Whole-Body Hyperthermia for Mood and Anxiety Disorders

For logistics, we will exclude individuals with BMI >30 and waist size > 35, who may not fit comfortably in the sauna dome for all cohorts described above.

For contraindications to hyperthermia, we will exclude from all cohorts listed above, individuals with severe cardiovascular disease, including congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, uncontrolled hypertension, and hypotension; pregnancy; active substance use disorders; recent major injuries or surgeries (<1 week prior); impaired sweating (those with multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus with neuropathy, central nervous system disease, heat insensitivity); a history or family history of malignant hyperthermia, fever or active signs of infection; taking medications that may have interactions with hyperthermia (for example, barbiturates, diuretics, and beta blockers) and the use of an antipyretic or anihistamine medication in the 12 hours prior to the WBH intervention. Individuals with above mentioned conditions will be excluded since either WBH might deteriorate their conditions or it is unknown how their condition will be affected by WBH.

For contraindications to immune analyses, we will exclude individuals with conditions that might affect immune analyses, including individuals with known active autoimmune or endocrine disease and individuals with active infection at baseline.

Group 2