Mindfulness-Based Programs Show Benefits for Cardiovascular Health

Findings from a recent randomized clinical trial, supported by the National Institutes of Health Science of Behavior Change Common Fund Program through an award administered by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, suggest that a mindfulness-based program can improve multiple aspects of cardiovascular health.

The study, led by Eric Loucks, Ph.D., from Brown University, evaluated the Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP) program, an 8-week intervention designed to support behavior change across key risk factors such as diet, physical activity, sleep, and stress.

Compared to usual care, participants in the program showed modest but clinically meaningful improvements in overall cardiovascular health at 6 months. These improvements were driven by positive changes across multiple components, including:

  • Physical activity
  • Sleep
  • Diet quality
  • Blood pressure

These findings suggest behavioral mindfulness-based interventions may effectively support changes across risk factors to improve cardiovascular health.

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Artificial Intelligence in Multiple Sclerosis: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Personalized Medicine Applications

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Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive movement disorder of the nervous system. It causes nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain to weaken, become damaged, and die, leading to symptoms that include problems with movement, tremor, stiffness, and impaired balance. As symptoms progress, people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks.

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Mitochondria and health

Uncovering the many roles that mitochondria play in health and disease

Your cells’ mitochondria produce almost all the energy your body needs to survive. They also play a role in many other vital cellular functions. This Research in Context feature looks at how insights about these cellular powerhouses might lead to new ways of preventing and treating disease.

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When Machine Learning Helps Reveal Hidden Dementia

Patients at primary care clinics received more dementia diagnoses after implementation of a machine-learning tool designed to flag potential cases, according to a study published in JAMA Network.

The findings point to a potential solution for diagnosing dementia earlier in the disease process, said Malaz A. Boustani, MD, MPh, professor in the Department of Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, who led the study.

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Rise: Early Mobility in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Adding an online group mindfulness intervention to a standard treatment for opioid use disorder was similar to adding an online evidence-based recovery support program when it came to reducing illicit opioid use, other substance use, and anxiety, but the mindfulness intervention resulted in greater reductions in opioid craving, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. The study was conducted by researchers at the Cambridge Health Alliance, McLean Hospital, Harvard University, and Tufts University and partially funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative or NIH HEAL Initiative® Behavioral Research to Improve Medication-Based Treatment (BRIM) program.

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Adding Online Group Mindfulness Sessions to Medication Treatment Reduces Opioid Craving in People With Opioid Use Disorder

Adding an online group mindfulness intervention to a standard treatment for opioid use disorder was similar to adding an online evidence-based recovery support program when it came to reducing illicit opioid use, other substance use, and anxiety, but the mindfulness intervention resulted in greater reductions in opioid craving, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. The study was conducted by researchers at the Cambridge Health Alliance, McLean Hospital, Harvard University, and Tufts University and partially funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative or NIH HEAL Initiative® Behavioral Research to Improve Medication-Based Treatment (BRIM) program.

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Cracking the Ketamine Code

Treatment-resistant depression affects nearly 3 million people in the United States. In the early 2000s, researchers began looking at ketamine as a possible treatment. Decades of research supported by the National Institute of Mental Health led to the 2019 approval of esketamine for treatment-resistant depression.

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Growth hormone and ghrelin status in autistic children

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with multifaceted etiology; with the hormonal imbalance playing an important role. Recent evidence suggests that plasma levels of Growth Hormone (GH) and ghrelin are altered in autistic children. Both hormones play a role in mucosal integrity which is crucial in immune tolerance. Ghrelin also modulates neuroinflammatory and apoptotic processes, thus both may have an impact on pathogenesis of autism.

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CTE identified in brain donations from young amateur athletes

McKee AC, et al. “Neuropathological and Clinical Findings in Young Contact Sport Athletes Exposed to Repetitive Head Impacts.” August 28, 2023. JAMA Neurology. DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2023.2907

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Living with cerebral palsy

Both children and adults with cerebral palsy can live active and fulfilling lives by utilizing different types of therapies, assistive devices, and more.

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A Plea for a Measure of Abnormality:
Embracing and Celebrating Neurodiversity, One Mind at a Time

In 1993, Joyce McDougal wrote a book entitled Plea for a Measure of Abnormality, where she challenged
what’s “normal” and showed her human- ness and kindness to those of us or our pa- tients, clients, neighbors, or relatives who do not fit into society’s understanding of what’s allowed/ acceptable/ “right”—most- ly in relation to the psychoanalytic process in narcissistic pursuits, psychic pain, sexu- al perversions, and psychosomatic illness, just to name a few.

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Denial: How it hurts, how it helps, and how to cope

Sometimes there are good reasons to stick to denial — or equally good reasons to let go of it.

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Reflecting on the Past and Looking to the Future

This month, we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the signing of Public Law 87-838, in which Congress authorized NIH to establish NICHD. As the first NIH institute to focus on the entire life course rather than a specific disease or organ system, we have accomplished much in the past six decades, from pioneering the first home pregnancy test to establishing intellectual and developmental disabilities as a recognized field of research. In my first blog post of 2022, I highlighted many of NICHD’s key scientific advances and contributions to society.

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Infographic: Why Do We Study Neuroscience?

Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. The nervous system coordinates body actions, such as breathing and walking. It also transmits signals between different parts of the body for thinking, talking, and other functions.

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What happens in the brain during a spiritual experience?

The question as to what happens in the brain when we have a spiritual experience has been explored numerous times, with varying results, and it continues to fascinate researchers and non-specialists alike. A new study aims to reveal more.

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Turning Adversity Into Advantage – EP 1 – Marty O’Connor

Our first episode features Marty O’Connor, President & CEO of MOCA (Marty O’Connor Creative Agency). We uncover how Marty’s overcame impossible struggles and launched forward with his new outlook on life. His inspiring story is covered in his new documentary, “Relentless”, which is now buzzed as one of the top shorts in the nation. One key quote from Marty is to turn “adversity into advantage”.

Counseling Offers New Tools to Cope with the Effects of Brain Injury

Early in his career, Eric Martin used to daydream about the perfect job. “I saw myself sitting among a circle of professionals, putting all our focus into helping someone who experiences profound suffering,” he recalled. In 2009 he joined Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS) and his dream came true. That vision, he said, “was what my first day at CNS was like.” Now he’s in sessions daily, helping patients and families navigate the journey of rehabilitation at the CNS Dallas clinic. “It’s a beautiful experience,” he says. “For me, it’s a calling.”

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Bringing Innovation to the Search for Biomarkers

In this Director’s Message, Dr. Gordon highlights research supported by the NIMH Small Business Innovation Research program that could advance the development of clinically relevant biomarkers.

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Likely cause of Alzheimer’s identified in new study

  • Worldwide, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia.
  • Using mouse models, researchers in Australia have identified one of the likely causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Some have dubbed the finding a “breakthrough.”
  • By studying the blood-brain barrier, the scientists have come away with a better understanding of why and how Alzheimer’s disease occurs.
  • Their findings suggest potential treatment and prevention options for the neurodegenerative condition.

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Mapping ‘Imbalance’ in Brain Anatomy Across the Lifespan

Humans are born with relatively immature brains that continue to develop in size, shape, and structure throughout childhood and adolescence. Different brain areas must develop in proportion to one another in a standardized way to achieve a mature, adult brain. Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have developed a new way to measure the degree to which the proportions of an individual person’s brain differ from the proportions typically seen in the broader population. This measurement approach, called “anatomical imbalance mapping” or AIM, yields new insights into brain development and offers tools for further study.

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Decision Guides

Each Decision Guide is a personalized, interactive dialogue that enables you to assess symptoms, severity, and appropriate steps through a series of yes/no questions. From a child’s sore throat to headaches in teens… from tremors to tinnitus…hot flashes to hip pain, the Decision Guides cover the most common symptoms in adults and children.

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