as the temporal course of neural activity in control adults.

Brain Cogn. 2012 Dec 27;81(2):256-262. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2012.11.007. Virji-Babul N, Moiseev A, Sun W, Feng T, Moiseeva N, Watt KJ, Huotilainen M. Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address: nvb31@mail.ubc.ca.

Mr. Allen is a licensed clinical social worker, certified hypnotherapist, and certified hpnotherapy instructor who has 24 years experience helping individuals, groups, and families achieve their goals. He has extensive experience in treating addictive disorders including alcoholism, drug dependence, eating disorders and sexual addiction; as well as depression, anxiety disorders, and marriage and family therapy. He has presented 100's of psycho-educational lectures and group seminars, and has served as a consultant to a number of organizations and agencies. Past positions include program director of an in-patient addictive disease unit, and two out-patient programs.

Mr. Allen is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Certified Instructor through the National Guild of Hypnotists, a Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Approved Trainer through the National Board of Certified Clinical Hypnotherapists, and a certified 5 Path Hypnotherapist, and 7th Path Self Hypnosis Instructor through Banyan Hypnosis Center for Training and Services, Inc. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri, and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers.

For more infromation, please visit http://www.deltahypnosis.com/.

Full title: Effect of hypnosis on induction of local anaesthesia, pain perception, control of haemorrhage and anxiety during extraction of third molars: A case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Systemic conditions are considered limiting factors for surgical procedures under local anaesthesia in the oral cavity. All the pharmacological methods to control pain in patients have some disadvantages, such as side effects and extra costs for rehabilitation. Therefore, in such cases alternative treatment modalities are considered, such as hypnosis in dentistry. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of hypnosis on haemorrhage, pain and anxiety during the extraction of third molars.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case-control study, 24 female and male volunteers were included. The subjects had been referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, for extraction of third molars. Demographic data for all the subjects were recorded. Patients with chronic medical conditions were excluded. The patients were used as their own controls, with the third molars on one side being removed under hypnosis and on the opposite side under local anaesthetic. Hypnosis was induced by one of the two methods, either fixing the gaze on one point or Chiasson's technique; both these methods are appropriate for patients in the dental chair. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to determine patient anxiety levels before hypnosis and anaesthesia. Pain was scored using VAS (visual analogue scale). After surgery the patient was asked to bite on a sterile gauze pad over the surgical site for 30 min when haemorrhage from the area was evaluated. If there was no haemorrhage the patient was discharged. If haemorrhage persisted, the gauze pad was left in place for another 30 min and the area was re-evaluated. Any active oozing from the area after 30 min was considered haemorrhage. Haemorrhage, anxiety and pain were compared between the two groups. Data was analyzed using the t-test, McNemar's test and Wilcoxon's signed rank test using SPSS 18 statistical software.

RESULTS: Twenty-four patients were evaluated; there were 14 males (58.3%) and 10 females (41.7%). The mean age of the subjects was 24.1 ± 2.7 years (age range = 18-30 years). A total of 48 third molars were extracted. In each patient, one-third molar was extracted under hypnosis and the other under local anaesthesia. All the patients were in the ASA 1 category (normal) with no significant medical history. Of the subjects who underwent hypnosis, only two subjects (8.3%) reported pain after induction of hypnosis. In the local anaesthetic group, 8 subjects (33.3%) reported pain. There was a significant difference between the two groups. The results of the study showed that patients in the hypnosis group had less pain during the first few hours post-operatively. Anxiety scores in the two groups were very close to each other and no statistically significant differences were observed in general and when each person was compared with himself or herself. Pain intensity in the two groups at 5- and 12-h post-operatively exhibited significant differences. In the hypnosis group, 10 patients (41.7%) took analgesic medication; in the local anaesthesia group, 22 patients (91.7%) took the analgesic medication (P = 0.0001). In other words, patients reported less pain when they were under hypnosis.

CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that hypnosis can effectively reduce anxiety, haemorrhage and pain. More studies are necessary to collect data on the effect of hypnosis on oral and maxillofacial surgeries.

J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2012 Dec 14. pii: S1010-5182(12)00224-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2012.10.009. Abdeshahi SK, Hashemipour MA, Mesgarzadeh V, Shahidi Payam A, Halaj Monfared A. Kerman Oral and Dental l Diseases Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Herbal and dietary supplements are commonly used throughout the World. There is a tendency for underreporting their ingestion by patients and the magnitude of their use is underrecognised by Physicians. Herbal hepatotoxicity is not uncommonly encountered, but the precise incidence and manifestations have not been well characterised.

AIMS: To review the epidemiology, presentation and diagnosis of herbal hepatotoxicity. This review will mainly discuss single ingredients and complex mixtures of herbs marketed under a single label.

METHODS: A Medline search was undertaken to identify relevant literature using search terms including 'herbal', 'herbs', 'dietary supplement', 'liver injury', 'hepatitis' and 'hepatotoxicity'. Furthermore, we scanned the reference lists of the primary and review articles to identify publications not retrieved by electronic searches.

RESULTS: The incidence rates of herbal hepatotoxicity are largely unknown. The clinical presentation and severity can be highly variable, ranging from mild hepatitis to acute hepatic failure requiring transplantation. Scoring systems for the causality assessment of drug-induced liver injury may be helpful, but have not been validated for herbal hepatotoxicity. Hepatotoxicity features of commonly used herbal products, such as Ayurvedic and Chinese herbs, black cohosh, chaparral, germander, greater celandine, green tea, Herbalife, Hydroxycut, kava, pennyroyal, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, skullcap, and usnic acid, have been individually reviewed. Furthermore, clinically significant herb-drug interactions are also discussed.

CONCLUSIONS: A number of herbal medicinal products are associated with a spectrum of hepatotoxicity events. Advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis and the risks involved are needed to improve herbal medicine safety.

Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2013 Jan;37(1):3-17. doi: 10.1111/apt.12109. Epub 2012 Nov 5. Bunchorntavakul C, Reddy KR. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Rajavithi Hospital, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Recent findings indicate that conscious attention is related to large-scale information integration of various brain regions, including both hemispheres, that enables integration of parallel distributed modalities of processed information. There is also evidence that the level of information transference related to integration or splitting among brain regions, and between hemispheres, establishes a certain level of efficiency of the information processing. The level of information transference also may have modulatory influences on attentional capacity that are closely linked to the emotional arousal and autonomic response related to a stimulus. These findings suggest a hypothesis that changes in conscious attention, specifically during meditation could be reflected in the autonomic activity as the left-right information transference calculated from bilateral electrodermal activity (EDA). With the aim to compare conscious attention during meditation with other attentional states (resting state, Stroop task, and memory task), we performed bilateral EDA measurement in 7 healthy persons during resting state, Stroop task, neurofeedback memory test, and meditation. The results indicate that the information transference (ie, transinformation) is able to distinguish those attentional states, and that the highest level of the transinformation has been found during attentional processing related to meditation, indicating higher level of connectivity between left and right sides. Calculations other than pointwise transinformation (PTI) performed on EDA records, such as mean skin conductance level or laterality index, were not able to distinguish attentional states. The results suggest that PTI may present an interesting method useful for the assessment of information flow, related to neural functioning, that in the case of meditation may reflect typical integrative changes in the autonomic nervous system related to brain functions and focused attentional processing.

Clin EEG Neurosci. 2012 Nov 19. Bob P, Zimmerman EM, Hamilton EA, Sheftel JG, Bajo SD, Raboch J, Golla M, Konopka LM. Center for Neuropsychiatric Research of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Neuroimaging has become a central technique of biological psychiatry and is uniquely suited to assess functional and structural brain changes in psychiatric patients in vivo. In this review, we highlight several recent developments that may enable the transition of psychiatric neuroimaging from laboratory to clinic.

RECENT FINDINGS: We describe recent trends in refining imaging techniques for brain microstructure (diffusion imaging) and neurochemistry (magnetic resonance spectroscopy of neurotransmitters and metabolites) and their application to patients with mood disorders and individuals at risk, such as first-degree relatives. We also survey recent progress in imaging-guided deep brain stimulation (DBS), imaging-based (neurofeedback) therapies and studies looking at their convergent anatomical targets. These new interventional techniques, which aim to modulate brain circuits of emotion and motivation highlighted by functional imaging studies, have shown promising effects in several small studies.

SUMMARY: The mapping of brain patterns associated with risk to develop mood disorders may pave the way for diagnostic/prognostic applications of neuroimaging. The neuromodulation techniques of DBS and neurofeedback, which target dysfunctional or compensatory circuits identified by functional imaging, may take neuroimaging into a new, therapeutic domain.

Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013 Jan;26(1):27-32. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e32835a0b63. Keedwell PA, Linden DE. MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics and Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, UK.

OBJECTIVE: The use of estrogen and progesterone to manage vasomotor symptoms (ie, hot flashes and night sweats) has declined because of concerns about their risks, and there is an increased interest in alternate, effective, and low-risk treatments. This study reports the results of a randomized controlled trial of clinical hypnosis for treating vasomotor symptoms among postmenopausal women.

METHODS: This is a randomized, single-blind, controlled, clinical trial involving 187 postmenopausal women reporting a minimum of seven hot flashes per day (or at least 50 hot flashes a week) at baseline between December 2008 and April 2012. Eligible participants received five weekly sessions of either clinical hypnosis or structured-attention control. Primary outcomes were hot flash frequency (subjectively and physiologically recorded) and hot flash score assessed by daily diaries on weeks 2 to 6 and week 12. Secondary outcomes included measures of hot flash-related daily interference, sleep quality, and treatment satisfaction.

RESULTS: In a modified intent-to-treat analysis that included all randomized participants who provided data, reported subjective hot flash frequency from baseline to week 12 showed a mean reduction of 55.82 (74.16%) hot flashes for the clinical hypnosis intervention versus a mean reduction of 12.89 (17.13%) hot flashes for controls (P < 0.001; 95% CI, 36.15-49.67). The mean reduction in hot flash score was 18.83 (80.32%) for the clinical hypnosis intervention as compared with 3.53 (15.38%) for controls (P < 0.001; 95% CI, 12.60-17.54). At 12-week follow-up, the mean reduction in physiologically monitored hot flashes was 5.92 (56.86%) for clinical hypnosis and 0.88 (9.94%) for controls (P < 0.001; 95% CI, 2.00-5.46). Secondary outcomes were significantly improved compared with controls at 12-week follow-up: hot flash-related interference (P < 0.001; 95% CI, 2.74-4.02), sleep quality (P < 0.001; 95% CI, 3.65-5.84), and treatment satisfaction (P < 0.001; 95% CI, 7.79-8.59).

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with structured-attention control, clinical hypnosis results in significant reductions in self-reported and physiologically measured hot flashes and hot flash scores in postmenopausal women.

Menopause. 2012 Oct 22. Elkins GR, Fisher WI, Johnson AK, Carpenter JS, Keith TZ. From the 1Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory, Baylor University, Waco, TX; 2School of Nursing, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN; and 3College of Education, University of Texas, Austin, TX.

Full title: Mindfulness-and body-psychotherapy-based group treatment of chronic tinnitus: a randomized controlled pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Tinnitus, the perception of sound in absence of an external acoustic source, impairs the quality of life in 2% of the population. Since in most cases causal treatment is not possible, the majority of therapeutic attempts aim at developing and strengthening individual coping and habituation strategies. Therapeutic interventions that incorporate training in mindfulness meditation have become increasingly popular in the treatment of stress-related disorders. Here we conducted a randomized, controlled clinical study to investigate the efficacy of a specific mindfulness- and body-psychotherapy based program in patients suffering from chronic tinnitus.

METHODS: Thirty-six patients were enrolled in this pilot study. The treatment was specifically developed for tinnitus patients and is based on mindfulness and body psychotherapy. Treatment was performed as group therapy at two training weekends that were separated by an interval of 7?weeks (eleven hours/weekend) and in four further two-hour sessions (week 2, 9, 18 and 22). Patients were randomized to receive treatment either immediately or after waiting time, which served as a control condition. The primary study outcome was the change in tinnitus complaints as measured by the German Version of the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ).

RESULTS: ANOVA testing for the primary outcome showed a significant interaction effect time by group (F?=?7.4; df?=?1,33; p?=?0.010). Post hoc t-tests indicated an amelioration of TQ scores from baseline to week 9 in both groups (intervention group: t?=?6.2; df?=?17; p? CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that this mindfulness- and body-psychotherapy-based approach is feasible in the treatment of tinnitus and merits further evaluation in clinical studies with larger sample sizes. The study is registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01540357).

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012 Nov 28;12(1):235. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-12-235. Kreuzer PM, Goetz M, Holl M, Schecklmann M, Landgrebe M, Staudinger S, Langguth B. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Universitaetsstrasse 84, Regensburg 93053, Germany. peter.kreuzer@medbo.de.

Christine Page, MD has over 30 years of experience in the caring professionals both as a medical doctor, homeopath and teacher. Through her work, she is committed to finding ways to enhance a state of well being through enhancement of the institution, listening to the wisdom of the body and working in cooperation with the more natural elements of this world. Author of five books, her latest being Spiritual Alchemy, she has a gift of taking complex ideas and making them simple to understand and practice. Wherever she is, her message is the same; find your center, live your truth and celebrate the deepest connections possible.

For more information, please visit www.christinepage.com.

Full title: The pharmacist "toolbox" for smoking cessation: a review of methods, medicines, and novel means to help patients along the path of smoking reduction to smoking cessation.

Annually there are 500 000 preventable deaths in the United States caused by smoking; as health care professionals, pharmacists have a unique opportunity to advise, assess, and assist patients to quit smoking. This review article provides pharmacists with a "toolbox" containing an overview of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic methods for smoking cessation. Currently approved over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications (nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline, and bupropion) are summarized, and nonpharmacologic therapies discussed include cognitive therapy and hypnosis. In addition to traditional therapies some potential approaches to smoking cessation are addressed, including nicotine immunizations and electronic cigarettes.

J Pharm Pract. 2012 Dec;25(6):591-9. doi: 10.1177/0897190012460823. Wynn WP 3rd, Stroman RT, Almgren MM, Clark KJ. Department of Pharmacy Practice, South University, Columbia, SC, USA.