Body-Centered Interventions for Psychopathological Conditions: A Review

A pilot study of trauma-sensitive yoga and Breathe2Relax among service members in an intensive outpatient program

Emerging research indicates that yoga is a promising adjunct to psychological trauma treatment. The current pilot study examined the associations between psychophysiological stress, diaphragmatic breathing (DB), and a trauma-sensitive yoga (TSY) regimen developed specifically for trauma-exposed service members in alignment with recent calls for precision in reporting therapeutic yoga protocols. Participants were 31 service members enrolled in a trauma-focused intensive outpatient program (IOP). Service members participated in a brief diaphragmatic breathing (DB) session using the Breathe2Relax (B2R) app followed by the TSY session. Heart rate (HR) and perceived stress were measured at baseline and after both the DB practice and the TSY session. We assessed Yoga and DB expectancies at baseline and post TSY. Participants also rated the acceptability and usability of the B2R app. Results of linear mixed effects regression models showed decreases in HR and perceived stress, compared to baseline, following DB (HR, b = -8.68, CI 95% = -13.34, -4.02; perceived stress, b = -1.77, CI 95% = -2.35, -1.18) and TSY (HR, b = -12.44, CI 95% = -17.15, -7.73; perceived stress b = -3.69, CI 95% = -4.29, -3.08). Higher levels of expectancies, compared to lower levels, related to stronger decreases in HR and perceived stress, particularly after TSY. Overall, participants rated the B2R usability as high; virtually all participants reported that "most would learn to use the app quickly," and 76.6% reported that they would use it frequently.

Interoceptive Ability and Emotion Regulation in Mind-Body Interventions: An Integrative Review

It is increasingly recognized that interoceptive ability, the capacity to detect, interpret, and consciously integrate signals related to the physiological condition of the body, is central to emotion experience and regulation. Interoceptive ability can be trained and improved through mind-body interventions. This article attempts to provide an integrative review of the link between interoceptive ability and emotion regulation in mind-body interventions. To this aim, (1) we address the constructs of interoceptive ability and mind-body interventions in relation to the double pathway of emotion regulation, and (2) we include a review of selected empirical and qualitative studies. These show that mindfulness meditation affects the brain-body axis through top-down processing, improving both interoceptive ability and emotion regulation. Interventions based on bottom-up processing through body movement and emotional expression are illustrated, but it is argued that they are still under-investigated. In light of the literature reviewed, we contend that interoceptive ability is a crucial aspect associated with the effects of mind-body interventions on emotion regulation. Additionally, we suggest that if studied through both quantitative and qualitative methods, interoceptive ability may serve as a general construct that allows a more integrated view of the polarities related to the spectrum of embodied experience: top-down and bottom-up emotion processing, observational and non-observational body awareness, conscious and unconscious level of interoception.

Mobile brain imaging in butoh dancers: from rehearsals to public performance

BACKGROUND

Dissecting the neurobiology of dance would shed light on a complex, yet ubiquitous, form of human communication. In this experiment, we sought to study, via mobile electroencephalography (EEG), the brain activity of five experienced dancers while dancing butoh, a postmodern dance that originated in Japan.

RESULTS

We report the experimental design, methods, and practical execution of a highly interdisciplinary project that required the collaboration of dancers, engineers, neuroscientists, musicians, and multimedia artists, among others. We explain in detail how we technically validated all our EEG procedures (e.g., via impedance value monitoring) and minimized potential artifacts in our recordings (e.g., via electrooculography and inertial measurement units). We also describe the engineering details and hardware that enabled us to achieve synchronization between signals recorded at different sampling frequencies, along with a signal preprocessing and denoising pipeline that we used for data re-sampling and power line noise removal. As our experiment culminated in a live performance, where we generated a real-time visualization of the dancers' interbrain synchrony on a screen via an artistic brain-computer interface, we outline all the methodology (e.g., filtering, time-windows, equation) we used for online bispectrum estimations. Additionally, we provide access to all the raw EEG data and codes we used in our recordings. We, lastly, discuss how we envision that the data could be used to address several hypotheses, such as that of interbrain synchrony or the motor theory of vocal learning.

CONCLUSIONS

Being, to our knowledge, the first study to report synchronous and simultaneous recording from five dancers, we expect that our findings will inform future art-science collaborations, as well as dance-movement therapies.

Innovative Digital Phenotyping Method to Assess Body Representations in Autistic Adults: A Perspective on Multisensor Evaluation

In this perspective paper, we propose a novel tech-driven method to evaluate body representations (BRs) in autistic individuals. Our goal is to deepen understanding of this complex condition by gaining continuous and real-time insights through digital phenotyping into the behavior of autistic adults. Our innovative method combines cross-sectional and longitudinal data gathering techniques to investigate and identify digital phenotypes related to BRs in autistic adults, diverging from traditional approaches. We incorporate ecological momentary assessment and time series data to capture the dynamic nature of real-life events for these individuals. Statistical techniques, including multivariate regression, time series analysis, and machine learning algorithms, offer a detailed comprehension of the complex elements that influence BRs. Ethical considerations and participant involvement in the development of this method are emphasized, while challenges, such as varying technological adoption rates and usability concerns, are acknowledged. This innovative method not only introduces a novel vision for evaluating BRs but also shows promise in integrating traditional and dynamic assessment approaches, fostering a more supportive atmosphere for autistic individuals during assessments compared to conventional methods.

Effects of body-oriented intervention after stroke on cognitive function, body awareness, and quality of life: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Some cognitive functions can be affected by a stroke as it causes sensory, perceptual, and visual deficits, contributing to a loss of body awareness and changes in one's body image and leading to a decrease in the quality of life (QoL). This systematic review aims to identify and systematize scientific evidence of body-oriented intervention (BOI) effects in adult and elderly patients after a stroke on cognitive function, body awareness, and QoL.

METHODS

The research was carried out in: Pubmed, Science Direct, Cochrane, Web of Science, Psycinfo, Scopus, Portal Regional da BVS, and PEDro. To assess the methodological quality of the studies, the PEDro scale was used, and best evidence synthesis (BES) was performed on the data.

RESULTS

The study included 11 high-quality randomized controlled trials involving 590 participants. The trials investigated BOIs' effects, focusing on creative arts and mind-body and evaluating cognitive functions, body awareness, and QoL. BOIs were evidenced to induce positive effects, limited to strong ones, on several cognitive outcomes and QoL indicators, with more benefits than, or similar amounts of benefits to, other therapies.

CONCLUSIONS

BOIs have been shown to be a valid therapy in stroke recovery as there is limited to strong evidence that they improve several cognitive functions and QoL, with similar benefits to or more benefits than other therapies. In the future, it is important to study the outcomes that were not explored by the included studies or that have hardly been investigated, such as those related to body awareness.

Massage for rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of massage for postoperative rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

DATA SOURCES

The PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were systematically searched from inception to May 2024.

STUDY SELECTION

Any randomized controlled trials on the use of massage for postoperative TKA rehabilitation were included.

DATA EXTRACTION

A meta-analysis of outcomes, including postoperative pain, knee range of motion (ROM), postoperative D-dimer levels, and length of hospital stay, was performed. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used to assess the risk of bias, and the data for each included study were extracted independently by two researchers.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Eleven randomized controlled clinical trials with 940 subjects were included. The results showed that compared with the control group, the massage group experienced more significant pain relief on the 7th, 14th and 21st days after the operation. Moreover, the improvement in knee ROM was more pronounced on postoperative days 7 and 14. In addition, the massage group reported fewer adverse events. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the reduction in postoperative D-dimer levels between the patients and controls. Subgroup analysis revealed that massage shortened the length of hospital stay for postoperative patients in China but not significantly for patients in other regions. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of the studies was large.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased massage treatment was more effective at alleviating pain and improving knee ROM in early post-TKA patients. However, massage did not perform better in reducing D-dimer levels in patients after TKA. Based on the current evidence, massage can be used as an adjunctive treatment for rehabilitation after TKA.

Mind-body practices in chronic inflammatory arthritis

Mind-body practices are complementary approaches recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). While these practices are very diverse, they all focus on the interaction between mind and body. These include mindful meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, sophrology, hypnosis and various relaxation techniques. There is growing interest in incorporating these strategies in the management of chronic rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this review is to describe the main mind-body practices and analyze the existing evidence in chronic rheumatic diseases. In rheumatoid arthritis, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, yoga, Tai Chi and relaxation may improve patient-reported outcomes, but the benefit on inflammation and structural progression is unclear. In spondyloarthritis, very few studies are available but similar evidence exist. Further evaluations of these practices in chronic rheumatic diseases are needed since their risk/benefit ratio appears excellent.

Evidence of deviant parasympathetic response to social exclusion in women with borderline personality disorder

Stressful social situations like social exclusion are particularly challenging for patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and often lead to dysfunctional reactive behaviour of aggression and withdrawal. The autonomous signature of these core symptoms of BPD remains poorly understood. The present study investigated the parasympathetic response to social exclusion in women with BPD (n = 62) and healthy controls (HC; n = 87). In a between-subjects design, participants experienced objective social exclusion or overinclusion in the Cyberball task, a virtual ball-tossing game. Need threat scores served as individual measures of perceived exclusion and the resulting frustration of cognitive-emotional needs. Five-minute measurements of high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) at three time points (before, during, after Cyberball) indicated parasympathetic tone and regulation. We observed a trend towards lowered baseline HF-HRV in BPD vs. HC in line with previous findings. Interestingly, the parasympathetic response of patients with BPD to objective and perceived social exclusion fundamentally differed from HC: higher exclusion was associated with increased parasympathetic activation in HC, while this autonomic response was reversed and blunted in BPD. Our findings suggest that during social stress, the parasympathetic nervous system fails to display an adaptive regulation in patients with BPD, but not HC. Understanding the autonomous signature of the stress response in BPD allows the formulation of clinically relevant and biologically plausible interventions to counteract parasympathetic dysregulation in this clinical group.

Brief Myofascial Intervention Modulates Visual Event-Related Potential Response to Emotional Photographic Contents: A Pilot Study

The use of touch for the treatment of psychiatric disorders is increasingly investigated, as it is shown that cognitive symptoms can be improved by various forms of massage. To investigate if the effect of massage is measurable using classical visual event-related potential components (P1, P2, late positive potential (LPP)), we performed a preliminary study on six participants using myofascial induction massage. Participants were shown emotionally valenced or neutral images before and after a 20 min myofascial massage. We found general increases in P2 amplitude following the intervention across all conditions (both neutral and affective), indicating increased attention or salience to visual stimuli. The magnitude of change was visibly larger for unpleasant stimuli, suggesting that visual perception and attention were modulated specifically in response to unpleasant visual images. The LPP showed reductions in amplitude after myofascial massage, suggesting increased emotional modulation following intervention, as a result of possible DMN alterations, consistent with region and function. We conclude that brief myofascial intervention supports other research in the field, finding that physical touch and massage techniques can alter cognition and perception. We posit further research to investigate its future use as an intervention for both physical and cognitive modulation. Importantly, we provide preliminary evidence that the neural processes that resonate with this type of massage involve complex feedforward and backward cortical pathways, of which a significant portion participate in modulating the visual perception of external stimuli.

The evolved nest, oxytocin functioning, and prosocial development

Prosociality, orientation to attuned, empathic relationships, is built from the ground up, through supportive care in early life that fosters healthy neurobiological structures that shape behavior. Numerous social and environmental factors within early life have been identified as critical variables influencing child physiological and psychological outcomes indicating a growing need to synthesize which factors are the most influential. To address this gap, we examined the influence of early life experiences according to the evolved developmental niche or evolved nest and its influence on child neurobiological and sociomoral outcomes, specifically, the oxytocinergic system and prosociality, respectively. To-date, this is the first review to utilize the evolved nest framework as an investigatory lens to probe connections between early life experience and child neurobiological and sociomoral outcomes. The evolved nest is comprised of characteristics over 30 million years old and is organized to meet a child's basic needs as they mature. Converging evidence indicates that humanity's evolved nest meets the needs of a rapidly developing brain, optimizing normal development. The evolved nest for young children includes soothing perinatal experiences, breastfeeding, positive touch, responsive care, multiple allomothers, self-directed play, social embeddedness, and nature immersion. We examined what is known about the effects of each evolved nest component on oxytocinergic functioning, a critical neurobiological building block for pro-sociomorality. We also examined the effects of the evolved nest on prosociality generally. We reviewed empirical studies from human and animal research, meta-analyses and theoretical articles. The review suggests that evolved nest components influence oxytocinergic functioning in parents and children and help form the foundations for prosociality. Future research and policy should consider the importance of the first years of life in programming the neuroendocrine system that undergirds wellbeing and prosociality. Complex, interaction effects among evolved nest components as well as among physiological and sociomoral processes need to be studied. The most sensible framework for examining what builds and enhances prosociality may be the millions-year-old evolved nest.

Multidimensional schizotypy and embodied emotions

Background

Disembodiment and socio-emotional deficits are core features of the schizophrenia spectrum from the prodromal stages to chronic illness. A recent study documented anomalous emotional embodiment in individuals with schizophrenia. Although bodily self disturbances have been shown to precede and predict psychosis onset in at-risk populations, the etiology of anomalous emotional embodiment remains largely unexplored. The present study investigated bodily maps of emotions in relation to schizotypy to extend our understanding of embodied emotions in the schizophrenia spectrum.

Methods

A total of 419 participants (312 female; 19.50 ± 1.22 years) completed a topographical body mapping task where they reported patterns of embodiment experienced in the context of eleven different emotions and a neutral state (EmBODY). Embodied emotions were investigated in relation to multidimensional schizotypy.

Results

Individuals with elevated negative schizotypy experienced embodied emotions with higher intensity (r = 0.16, p = 0.003) but lower clarity (i.e., endorsing activation and deactivation in the same bodily location; β = -0.28, 95% CI [-0.54, -0.03], Z = 2.25, p=0.02) and endorsed more incongruent bodily sensations of emotions (i.e., reporting bodily activation in the context of a low-arousal emotion, r = 0.12, p = 0.05; reporting bodily deactivation in the context of high-arousal emotions, r = 0.13, p = 0.02). In line with the anomalous emotional embodiment documented in individuals with schizophrenia, some of these differences were particularly notable for low-arousal emotions.

Discussion

These results reveal negative schizotypy as a significant correlate of differences in emotional embodiment. More work is needed to link these differences to the anomalous bodily sensations of emotions documented in schizophrenia and assess their functional impact.

Influence of Rolfing Structural Integration on Active Range of Motion: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Recent work has investigated significant force transmission between the components of myofascial chains. Misalignments in the body due to fascial thickening and shortening can therefore lead to complex compensatory patterns. For the treatment of such nonlinear cause−effect pathology, comprehensive neuromusculoskeletal therapy such as the Rolf Method of Structural Integration (SI) could be targeted. Methods: A total of 727 subjects were retrospectively screened from the medical records of an SI practice over a 23-year period. A total of 383 subjects who had completed 10 basic SI sessions met eligibility criteria and were assessed for active range of motion (AROM) of the shoulder and hip before and after SI treatment. Results: Shoulder flexion, external and internal rotation, and hip flexion improved significantly (all p < 0.0001) after 10 SI sessions. Left shoulder flexion and external rotation of both shoulders increased more in men than in women (p < 0.0001) but were not affected by age. Conclusions: An SI intervention could produce multiple changes in the components of myofascial chains that could help maintain upright posture in humans and reduce inadequate compensatory patterns. SI may also affect differently the outcome of some AROM parameters in women and men.

Corporeal rehabilitation to manage acute stress in critically ill patients

Background

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients often endure discomfort and distress brought about by their medical environment and the subjective experience of their stay. Distress, pain, and loss of control are important predictors of future neuropsychiatric disorders. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress are common after discharge. We aimed at mitigating acute stress and discomfort via a novel intervention based on body image rehabilitation and rehabilitation of senses performed following a holistic approach guided by positive communication (corporeal rehabilitation care, CRC).

Results

We conducted a prospective observational study on 297 consecutively enrolled patients participating in at least one CRC session. Benefits of CRC were assessed on both subjective analogical scales of stress, pain, and well-being criteria, and objective clinical measures of dyspnea, respiratory rate, and systolic arterial pressure, just after CRC and long after (a median of 72 min later) to estimate its remote effect. Results showed that CRC had a positive effect on all overt measures of distress (acute stress, pain, discomfort) just after CRC and remotely. This beneficial effect was also observed on dyspnea and respiratory rate. Results also showed that best CRC responders had higher baseline values of stress and heart rate and lower baseline values of well-being score, indicating that the care targeted the population most at risk of developing psychological sequelae. Interestingly, a positive CRC response was associated with a better survival even after adjustment for physiologic severity, indicating a potential to identify patients prompt to better respond to other therapeutics and/or rehabilitation.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated the feasibility of an innovative holistic patient-centered care approach and its short-term positive effects on critical parameters that are considered risk factors for post-intensive care syndrome. Further studies are warranted to study long-term benefits for patients, and overall benefits for relatives as well as ICU staff.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DEVELOPMENT OF EMOTIONAL BURNOUT SYNDROME IN FAMILY DOCTORS AND THEIR CORRECTION METHODS

OBJECTIVE

The aim: Among the adverse psychological changes associated with medical work, a significant place belongs to the emotional burnout syndrome, which significantly affects a doctor's social functioning. The purpose of the study was to determine the behavioural activity types and to study the muscular sensitivity threshold of family doctors with the formed emotional burnout syndrome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Materials and methods: We examined 83 female family doctors with diagnosed emotional burnout syndrome. The treatment was carried out with the help of the Taiji-Quan eastern wellness system.

RESULTS

Results: The analysis of indicators of the behavioural activity revealed before treatment in 72,5% of women in the intervention group and in 69,8% of women in the control group (p>0,05) signs of the high probability of type A behaviour. After a three-month course of treatment, the percentage of manifestations of type A behaviour in women in the intervention group decreased from 72,5% to 40,0% (p 0,05). When examining the features of muscular tone at the beginning of treatment, it was found that 69,9% of women in the intervention group and 65,1% of the control group had a high degree of muscle blocks (p>0,05). After treatment, the percentage of women with a high degree of muscle blocks decreased to 37,5% (p 0,05) in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions: The taiji-Quan treatment made it possible to significantly reduce type A behaviour and to decrease the amount of "muscle blocks".

Qigong and Tai Chi on Human Health: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Qigong and Tai chi are traditional methods of physical and mental training and exercises in East Asia. Their health-promoting effects against various diseases have been studied for a long time, and they have been the subject of many clinical trials and systematic reviews (SRs). The present study aimed to comprehensively evaluate all published SRs on Qigong and Tai chi and to summarize the supporting evidence. The following databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Research Information Sharing Service, and Korean Studies Information Service System. The selection and extraction processes were performed by two independent reviewers, and a qualitative synthesis was conducted. There were 58 SRs of randomized controlled trials on Qigong and Tai chi. There have been many studies on patients with cardiovascular diseases and different cancers, and a number of other studies in which mobility, quality of life, blood lipids, and blood pressure were outcome measurements. Thus, Qigong and Tai chi for various diseases and medical conditions have been accumulated. Based on current evidence, the number of publications of Qigong and Tai chi-related articles showed an increasing trend, and most of them were performed in China. Qigong and Tai chi have shown beneficial effects in different age groups and health conditions, including decreasing blood lipid level, reducing blood pressure, facilitating mobility, preventing falls, and improving overall quality of life.

Postmarketing safety surveillance data reveals protective effects of botulinum toxin injections against incident anxiety

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown an antidepressant effect of glabellar botulinum toxin (BoNT) injections. In the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database, BoNT injection is associated with reduced incidence rates of depression across various non-psychiatric indications, which confirms the previous findings independently of specific expectations to an antidepressant effect of BoNT. The rationale of using BoNT to treat depression is to interrupt proprioceptive body feedback that may reinforce negative emotions. Negative emotions also occur in other mental disorders, suggesting a transdiagnostic therapeutic potential of BoNT in psychiatry. Here we report an analysis of the FAERS database, in which we found that, compared to alternative treatments, BoNT injections were associated with lower incidence of anxiety symptoms and related disorders. Among seven indications/injection sites, we found this protective effect of BoNT in cosmetic use/facial muscles, migraine/facial and head muscles, spasms and spasticity/upper and lower limbs, torticollis and neck pain/neck muscles, and sialorrhea/parotid and submandibular glands (reporting odds ratios 0.79-0.27). These findings are encouraging for possible future RCTs on the use of BoNT as a treatment for anxiety and related disorders.

How does yoga practice and therapy yield psychological benefits? A review and model of transdiagnostic processes

Interest in yoga as an intervention for psychological wellbeing has increased in recent years, with literature investigating beneficial effects in a variety of presentations and settings. The theoretical understanding of this benefit has previously focused on physiological changes involved in yoga practice, however interest has turned to the potential psychological mechanisms eliciting psychological wellbeing. The current paper builds on previous theory and argues that yoga practice targets transdiagnostic psychological processes; mechanisms that feature commonly across a wide range of presentations, thus reducing distress and increasing wellbeing across clinical and non-clinical populations. Features of yoga practice are discussed in relation to these transdiagnostic processes and the features of modern talking therapies. A new model is proposed positing specific aspects of yoga practice correlate with specific transdiagnostic processes to elicit psychological change and argues that the mechanisms by which change occurs are directly compared with the changes observed in talking therapies. The implications for future research and the potential for this to support the commissioning of holistic approaches in clinical practice are discussed.

[Body Experience and Body Interaction in Psychotherapeutic Diagnostics]

Since they are core features of many mental and psychosomatic disorders, disturbances of body experience and body interaction are relevant to understand and treat a particular patient. There are several body-related constructs, standardized psychometric instruments and experiments, focusing on single facets and following categorized evaluation. However, there is a lack of terminology and methods to individually and situationally understand and use body experience and body interaction in everyday clinical psychotherapeutic diagnostics. Based on clinical experience and a broad, topic-focused literature research, this discussion agenda delineates their core dimensions - bodily perception, body language, bodily changes, body-related narratives and actions, bodily resonance - and how to approach them by observation, mentalization, and relatedness.

Therapeutic role of yoga in neuropsychological disorders

Yoga is considered a widely-used approach for health conservation and can be adopted as a treatment modality for a plethora of medical conditions, including neurological and psychological disorders. Hence, we reviewed relevant articles entailing various neurological and psychological disorders and gathered data on how yoga exerts positive impacts on patients with a diverse range of disorders, including its modulatory effects on brain bioelectrical activities, neurotransmitters, and synaptic plasticity. The role of yoga practice as an element of the treatment of several neuropsychological diseases was evaluated based on these findings.

Personalized treatment interventions: nonpharmacological and natural treatment strategies in Alzheimer's disease

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a slow, irreversible, progressive, complex, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder. Available pharmacological treatment, known for almost two decades, does not cure the disease, but only alleviates the symptoms, with various efficacy and different side effects. Therefore, there is an unmet need to find other person-centered or personalized approaches to treat AD.Areas covered: This article describes the application of precision medicine-like approaches utilizing nonpharmacological treatment strategies and the use of natural products in personalized care for patients with AD.Expert opinion: Due to the heterogeneity of disease symptoms, somatic conditions, and patient preferences, there is definitely no "one size fits all" intervention. Therefore, individualized treatment choice is based on dementia stage, medical and psychiatric comorbidity, leading symptoms, patient preferences, and remaining capacity of the patient. In the absence of disease-modifying agents, a patient-centered, multidisciplinary team approach appears to be the best option to alleviate the heavy symptomatic burden in this unfortunate population. Hence, appropriate interventions can be offered along the AD continuum, while a better understanding of personal characteristics might help in establishing optimal individualized treatment, as well as its duration and intensity, to deliver interventions in the most effective ways.

Stress Reduction Techniques for Health Care Providers Dealing With Severe Coronavirus Infections (SARS, MERS, and COVID-19): A Rapid Review

OBJECTIVE

A rapid review was conducted to identify the most effective stress reduction techniques for health care providers dealing with patients infected with severe coronavirus (SARS, MERS, and COVID-19).

METHODS

PubMed, PsychInfo, Embase, and CINAHL databases were searched to identify relevant studies. Searches were restricted by date (2000 until present). All empirical quantitative and qualitative studies in which relaxation techniques of various types implemented on health care providers caring for patients during severe coronavirus pandemics and articles that consider the implementation of mental health care services considered to be pertinent, such as commentaries, were included.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies met the selection criteria, most of which were recommendations. Only one study described a digital intervention, and user satisfaction was measured. In the recommendations, both organizational and individual self-care interventions were suggested.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is necessary to establish tailor-made effective stress reduction interventions for this population, during these challenging and particular times.

The Rolf Method of Structural Integration and Pelvic Floor Muscle Facilitation: Preliminary Results of a Randomized, Interventional Study

The management of pelvic floor dysfunctions might need to be based on a comprehensive neuro-musculoskeletal therapy such as The Rolf Method of Structural Integration (SI). The aim of the study was to evaluate the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) after the tenth session of SI by using surface electromyography (sEMG). This was a randomized, interventional study. Thirty-three healthy women were randomly assigned to the experimental (SI) or control group. The outcome measures included PFM bioelectrical activity, assessed using sEMG and endovaginal probes. An intervention in the SI group included 60 min of SI once a week, and teaching on how to contract and relax PFMs; in the control group, only the teaching was carried out. In the SI group, a significant difference was found between the PFM sEMG activity during “pre-baseline rest” (p < 0.014) and that during “rest after tonic contraction” (p = 0.021) in the supine position, as were significant increases in “phasic contraction” in the standing position (p = 0.014). In the intergroup comparison, higher PFM sEMG activity after the intervention “phasic contraction” (p = 0.037) and “pre-baseline rest” (p = 0.028) was observed in the SI group. The SI intervention significantly changes some functional bioelectrical activity of PFMs, providing a basis for further research on a new approach to PFM facilitation, particularly in clinical populations.

The Rolf Method of Structural Integration on Fascial Tissue Stiffness, Elasticity, and Superficial Blood Perfusion in Healthy Individuals: The Prospective, Interventional Study

Introduction: There are multiple theories surrounding the physiological impact of structural integration (SI) with little evidence or research corroborating any of these. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of 10 sessions of SI on fascial tissue (FT) superficial blood perfusion, stiffness, and elasticity in 13 healthy women.

Methods: This was a prospective, interventional study. The primary outcome measures were FTs’ superficial blood perfusion, stiffness, and elasticity of bilateral selected FT points on the body. Data were collected before and after 10 sessions of SI intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using the non-parametric Wilcoxon test (intragroup comparison).

Results: The superficial blood perfusion increased significantly in the most selected FT points on the body (p < 0.05). SI interventions produced significant decreases in selected points (brachioradialis, biceps brachii, and trapezius; p < 0.05) of FT stiffness and significant increases in elasticity (brachioradialis, biceps brachii, triceps surae, and trapezius; p < 0.05), especially in the FT of the right (dominant) upper limb.

Conclusion: A 10-session of SI demonstrated positive effects on increasing superficial blood perfusion contributed to a decrease in FT stiffness and an increase in elasticity properties in the dominant upper limb. Data collection for this study is currently underway, and the trial is registered at ISRCTN.com with the identifier: ISRCTN46707309.