Anxiety disorders are chronic health conditions affecting the quality of life of millions of people. Psilocin, the active moiety of psilocybin, provides an anxiolytic effect; however, when orally administered as psilocybin, it only offers a moderate level of bioavailability and less predictable pharmacokinetics, potentially making effects after absorption va...
Depression is a debilitating mental disorder affecting millions worldwide, yet current pharmacological treatments, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), often exhibit delayed onset and limited efficacy. The chronic social defeat (CSD) stress model in mice is a well-established preclinical paradigm for inducing depression-like behaviors and...
In the 1950s-60s, serotonergic psychedelic drugs were studied as potential adjuvants to psychotherapy to treat addiction and alcoholism. However, starting in the 70s, preclinical and clinical studies on psychedelics stopped for decades because legislation controlled its recreational use, citing their hallucinogenic and psychotomimetic effects, as well as the...
Background: Persisting symptoms after concussion is a complex syndrome warranting exploration into further treatment options. Emerging research highlights the potential of classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, in managing neuropsychiatric conditions and promoting neuroprotection. Case Report: A case is presented of a 22-year-old male intercollegiate athl...
Neuroinflammation is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and major depressive disorder. Psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), have demonstrated promising therapeutic effects on neuroinflamma...
IntroductionMushrooms, belonging to the phyla Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, comprise approximately 14,000 known species, among which a small fraction are toxic. While toxic mushrooms are primarily associated with adverse health effects, recent research highlights their potential as sources of bioactive compounds with promising therapeutic applications.Method...
In recent decades, psilocybin has gained attention as a potential drug for several mental disorders. Clinical and preclinical studies have provided evidence that psilocybin can be used as a fast-acting antidepressant. However, the exact mechanisms of action of psilocybin have not been clearly defined. Data show that psilocybin as an agonist of 5-HT2A recepto...
In the contemporary landscape of psychiatric medicine, critical advancements have been noted in the utilization of psychoactive substances such as hallucinogens, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and ketamine for the treatment of severe mental health disorders. This review provides a detailed evaluation of these substances, focusing on their mechanis...
Psychedelics belong to the oldest psychoactive drugs. They arouse recent interest due to their therapeutic applications in the treatment of major depressive disorder, substance use disorder, end-of-life anxiety,= and anxiety symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this review, the current state of preclinical research on the mechanism of action, neur...
There is a renewed interest in psychedelic drugs as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. In particular, psilocybin has shown promise for the treatment of refractory depression 1 and major depressive disorder 2, and has also been explored as a treatment for tobacco and alcohol abuse 3, 4. However, despite suggestive evidenc...
Classical serotonergic psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide or the naturally occurring compounds psilocybin and mescaline produce profound changes in mood, thought, intuition, sensory perception, the experience of time and space, and even the experience of self. Research examining psychedelic compounds has had a complex and turbulent evolution. Ma...
Natural psychedelic compounds are emerging as potential novel therapeutics in psychiatry. This review will discuss how natural psychedelics exert their neurobiological therapeutic effects, and how different neurotransmission systems mediate the effects of these compounds. Further, current therapeutic strategies for depression, and novel mechanism of action o...
Fungi produce diverse metabolites that can have antimicrobial, antifungal, antifeedant, or psychoactive properties. Among these metabolites are the tryptamine-derived compounds psilocybin, its precursors, and natural derivatives (collectively referred to as psiloids), which have played significant roles in human society and culture. The high allocation of ni...
Clinical studies provide evidence that ketamine and psilocybin could be used as fast-acting antidepressants, though their mechanisms and toxicity are still not fully understood. To address this issue, we have examined the effect of a single administration of ketamine and psilocybin on the extracellular levels of neurotransmitters in the rat frontal cortex an...
Psilocybin has been shown to be a powerful, long-lasting antidepressant in human clinical trials and in rodent models. Although rodents have commonly been used to model psychiatric disorders, Drosophila have neurotransmitter systems similar to mammals and many comparable brain structures involved in similar behaviors. The forced swim test (FST), which has be...
Drugs that target the human serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) are used to treat neuropsychiatric diseases; however, many have hallucinogenic effects, hampering their use. Here, we present structures of 5-HT2AR complexed with the psychedelic drugs psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) and d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), as well as the endogenous ne...
Rapid-acting antidepressants disprove the dogma that antidepressants need several weeks to become clinically effective. Ketamine, the prototype of a rapid-acting antidepressant, is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blocking agent. A single i.v. application of ketamine induces rapid changes in glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems, leading to preferent...
Mounting evidence suggests safety and efficacy of psychedelic compounds as potential novel therapeutics in psychiatry. Ketamine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration in a new class of antidepressants, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is undergoing phase III clinical trials for post-traumatic stress disorder. Psilocybin and lysergi...
Our creativity is challenged daily when facing new situations asking for novel solutions. Creativity, a multicomponent construct includes flexible divergent and rigid convergent thinking. Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin can enhance creativity and affect state of mind (mood, empathy, openness). Of note, flexible thinking is disturbed in psychopathological c...
Psilocybin-Research.com
Searchable psilocybin and psilocin bibliometrics.