California Institute for Human Science

Aging doesn't just dull our memories; it destabilizes our emotions while further impairing sleep quantity and NREM sleep quality. Emotional dysregulation and anxiety symptoms in older adults accelerate their risk of cognitive decline and dementia, yet the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. In young adults, reductions in deep sleep, specifically the loss of slow wave activity (SWA) during non-REM sleep, impair the brain's ability to regulate anxiety overnight. This raises a testable hypothesis: Does age-related decline in SWA contribute to increased anxiety symptoms in older adults? We test this hypothesis in 61 cognitively healthy older adults (>65 y) experiencing varying levels of anxiety. Each participant underwent polysomnography-recorded sleep in the lab, followed by a structural MRI the next morning to assess atrophy in anxiety-sensitive brain regions. A subset of 24 participants was tracked longitudinally over 4 ± 2.02 years. The findings were consistent. Greater impairment in nighttime SWA predicted higher next-day anxiety in older adults, both at baseline and at follow-up. Brain imaging revealed the mechanism: atrophy in key emotion-processing regions was associated with reduced capacity to generate robust slow waves needed for overnight anxiety regulation. Critically, mediation analysis showed that impaired SWA fully accounted for the relationship between regional atrophy and disrupted overnight anxiety regulation. These findings suggest that even in the presence of age-related brain atrophy, intact SWA may preserve emotional stability by rescuing the brain's nightly emotional recalibration process, protecting mental health in aging populations.

Introduction are very well defined, and they assure the reader understands what is being researched. I love the Literature Review, especially the fact that it starts with ancient paradigms, including the one noting ancient Egyptian and Greek reverence for and attention to the potential depth within dreaming.

Self-development is an important basis for the professional development of teachers and future teachers. In this study, future teachers are graduate students whose majors are school counseling and mental health education. The performance of playback theater (PT) in the classroom has become an integral part of teaching, especially for teaching integral drama-based pedagogy (IDBP). Using qualitative research methods, researchers found that PT enables future teachers to deeply develop and experience “respect” and “empathy.” PT actively promotes self-development by using empathy as the main factor for promoting change in self-cognition, behavior, and emotional release. The improvisational action presents storytellers with accessible forms of empathic reaction. Researchers have discovered that the use of theater ritual and artistry are the external conditions for inspiring empathy by creating an atmosphere of equality, respect, and inclusion. Moreover, this atmosphere also promotes dialogue. Having learned empathy, individuals connect better with each and become more open to self-development through reflection.

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ABSTRACTBackgroundStuttering is a speech disorder that affects more than 70 million people worldwide, limiting their ability to communicate and socialize. In recent decades, several studies have demonstrated a link between stuttering and a deficit of β electroencephalographic (EEG) power.Aim and MethodsThis study investigates the efficacy of a novel auditory neuro modulating technology that leverages euphonic music tracks with broad-spectrum binaural beats to induce selective EEG spectral power changes. Adults with stuttering (AWS, n=6) and participants from the control group (n=6) were exposed to euphonic binaural stimuli for 5 minutes. The EEG and electrocardiographic (ECG) bio-signals were recorded prior, during, and after exposure.ResultsDuring standard reading tasks without stimulation, β-power in the left hemisphere in the adults without stuttering and with stuttering differed. The left-right hemisphere asymmetry in β-wave power was observed in the control group but not in AWS. After the stimulation, the power of β-band in AWS participants in the left hemisphere increased 1.54-fold, while changes in the right hemisphere activity were not significant. Average β-band power within left frontotemporal area and temporoparietal junction after stimulation in AWS participants shows an increase of β-band in left frontotemporal junction by 1.65-fold and in left temporoparietal by 1.72-fold. The changes in the quality of speech were assessed based on the speech rate and the rate of speech disfluencies evaluated by speech therapists. The rate of disfluencies dropped significantly after the stimulation (median 74.70% of the baseline rate), but the effect was not significantly different from the baseline 10 min later (median 65.51% of the baseline rate). Similarly, the speech rate significantly increased immediately after the stimulation (median 133.15%) but was not significantly different 10 min later (median 126.63% of the baseline rate). In this study, we found significant correlations of β-activation level in left temporoparietal projection (Spearman ρ=-0.54,) and left frontotemporal area (Spearman ρ=-0.58) with disfluency rate of speech.ConclusionsWe show for the first time that auditory binaural beats stimulation can substantially improve speech fluency in AWS and its effect is related to boost of EEG β-band power in speech-production centers. The changes in β power are detected immediately after the exposure and persist 10 min later. Additionally, these effects are accompanied by a reduction in stress level as monitored by ECG markers. This suggests that auditory binaural beats stimulation temporarily improves speech quality in AWS by increasing β-band power of EEG in speech centers of the brain.

Abstract In this study, we explore the interrelationship of theory and practice by focusing on the practice of Integral Drama Based Pedagogy (idbp) by tracing its theoretical framework of Wang Yamgming (1472–1529) on its conception, and the theoretical influence of Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) on its development. In the works of Wang Yangming and Aurobindo, a theory of Integral Education emerges that contributes to an increasing transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary evolution in education in primary, secondary, and higher education. Our intention is to discuss the interrelationship between two educational approaches that are directed toward the student’s personal transformation – Integral Education and Integral Drama Based Pedagogy – and to show that their complementarity has had a positive mutual influence. In addition, we include references to the works of Donald Winnicott and his contemporaries on the expansion of idbp. Lastly, we provide an example of a course component of idbp, a teaching of the poem “Journey” by Mary Oliver.

Earthing (grounding) refers to the human body being in contact with the surface of the Earth by barefoot exposure outdoors or using special indoor systems connected to the Earth. Previous studies have showed multiple beneficial effects as a result of such contact, including better sleep, normalization of cortisol, reduced inflammation, pain and stress, and better blood flow. To determine if Earthing for one hour improves facial blood circulation, forty middle-aged volunteers were divided into a grounded group and a sham-grounded group according to a double-blind procedure. They were asked to sit in a comfortable recliner chair equipped with a grounding mat, pillow and patches. The grounding systems were either grounded or sham-grounded via a wire to the ground port of a power outlet. An infrared imaging camera was used to measure changes in blood flow and temperature. Thermal imaging showed clearly improved circulation of fluids (including blood) throughout the torso, which in turn, translates into enhanced delivery of blood to the head and improved blood circulation in the face as well. The results of this innovative study demonstrate that even one-hour contact with the Earth appears to promote significantly autonomic nervous system control of body fluids and peripheral blood flow that may improve blood circulation in the torso and face, facial tissue repair, skin health and vitality and optimize facial appearance (face anterior view p = 0.002; face lateral views p = 0.017; full anterior torso view p = 0.002). Further study using larger comparison groups and following subjects for a longer period of time (longitudinal study) is warranted.

There are currently no measures of restricted object use in young children with autism. In this study the object play of 27 young children with autism was measured in a semi-structured context to quantify restricted object use. It was hypothesized that children who engaged in less restricted object use would show better responding, joint attention, motor imitation, and intentional communication. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated between restricted object use measured at time 1 and response to joint attention, motor imitation, and coordinated attention to object and person, at time 1 and time 2 (6 months later), controlling for developmental play level. The construct validity of this measure of restricted object use was supported by the statistically significant correlations in the predicted direction of all expected associations.