Navigating the Boundaries of Health and Identity: Medical Students' Perspectives.

Background: Medical professionals do not always manage their own health in an optimal way. Research conducted on medical students' response to illness is limited; however, some studies suggest they choose to self-manage and seek advice outside of the traditional pathways of care. This study aims to understand how medical students perceive and manage their health as they transition through medical school.

Medical, subjective and objective forms of exercise dependence and the role of learning, cognitive and emotional biases.

Despite numerous benefits of regular exercise, research has demonstrated some people develop problematic exercise behaviour, with ongoing debates regarding the definition. This study defined three approaches: a traditional medical model including for example withdrawal symptoms; a subjective approach whereby individuals identify their own problematic exercise; and an objective perspective involving persistent exercise despite negative consequences. This cross-sectional study assessed the association between these three approaches in UK-based frequent exercisers ( = 139) alongside correlations with learning, cognitive and emotional biases (reward vs punishment sensitivity, delay discounting and sensation seeking).

Much more than a biological phenomenon: A qualitative study of women's experiences of brain fog across their reproductive journey.

Whilst 'brain fog' is mostly considered a biological problem little is understood about an individual's experience. This qualitative study explored women's experiences of brain fog focusing on those at the start (aged 18-25;  = 10) and end (aged 45-60;  = 10) of their reproductive journey. Descriptive thematic analysis described three themes: (i) 'daily disruptions' describing cognitive dysfunctions and the main triggers; (ii) 'the cycle of impact' with a focus on women's emotional experiences and how these can exacerbate brain fog; (iii) 'taking control' highlighting the use of self-care, physical prompts and Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) to manage brain fog.

Rationalising a spectrum of problematic exercise: A qualitative study.

Whilst a substantial body of evidence supports the benefits of exercise for physical and mental health, the overfocus on the benefits of exercise could result in harmful behaviours in some individuals. Conceptualised as a behavioural addiction, research often dichotomises the behaviour through a medical diagnostic model. The present qualitative study explored the meaning of problematic behaviour from the exerciser's perspective.

The relationship between REM sleep prior to analog trauma and intrusive memories.

Intrusive memories are a common experience following trauma exposure but can develop into a symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recent research has observed a relationship between sleep disturbance and intrusive memory frequency following analog trauma exposure and disruptions in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep are found to contribute to emotional dysregulation and an amplified reaction to negative emotional stimuli. The current study examined the association between REM sleep prior to analog trauma and intrusive memories.