Dr. Forrest has been successfully using one form or another of light interactive hypnosis for over 40 years and has served on the Boards of many associations in the fields of mental and physical health. For the last 30+ years, she has been teaching and lecturing world-wide as well as overseeing her many programs for the "Children of the Street" in Peru. Her workshops and seminars on alternative, complimentary and holistic health, clinical hypnotherapy, personal and spiritual growth are geared to both health care professionals and lay persons.

Sharon Forrest is the founder and director of The Forrest Foundation for Effective Living, Path of the Heart, Sanctuary of Universal Love and Sacred Journeys, plus Co-Founder of Healthways International and the Center of Integrated Medicine.

Another area that Sharon Forrest is a forerunner is in the field of Psychoneuroimmunology, the correlation between the mind, the immune and other systems of the body. An intriguing topic made more popular recently. This science has been around for some time. As far back as 5000 years ago Kalawaya doctors believed that to heal the body one must heal the soul first. Forrest's continuing successes in reversing disease proves that this is still true. PNI is now of prime interest. People are finally taking an interest in their own health issues.

This randomized control trial studied the effect of hypnosis on dysmenorrhea. Fifty eligible nursing students were randomly divided into 2 groups according to baseline pain scores. One group was given hypnosis and the other given medications for pain relief for 3 menstrual cycles, followed by 3 cycles without any treatment. They were evaluated for functional restriction of activity on a 3-point scale. There was significant improvement in quality of life after the third cycle in both groups compared to baseline. The effect of hypnosis and medications on quality of life was similar in both groups at the third and sixth cycles.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2014;62(2):164-78. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2014.869128. Shah M(1), Monga A, Patel S, Shah M, Bakshi H. Author information: (1)a Medical College, Baroda, Sir Sayaji General Hospital , Gujarat , India.

BACKGROUND: Hypnosis has been used in medicine for nearly 250 years. Yet, emergency clinicians rarely use it in emergency departments or prehospital settings. OBJECTIVE: This review describes hypnosis, its historical use in medicine, several neurophysiologic studies of the procedure, its uses and potential uses in emergency care, and a simple technique for inducing hypnosis. It also discusses reasons why the technique has not been widely adopted, and suggests methods of increasing its use in emergency care, including some potential research areas. DISCUSSION: A limited number of clinical studies and case reports suggest that hypnosis may be effective in a wide variety of conditions applicable to emergency medical care. These include providing analgesia for existing pain (e.g., fractures, burns, and lacerations), providing analgesia and sedation for painful procedures (e.g., needle sticks, laceration repair, and fracture and joint reductions), reducing acute anxiety, increasing children's cooperation for procedures, facilitating the diagnosis and treatment of acute psychiatric conditions, and providing analgesia and anxiolysis for obstetric/gynecologic problems. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is safe, fast, and cost-effective, emergency clinicians rarely use hypnosis. This is due, in part, to the myths surrounding hypnosis and its association with alternative-complementary medicine. Genuine barriers to its increased clinical use include a lack of assured effectiveness and a lack of training and training requirements. Based on the results of further research, hypnosis could become a powerful and safe nonpharmacologic addition to the emergency clinician's armamentarium, with the potential to enhance patient care in emergency medicine, prehospital care, and remote medical settings.

J Emerg Med. 2014 Apr;46(4):588-96. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.09.024. Iserson KV. Author information: Department of Emergency Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hypnosis has already been proven efficient in treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The author was responsible for the hypnotherapy in a Swedish study and adds her clinical experience with IBS patients within and beyond that study. The hypnosis was labeled dynamic, and the treatment utilized the therapists' clinical competence and individually tailored techniques, including gut-oriented symptom relief and hypnoanalysis, separately or in combination. The author presents 2 cases, 1 with a focus on symptom relief and 1 on exploring traumatic causes. She illustrates her clinical rationale for technical flexibility from trauma resolving hypnoanalysis to symptom-alleviating suggestive hypnosis, including dynamics beyond the symptom when such are part of the case history.

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2014;62(2):145-63. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2014.869127. Carolusson S. Author information: a Carolusson & Carolusson AB , Göteborg , Sweden.

Many factors contribute to suboptimal pain management in children. Current evidence suggests that severe pain in children has significant long-lasting effects, even more so than in adults. In particular, recent evidence suggests a lack of optimal postoperative pain management in children, especially following ambulatory surgery. This review provides simple guidelines for the management of postoperative pain in children. It discusses the long-term effects of severe pain and how to evaluate pain in both healthy and neurologically impaired children, including neonates. Currently available treatment options are discussed with reference to the efficacy and side effects of opioid and non-opioid and regional analgesic techniques. The impact of preoperative anxiety on postoperative pain, and the efficacy of some nonpharmacological techniques such as hypnosis or distraction, are also discussed. Finally, basic organizational strategies are described, aiming to promote safer and more efficient postoperative pain management in children.

Paediatr Drugs. 2014 Apr;16(2):129-40. doi: 10.1007/s40272-013-0062-0. Brasher C(1), Gafsous B, Dugue S, Thiollier A, Kinderf J, Nivoche Y, Grace R, Dahmani S. Author information: (1)Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care, Robert Debré Hospital, 48 Bd Sérurier, 75019, Paris, France.

by Tim Brunson PhD

Eyewitness testimony is far from being full-proof. Despite the assumption that witnesses under oath are honest, sincere, and credible and that they claim that their memories are clear and accurate, there may be sufficient discrepancies. Witnesses may remember accurately, but misremember what they originally perceived.

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Rev. Dr. Giles holds his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from the University of Connecticut, Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He holds his Doctor of Ministry Degree from Meadville/Lombard Theological School at the University of Chicago With Highest Distinction and two academic prizes.

He is a Board Certified Chaplain, representing years of additional training in the pastoral arts and the passing of a rigorous examination. This is the most widely recognized credential for clergy who work as health professionals.

He is a graduate and faculty member of a state-licensed hypnotism school and have thousands of hours of advanced hypnotism training.

Rev. Dr. Giles sits on the Advisory Board of the National Guild of Hypnotists, and has won its highest awards, including the North Award for Lifetime Achievement, the President's Award, and the Hypnosis Research Award. He has been inducted into the Order of James Braid, the international honor society for hypnotism. He ranks as a Certified Instructor and Diplomate of the National Guild of Hypnotists which are the highest levels of recognition that can be earned. He has also received recognition for his work from prominent community groups such as the Volunteer Center for North Suburban Chicago and Wellness House of Hinsdale, Illinois.

He is the author of the curriculum used by the National Guild of Hypnotists to train hypnotists to do medical hypnotism in the United States, Great Britain and Canada.

He is a Unitarian Universalist community minister, authorized to work with people of all religious backgrounds by one of the oldest Protestant denominations in America.

For more information visit www.csgiles.org

by Tim Brunson, PhD

As a major proponent of the scientific validity and clinical efficacy of hypnosis, I am often questioned as to the role of the divine in the hypnotic process. While on one hand I fully realize that mainstream medical and scientific practitioners justifiably use a scientific litmus test when evaluating concepts, there are still too much unexplained phenomena regarding the human experience. This is regularly dismissed prematurely or blindly advocated by enthusiastic believers. Conversely, however, repeatedly through history many myths – which by their very nature explain mankind's relationship with nature – have been explained once theory and the sophistication of measuring equipment become sufficiently adequate. Clearly this leaves room for the possibility that concepts involving a unity of the universe or another type of divine entity may eventually gain scientific acceptance. If so, the role of the divine in the hypnotic process should warrant relevant academic discussion.

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STUDY OBJECTIVES: Slow wave sleep (SWS) plays a critical role in body restoration and promotes brain plasticity; however, it markedly declines across the lifespan. Despite its importance, effective tools to increase SWS are rare. Here we tested whether a hypnotic suggestion to "sleep deeper" extends the amount of SWS. DESIGN: Within-subject, placebo-controlled crossover design. SETTING: Sleep laboratory at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy healthy females 23.27 ± 3.17 y. INTERVENTION: Participants listened to an auditory text with hypnotic suggestions or a control tape before napping for 90 min while high-density electroencephalography was recorded. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: After participants listened to the hypnotic suggestion to "sleep deeper" subsequent SWS was increased by 81% and time spent awake was reduced by 67% (with the amount of SWS or wake in the control condition set to 100%). Other sleep stages remained unaffected. Additionally, slow wave activity was significantly enhanced after hypnotic suggestions. During the hypnotic tape, parietal theta power increases predicted the hypnosis-induced extension of SWS. Additional experiments confirmed that the beneficial effect of hypnotic suggestions on SWS was specific to the hypnotic suggestion and did not occur in low suggestible participants. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of hypnotic suggestions to specifically increase the amount and duration of slow wave sleep (SWS) in a midday nap using objective measures of sleep in young, healthy, suggestible females. Hypnotic suggestions might be a successful tool with a lower risk of adverse side effects than pharmacological treatments to extend SWS also in clinical and elderly populations. CITATION: Cordi MJ, Schlarb AA, Rasch B. Deepening sleep by hypnotic suggestion. SLEEP 2014;37(6):1143-1152.

Sleep. 2014 Jun 1;37(6):1143-52. doi: 10.5665/sleep.3778. Cordi MJ(1), Schlarb AA(2), Rasch B(3). Author information: (1)University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Division of Biopsychology, Zurich, Switzerland, Binzmühlestrasse 14/5, 8050 Zürich. (2)University of Tübingen, Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Tübingen, Germany. (3)University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Division of Biopsychology, Zurich, Switzerland, Binzmühlestrasse 14/5, 8050 Zürich ; Zurich Center for Interdisciplinary Sleep Research (ZiS), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University of Fribourg, Department of Psychology, Division of Cognitive Biopsychology and Methods, Fribourg, Switzerland.

To evaluate the effect of hypnotically induced amusia for rhythm (a condition in which individuals are unable to recognize melodies or rhythms) on mismatch negativity (MMN), 5 highly (HH) and 5 poorly (LH) hypnotizable nonmusician volunteers underwent MMN recording before and during a hypnotic suggestion for amusia. MMN amplitude was recorded using a 19-channel montage and then processed using the low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) to localize its sources. MMN amplitude was significantly decreased during hypnotic amusia (p < .04) only in HH, where the LORETA maps of MMN showed a decreased source amplitude in the left temporal lobe, suggesting a hypnotic top-down regulation of activity of these areas and that these changes can be assessed by neurophysiological investigations.

by Tim Brunson PhD

Intelligence is primarily a measure in one's ability to learn. The underlying theory of intelligence presumes that there are individual differences in the capability to use perception, memory, and learning. This article addresses the relevance of intelligence testing, its proper use in society (to include academic endeavors), and the roles of Gardner's multi-intelligence theory in our societal functioning. Together I see these issues as having scientific, philosophical and even religious/spiritual dimensions. Other than the utility and morality issues, the concept of static versus dynamic/changing intelligence must be discussed.

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Michelle Beaudry is a clinical hypnotist, board certified by the National Board of Hypnosis, and certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists.

She is the newly elected Secretary of the Hypnosis Education Association, belongs to the American Alliance of Hypnotists, was an adjunct faculty member of the National Guild of Hypnotists and presented seminars on "The Spa of Your Inner Mind" at its 2005 and 2006 conventions. She is cofounder of the Conscious Awareness Network and the Innovative Hypnosis Research Group.

She graduated in basic and advanced hypnosis at the Omni Hypnosis Training Center, and did further studies in Ericksonian hypnosis with trainer Michael Watson at Phoenix Services.

For more information visit: www.BeaudryHypnosis.com

Full title: Prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity and health related quality of life in patients with ischemic heart disease in a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric morbidity and Health Related Quality of Life (Hr-QoL) in Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) are relatively less studied in our country. AIMS: This cross-sectional observational study was undertaken to assess the common psychiatric disorders and Hr-QoL in IHD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One-hundred and thirty patients with IHD were evaluated for psychiatric morbidity and Hr-QoL. Tools used were SCID-1, Euro QoL-5D, and Socio-demographic data sheet. The data were analyzed using SPSS v 10.0 software, Chi-square test, T-test, ANOVA were used as needed. RESULTS: Psychiatric morbidity was assessed using psychiatric assessment schedule SCID-I for generating diagnosis as per DSM-IV criteria. Major depressive disorder was found in 34.6% (n=45) patients. 23.8% (n=31) patients had a diagnosis of depression due to general medical condition. Anxiety disorder due to general medical condition was present in 36.9% (n=48) patients. Around 95.4% of patients reported psychiatric symptoms, either depression or anxiety. Though widely disputed, low educational status was reported as significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity in IHD. Female sex of the patient and the presence of diabetes mellitus were associated with psychiatric morbidity in a significant manner. Majority of patients with poor quality of life were in the domain of anxiety/depression. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study reveal a high rate of psychiatric morbidity and impaired quality of life in IHD Patients.

Indian J Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;55(4):353-9. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.120554. John S. Department of Psychiatry, Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur, Kerala, India.

Full title: Prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity and health related quality of life in patients with ischemic heart disease in a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric morbidity and Health Related Quality of Life (Hr-QoL) in Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) are relatively less studied in our country. AIMS: This cross-sectional observational study was undertaken to assess the common psychiatric disorders and Hr-QoL in IHD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One-hundred and thirty patients with IHD were evaluated for psychiatric morbidity and Hr-QoL. Tools used were SCID-1, Euro QoL-5D, and Socio-demographic data sheet. The data were analyzed using SPSS v 10.0 software, Chi-square test, T-test, ANOVA were used as needed. RESULTS: Psychiatric morbidity was assessed using psychiatric assessment schedule SCID-I for generating diagnosis as per DSM-IV criteria. Major depressive disorder was found in 34.6% (n=45) patients. 23.8% (n=31) patients had a diagnosis of depression due to general medical condition. Anxiety disorder due to general medical condition was present in 36.9% (n=48) patients. Around 95.4% of patients reported psychiatric symptoms, either depression or anxiety. Though widely disputed, low educational status was reported as significantly associated with psychiatric morbidity in IHD. Female sex of the patient and the presence of diabetes mellitus were associated with psychiatric morbidity in a significant manner. Majority of patients with poor quality of life were in the domain of anxiety/depression. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study reveal a high rate of psychiatric morbidity and impaired quality of life in IHD Patients.

Indian J Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;55(4):353-9. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.120554. John S. Department of Psychiatry, Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur, Kerala, India.

BACKGROUND: Prisoners are having high percentage of psychiatric disorders. Majority of studies done so far on prisoners are from Western countries and very limited studies from India.AIM: Study socio-demographic profile of prisoners of a central jail and to find out current prevalence of psychiatric disorders in them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 118 prisoners were selected by random sampling and interviewed to obtain socio-demographic data and assessed on Indian Psychiatric Interview Schedule (IPIS) with additional required questions to diagnose psychiatric disorders in prisoners. RESULTS: Mean age of prisoners was 33.7 years with 97.5% males, 57.6% from rural areas and 65.3% were married. Average education in studied years was 6.6 years and 50.8% were unskilled workers. 47.4% were murderers while 20.3% of drugs related crimes. 47.5% were convicted and history of criminal behavior in family was in 32.2% prisoners. Current prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 33%. Psychotic, depressive, and anxiety disorders were seen in 6.7%, 16.1%, and 8.5% prisoners respectively. 58.8% had history of drug abuse/dependence prior to imprisonment. CONCLUSION: One prison of Hadoti region of Rajasthan is full of people with mental-health problems who collectively generate significant levels of unmet psychiatric treatment need. Prisons are detrimental to mental-health. Beginning of reforms is the immediate need.

Indian J Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;55(4):366-70. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.120562. Kumar V(1), Daria U(2). (1)Department of Psychiatry, Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar, Rajasthan, India. (2)Department of Anesthesia, Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar, Rajasthan, India.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol dependence has adverse health and social consequences; Alcohol related problems primarily occur within the family context and maximum impact is felt on spouses, given the intimate nature of their elationship. Spouses play an important role in treatment programs related to alcohol. There is thus a need to study psychiatric morbidity and marital satisfaction in spouses of alcohol dependent patients in order to understand and address such issues. AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of psychiatric morbidity, marital satisfaction in spouses of men with alcohol dependence syndrome and explore the association. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For psychiatric morbidity, 60 spouses of men with alcohol dependence syndrome were evaluated. Marital satisfaction was assessed using the marital satisfaction scale. Severity of alcohol dependence in the husbands and consequences of drinking was assessed using short alcohol dependence data and drinkers inventory of consequences respectively. RESULTS: More than half of the spouses (65%) had a psychiatric disorder. Primarily mood and anxiety disorder were present. Major depressive disorder was present in 43%. Psychiatric morbidity, marital dissatisfaction in spouses and higher adverse consequences alcohol dependence in their husbands, were found to be significantly correlated with each other and their association was robust particularly when problems in the physical, interpersonal and intrapersonal domains were high. CONCLUSION: Psychological distress and psychiatric morbidity in spouses of alcohol dependent men is high, with marital satisfaction being low. Addressing these issues will be beneficial as spouses are known to play an important role in the treatment of alcohol dependence syndrome.

Indian J Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;55(4):360-5. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.120557. Kishor M, Pandit LV, Raguram R. Department of Psychiatry, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of hypnosis to reduce pain and facilitate external cephalic version (ECV). DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: 63 women attempting ECV under hypnosis from 2010 to 2011 were compared with 122 women who received standard care from 2005 through 2008. INTERVENTION: Immediately after the ECV attempt, both groups completed the same questionnaire evaluating the participants' pain (visual analogue and verbal rating scales) and experience with the procedure. Physicians also completed a questionnaire that elicited their views on the effect of hypnosis on the intervention. A chi-squared test was used to compare differences in proportions, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for differences in continuous variables. A thematic content analysis of the obstetricians' responses to the open question regarding their experience of hypnotist accompaniment was also performed. OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain evaluated by women (visual analogue and verbal rating scales) and success rate of ECV. RESULTS: Pain intensity reported by women did not significantly differ between the hypnosis group and the standard care group (visual analogue scale score, 6.0 versus 6.3, respectively; p=.25; difference for verbal rating scale, p=0.31. In 72% of cases, physicians reported that hypnosis facilitated the procedure. The success rates in both groups were not significantly different (30% with hypnosis compared with 38% without; p=.31). Most women in both groups found the ECV attempt painful and a source of anxiety but would undergo it again if necessary. CONCLUSION: Hypnosis accompaniment during ECV does not reduce pain intensity associated with the procedure or improve the probability of a successful version.

J Altern Complement Med. 2013 Oct;19(10):820-5. Guittier MJ, Guillemin F, Farinelli EB, Irion O, Boulvain M, de Tejada BM. 1 University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland , Geneva, Switzerland .

Emetophobia is an intense, irrational fear of vomiting including fear of feeling nausea, seeing or hearing another person vomit, or seeing vomitus itself. It may occur at any age and we need to understand its symptomatology. We report a case of emetophobic child whose fear of vomiting started after an attack of acute appendicitis. In the initial stage, fear was limited to vomiting, later it became generalized to a fear of seeing the vomitus, worries that parents may suffer vomiting, fear of vomiting in public places followed by avoiding social activities. Patient improved on short course of anti-anxiety drugs and Graded Exposure Therapy.

Indian J Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;55(4):390-2. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.120556. Faye AD, Gawande S, Tadke R, Kirpekar VC, Bhave SH. Department of Psychiatry, N. K. P. Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.

The susceptibility of eyewitnesses to verbal suggestion has been well documented, although little attention has been paid to the role of nonverbal communication in misinformation. Three experiments are reported; in each, participants watched footage of a crime scene before being questioned about what they had observed. In Experiments 1 and 2, an on-screen interviewer accompanied identically worded questions with gestures that either conveyed accurate information about the scene or conveyed false, misleading information. The misleading gestures significantly influenced recall, and participants' responses were consistent with the gestured information. In Experiment 3, a live interview was conducted, and the gestural misinformation effect was found to be robust; participants were influenced by misleading gestures performed by the interviewer during questioning. These findings provide compelling evidence for the gestural misinformation effect, whereby subtle hand gestures can implant information and distort the testimony of eyewitnesses. The practical and legal implications of these findings are discussed.

Am J Psychol. 2013 Fall;126(3):301-14. Gurney DJ, Pine KJ, Wiseman R. School of Psychology, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK. D.Gurney2@Herts.ac.uk

Hallervorden-Spatz disease belongs to a group of disorders characterized by predominant involvement of basal ganglia. These cases may present to the psychiatrist with symptoms of depression, nervousness and rarely other psychotic symptoms. Very few cases of this disease have been reported from India. We report a case of Hallervorden-Spatz disease that presented to the psychiatry outpatient department with catatonia. This case highlights how presentation of Hallervorden-Spatz disease may overlap with catatonic symptoms and hence a high index of suspicion is required to make an accurate diagnosis.

Indian J Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;55(4):386-9. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.120553. Pawar Y(1), Kalra G(2), Sonavane S(1), Shah N(1). (1)Department of Psychiatry, Lokmanya Tilak Medical College and Sion Hospital, Sion, Mumbai, India. (2)M.G.M. Institute of Health Sciences, M.G.M. University of Health Sciences, New Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

In healthy subjects with high hypnotisability (highs) under hypnosis, subjectively effective suggestions for analgesia abolish the increases in blood pressure associated with cold pressor test (cpt) by reducing the peripheral vascular resistance. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the suggestions of analgesia on the responses to cpt in healthy highs (n?=?22) and in low hypnotisable participants (lows, n?=?22) out of hypnosis. Cpt was administered without (CPT) and with suggestions for analgesia (CPT+AN). Psychophysical (pain intensity, pain threshold, cpt duration (time of immersion) and pain tolerance, defined as the difference between cpt duration and pain threshold), respiratory (amplitude and frequency) and autonomic variables (tonic skin conductance, mean RR interval (RR?=?1/heart rate), blood pressure, skin blood flow) were studied. The suggestions for analgesia increased cpt duration and RR in both groups, but decreased pain intensity and enhanced pain threshold only in highs; in both groups they did not modulate systolic blood pressure, tonic skin conductance and skin blood flow; thus, increased parasympathetic activity appears responsible for the heart rate reduction induced by suggestions in both groups. In conclusion, our findings show that suggestions modulate pain experience differentially in highs and lows, and are partially effective also in lows. We hypothesize that the mechanisms responsible for the efficacy of suggestions in healthy lows may be involved also in their efficacy in chronic pain patients with low hypnotisability.

PLoS One. 2013 Oct 9;8(10):e75023. Santarcangelo EL, Paoletti G, Chiavacci I, Palombo C, Carli G, Varanini M. Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Deficits in brain networks that support cognitive regulatory functions are prevalent in many psychiatric disorders. Findings across neuropsychology and neuroimaging point to broad-based impairments that cross traditional diagnostic boundaries. These dysfunctions are largely separate from the classical symptoms of the disorders, and manifest in regulatory problems in both traditional cognitive and emotional domains. As such, they relate to the capacity of patients to engage effectively in their daily lives and activity, often persist even in the face of symptomatically effective treatment, and are poorly targeted by current treatments. Advances in cognitive neuroscience now allow us to ground an understanding of these cognitive regulatory deficits in the function and interaction of key brain networks. This emerging neurobiological understanding furthermore points to several promising routes for novel neuroscience-informed treatments targeted more specifically at improving cognitive function in a range of psychiatric disorders.

Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2013 Dec;15(4):419-29. Etkin A(1), Gyurak A(2), O'Hara R(1). (1)Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA. (2)Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA, Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California, USA.