BCIA Continuing Education Posts

Benzodiazepines vary widely in EEG and clinical effects—Subtypes differ by half-life and receptor affinity, influencing sedation, rebound symptoms, and cortical modulation.

Antidepressants, particularly those that are highly activating or serotonergically potent, may be the worst choice in patients with SEB, IEDs, or focal abnormalities.

Breathing may serve not only as a marker of psychological traits but potentially as a modulator, aligning with emerging work on respiratory-based therapies for anxiety and depression.

Reduced alpha rhythms in PTSD are thought to be involved in poor excitatory/inhibitory balance in the brain.

Steffen and Anderson’s synthesis of recent neuroscience advances proposes a fundamental shift in how we understand stress and coping.

A comprehensive meta-analysis of 138 studies found that facial feedback does have a statistically significant effect on emotional experience, but the effect is small and highly variable.

To support a causal claim, a study must meet three essential criteria: covariance, temporal precedence, and internal validity.

Acetaminophen excels at treating mild to moderate pain when inflammation isn't a major factor.

A combination of physical activity and dietary change helps cancer patients and survivors reduce weight, body fat, and inflammation—factors linked to cancer progression.

At its core, ADHD is not about lacking attention—it's about struggling to control it.

Women’s faster heart rates are linked to higher expression of genes controlling the sinoatrial node, the heart’s natural pacemaker.

Labeling emotions as “negative” contradicts mindfulness principles by introducing judgment, which fosters resistance and intensifies suffering.

Quigley et al. (2024) delivered a comprehensive and much-needed revision of the methodological standards guiding research in heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) within psychophysiology.

The 1996 Task Force Report remains deeply influential today.

Breathing ensures healthy CO2 levels. The main functions of breathing are gas exchange and acid-base (pH) regulation.

Future standards must include open algorithms and population-level validation to increase clinical trust.

AI in mental health care can increase accessibility and offer scalable support, particularly through chatbots and virtual therapists.

Prospective value coding reconciles previous models of serotonin function.

Schizophrenia represents multiple disorders—"schizophrenias"—each potentially with distinct biological underpinnings.

SNS activity is too fast and irregular to be a primary driver of VLF rhythms.