***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Tai Chi , a moving meditation , is examined for its efficacy in post-stressor recovery . Forty-eight male and 48 female Tai Chi practitioners were r and omly assigned to four treatment groups : Tai Chi , brisk walking , mediation and neutral reading . Mental arithmetic and other difficult tests were chosen as mental challenges , and a stressful film was used to produce emotional disturbance . Tai Chi and the other treatments were applied after these stressors . After all treatments , the salivary cortisol level dropped significantly , and the mood states were also improved . In general the stress-reduction effect of Tai Chi characterized moderate physical exercise . Heart rate , blood pressure , and urinary catecholamine changes for Tai Chi were found to be similar to those for walking at a speed of 6 km/hr . Although Tai Chi appeared to be superior to neutral reading in the reduction of state anxiety and the enhancement of vigour , this effect could be partially accounted for by the subjects ' high expectations about gains from Tai Chi . Approaches controlling for expectancy level are recommended for further assessment Background The morbidity and mortality associated with depression are considerable and continue to increase . Depression currently ranks fourth among the major causes of disability worldwide , after lower respiratory infections , prenatal conditions , and HIV/AIDS . Crocus sativus L. is used to treat depression . Many medicinal plants textbooks refer to this indication whereas there is no evidence -based document . Our objective was to compare the efficacy of stigmas of Crocus sativus ( saffron ) with imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a 6-week pilot double-blind r and omized trial . Methods Thirty adult out patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 4th edition for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM IV participated in the trial . Patients have a baseline Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of at least 18 . In this double-blind , single-center trial , patients were r and omly assigned to receive capsule of saffron 30 mg/day ( TDS ) ( Group 1 ) and capsule of imipramine 100 mg/day ( TDS ) ( Group 2 ) for a 6-week study . Results Saffron at this dose was found to be effective similar to imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression ( F = 2.91 , d.f . = 1 , P = 0.09 ) . In the imipramine group anticholinergic effects such as dry mouth and also sedation were observed more often that was predictable . Conclusion The main overall finding from this study is that saffron may be of therapeutic benefit in the treatment of mild to moderate depression . To the best of our knowledge this is the first clinical trial that supports this indication for saffron . A large-scale trial with placebo control is warranted The possibility that the taking of vitamin supplements may influence mood was explored . One hundred and twenty-nine young healthy adults took either 10 times the recommended daily dose of 9 vitamins , or a placebo , under a double-blind procedure , for a year . Males taking the vitamins differed from those taking the placebo in that they reported themselves as feeling more ' agreeable ' after 12 months . After 12 months the mood of females taking the vitamin supplement was significantly improved in that they felt more ' agreeable ' , more composed and reported better mental health . These changes in mood after a year occurred even though the blood status of 9 vitamins reached a plateau after 3 months : this improvement in mood was associated in particular with improved riboflavin and pyridoxine status . In females baseline thiamin status was associated with poor mood and an improvement in thiamin status after 3 months was associated with improved mood This study attempted to determine whether humor production moderates mood and physiological responses to stress of subjects high and low in trait humor . Forty subjects who were high and 40 subjects who were low in trait humor were selected . Half of each group was r and omly assigned to one of two conditions . In one condition they generated a humorous monologue and in the other condition they generated a serious monologue to a silent stressful film .  Heart rate , skin conductance level , and skin temperature  were taken continuously for the fifteen minutes before , during , and fifteen minutes after the film . Pre- and post-stress mood and tension ratings were also recorded . Analyses of covariance were conducted with baseline mood and tension as covariates . Compared to the production of a serious narrative , humor production led to lower negative affect , lower tension , and reduced psychophysiological reactivity for both high and low trait-humor groups . These results suggest that humor production may be an effective coping strategy , even for individuals who do not typically use humor to cope with stress Patients with recurrent winter depression and its subsyndromal form have been reported to benefit from bright full-spectrum light ( phototherapy ) . In order to determine whether this treatment ( 2 h in the morning ) during winter is effective in a r and om sample of the general population we investigated the responses of 20 subjects with varying degrees of winter difficulties . A control group ( n = 20 ) matched for the degree of seasonality , age , and sex was treated with dim light .  Individuals were selected from a larger survey sample of the Montgomery County population ( MD , U.S.A. ) and were comparable to the latter in their degree of winter difficulties . Enhancement of environmental light does not , on the basis of the present study , appear to be indicated for the public at large , but rather for a subgroup of individuals with histories of winter difficulties Based on research demonstrating associations between folate , B-12 and B-6 vitamins and cognition and mood , we investigated the effects of short-term supplementation in 211 healthy younger , middle-aged and older women who took either 750 microg of folate , 15 microg of vitamin B-12 , 75 mg of vitamin B-6 or a placebo daily for 35 d. In addition , we examined associations between dietary intake of these vitamins and cognition and mood . Usual dietary intake status was estimated using a retrospective , self-report , quantified food frequency question naire . Participants completed alternate forms of st and ardized tests of cognitive processing re sources , memory , executive function , verbal ability and self-report mood measures before and after supplementation . Supplementation had a significant positive effect on some measures of memory performance only , and no effect on mood . Dietary intake status was associated with speed of processing , recall and recognition and verbal ability OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of mindfulness training on pain tolerance , psychological well-being , physiological activity , and the acquisition of mindfulness skills . METHODS Forty-two asymptomatic University students participated in a r and omized , single-blind , active control pilot study . Participants in the experimental condition were offered six ( 1-h ) mindfulness sessions ; control participants were offered two ( 1-h ) Guided Visual Imagery sessions . Both groups were provided with practice CDs and encouraged to practice daily . Pre-post pain tolerance ( cold pressor test ) , mood , blood pressure , pulse , and mindfulness skills were obtained . RESULTS Pain tolerance significantly increased in the mindfulness condition only . There was a strong trend indicating that mindfulness skills increased in the mindfulness condition , but this was not related to improved pain tolerance . Diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased in both conditions . CONCLUSION Mindfulness training did increase pain tolerance , but this was not related to the acquisition of mindfulness skills Depressive disorders are very common in clinical practice , with approximately 11.3 of all adults afflicted during any a year . Saffron is the world 's most expensive spice and apart from its traditional value as a food additive , recent studies indicate several therapeutic effects for saffron . It is used for depression in Persian traditional medicine . Our objective was to compare the efficacy of hydro-alcoholic extract of Crocus sativus ( stigma ) with fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a 6-week double-blind , r and omized trial . Forty adult out patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , fourth edition for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV and with mild to moderate depression participated in the trial . In this double-blind , single-center trial and r and omized trial , patients were r and omly assigned to receive capsules of saffron 30 mg/day ( BD ) ( Group 1 ) and capsule of fluoxetine 20 mg/day ( BD ) ( Group 2 ) for a 6-week study . Saffron at this dose was found to be effective similar to  fluoxetine  in the treatment of mild to moderate depression ( F = 0.13 , d.f . = 1 , P = 0.71 ) . There were no significant differences in the two groups in terms of observed side effects . The results of this study indicate the efficacy of Crocus sativus in the treatment of mild to moderate depression . A large-scale trial is justified Sixty senile subjects ( 60 - 80 years old ) with dysthymic disturbances as defined by DSM III ( Cat . 390.40 ) were r and omized into two homogeneous groups , one of which was given acetyl-L-carnitine ( 3 g/day per os ) while the other received a placebo . After a washout phase of one week , each patient was evaluated by scoring on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Beck Depression Inventory , as well as the S and oz Clinical Assessment -Geriatric . These tests were administered at the beginning of the trial , prior to drug administration , and repeated during the treatment phase after 30 and 60 days . The results showed that treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine induced a significant reduction , as compared to the placebo ( p less than 0.002 ) , in the severity of depressive symptoms and also a significant improvement ( p less than 0.0027 ) in the items measuring the quality of life Depression is one of the most common neuropsychiatric conditions , with a lifetime prevalence approaching 17 % . Although a variety of pharmaceutical agents is available for the treatment of depression , psychiatrists find that many patients can not tolerate the side effects , do not respond adequately , or finally lose their response . On the other h and , many herbs with psychotropic effects have far fewer side effects . They can provide an alternative treatment or be used to enhance the effect of conventional antidepressants . A number of recent pre clinical and clinical studies indicate that stigma and petal of Crocus sativus have antidepressant effect . Our objective was to compare the efficacy of petal of C. sativus with fluoxetine in the treatment of depressed out patients in an 8-week pilot double-blind r and omized trial . Forty adult out patients who met the DSM- IV criteria for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM- IV participated in the trial . Patients have a baseline Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of at least 18 . In this double-blind and r and omized trial , patients were r and omly assigned to receive capsule of petal of C. sativus 15 mg bid ( morning and evening ) ( Group 1 ) and fluoxetine 10 mg bid ( morning and evening ) ( Group 2 ) for a 8-week study . At the end of trial , petal of C. sativus was found to be effective similar to fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression ( F=0.03 , d.f.=1 , P=0.84 ) . In addition , in the both treatments , the remission rate was 25 % . There were no significant differences in the two groups in terms of observed side effects . The present study is supportive of other studies which show antidepressant effect of C. sativus The aim of this study was to investigate whether in stress-prone subjects , carbohydrate-rich , protein-poor food ( CR/PP ) diminished depressive mood and a cortisol response under controllable as well as uncontrollable laboratory stress . Twenty-two subjects with high stress proneness ( HS ) and 23 subjects with low stress proneness ( LS ) participated in a controllable- and uncontrollable-stress experiment during either a CR/PP or protein-rich , carbohydrate-poor ( PR/CP ) diet . Both controllable and uncontrollable laboratory stress significantly increased pulse rate and skin conductance in HS and LS subjects , whereas uncontrollable stress increased feelings of depression , anger , tension , and fatigue and decreased feelings of vigor . Only in HS subjects , a cortisol response and feelings of depression became lower under the CR/PP diet condition , irrespective of the controllability of the laboratory stressor , suggesting an increased ability to cope with stress . Because the CR/PP diet compared with the PR/CP diet previously has been found to cause a 42 % increase in plasma tryptophan/SigmaLNAA , seen as an indirect measure of increases in brain serotonin levels , the present results suggest that an enhanced serotonin function in HS subjects may be involved Eighty-four depressed pregnant women were recruited during the second trimester of pregnancy and r and omly assigned to a massage therapy group , a progressive muscle relaxation group or a control group that received st and ard prenatal care alone . These groups were compared to each other and to a non-depressed group at the end of pregnancy . The massage therapy group participants received two 20 min therapy sessions by their significant others each week for 16 weeks of pregnancy , starting during the second trimester . The relaxation group provided themselves with progressive muscle relaxation sessions on the same time schedule . Immediately after the massage therapy sessions on the first and last days of the 16-week period the women reported lower levels of anxiety and depressed mood and less leg and back pain . By the end of the study the massage group had higher dopamine and serotonin levels and lower levels of cortisol and norepinephrine . These changes may have contributed to the reduced fetal activity and the better neonatal outcome for the massage group ( i.e. lesser incidence of prematurity and low birthweight ) , as well as their better performance on 
    Output:
    
Of the 38 interventions review ed , the ones with the best evidence of efficacy in depressive disorders were S-adenosylmethionine , St John 's wort , bibliotherapy , computerised interventions , distraction , relaxation training , exercise , pleasant activities , sleep deprivation , and light therapy .
Research in non- clinical sample s indicated immediate beneficial effects on depressed mood for distraction , exercise , humour , music , negative air ionisation , and singing ; while potential for helpful longer-term effects was found for autogenic training , light therapy , omega 3 fatty acids , pets , and prayer .
Conclusion A number of self-help interventions have promising evidence for reducing subthreshold depressive symptoms .