The fungivore-deterrence hypothesis, that psilocybin evolved as a chemical defence against arthropod fungivores via 5-HT receptor agonism, has become the working consensus in fungal chemical ecology, despite resting on a phylogenomic pattern of horizontal gene transfer among saprotrophs and remarkably little direct experimental evidence. Recent biochemistry ...
Abstract Psilocybin induces profound alterations in consciousness, yet prevailing neural models often describe a monolithic change in brain connectivity that may not fully capture the multifaceted nature of the psychedelic state. To test the hypothesis of a composite neural state, this study applied a data-driven framework, Connectome Independent Component A...
The goal of this open-label, dose-escalation, prospective study is to evaluate the safety and psychological effects of a Psilocybin and D-Serine formulation in healthy volunteers. The main objectives are: 1. To assess the psychological and physiological effects of psilocybin administered with D-Serine in healthy adults. 2. To determine whether D-Serine modul...
Production of the psychoactive compound psilocybin is a defining feature of the genus Psilocybe, commonly referred to as “psychedelic mushrooms”. However, Psilocybe fuscofulva is a striking exception within Psilocybe sensu stricto as it lacks the stereotypical blue bruising characteristic of the genus, and psilocybin has not been detected in the species.To i...
INTRODUCTION: Psilocybin may effectively treat psychological distress in cancer patients. A meta-analysis assessed its safety and effectiveness in this context. METHODS: A comprehensive search across six databases (Scopus, PsycINFO, PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL Complete, and Web of Science) was conducted to identify studies on psilocybin's effects on mental heal...
Psychedelic substances reliably occasion transient self-transcendent states, including mystical-type experiences, which are theorized to support salutogenic psychological change and long-term well-being. Despite growing interest in these phenomena, little is known about how acute self-transcendent states translate into enduring trait-level changes, or whethe...
Background Classic serotonergic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin show promising antidepressant effects in controlled trials, but real-world data from routine clinical care remain limited. Methods This study retrospectively analysed routine data from adults with treatment-resistant depressive and/or anxiety disorders who received a first standardized P...
This randomised controlled feasibility trial evaluates the Digital Intervention for Psychedelic Preparation (DIPP), a novel 21-day self-guided program designed to prepare individuals for psychedelic experiences. Forty healthy volunteers will be randomly assigned to either a meditation-based intervention or a music-based control condition. Both groups will fo...
Psilocybin induces profound alterations in consciousness, yet prevailing neural models often describe a monolithic change in brain connectivity that may not fully capture the multifaceted nature of the psychedelic state. To test the hypothesis of a composite neural state, this study applied a robust, data-driven framework, Connectome Independent Component An...
IMPORTANCE: Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may offer a novel approach to treating depression, anxiety, and existential distress in individuals with life threatening illnesses, where current treatments show limited efficacy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy versus active placebo and psychotherapy in adults...
Objective To evaluate psilocybin's efficacy in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms in cancer patients based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) followed PRISMA and Cochrane Handbook guidelines. PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library data up to July 2024 were analyzed. Two RCTs met the inclu...
Adults with alcohol use disorder who received two sessions of psilocybin-assisted therapy demonstrated personality shifts toward normalization of abnormal trait expression, a secondary analysis of a randomized trial has found. A decrease in impulsiveness was found to be associated with reduced drinking post-treatment, with the strongest effect for psilocybin...
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) is considered rare in hallucinogen users although there are conflicting reports about its incidence and prevalence. HPPD may be more common in those with trait neuroticism. In this study, we invited hallucinogen and other drug users to complete an online questionnaire about their use of hallucinogens, their ...
OBJECTIVE: Evidence suggests that psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) leads to durable shifts in personality structure. However, such changes have yet to be characterized in disorders of addiction. In this secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial, the authors examined the effect of PAT on personality dimensions in patients with alcohol use disorde...
BackgroundPsychedelic-assisted therapy refers to a group of therapeutic practices involving psychedelics taken under therapeutic supervision from physicians, psychologists, and others. It has been hypothesised that psychedelic-assisted therapy may reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and existential distress in patients facing life-threatening diseases (e...
Background: How the human psyche interacts with the theme of death is fundamental to individual and societal life, profoundly influencing cognition, affect, and behavior. Death-related psychological phenomena, such as death anxiety and acceptance, have been shown in clinical studies to be influenced by psychedelic (LSD and psilocybin) interventions. However,...
Background: How the human psyche interacts with the theme of death is fundamental to individual and societal life, profoundly influencing cognition, affect, and behavior. Death-related psychological phenomena, such as death anxiety and acceptance, have been shown in clinical studies to be influenced by psychedelic (LSD and psilocybin) interventions. However,...
BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between pre-trial expectancy, suggestibility, and response to treatment in a trial of escitalopram and investigational drug, COMP360, psilocybin, in the treatment of major depressive disorder (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03429075). METHODS: = 55) from our recent double-blind, parallel-group, randomized head-...
Introduction: The classic psychedelic psilocybin has attracted special interest across clinical and non-clinical settings as a potential tool for mental health. However, despite increasing attention to challenging psychedelic experiences, few studies have explored the relevance of emotionally painful, shame-related processes with psychedelic use. Methods: Th...
Introduction: The classic psychedelic psilocybin has attracted special interest across clinical and non-clinical settings as a potential tool for mental health. However, despite increasing attention to challenging psychedelic experiences, few studies have explored the relevance of emotionally painful, shame-related processes with psychedelic use. Methods: Th...
