Hallucinogenic mushrooms have been used in religious and cultural ceremonies for centuries. Of late, psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms, has received increased public interest as a novel drug for treating mood and substance use disorders (SUDs). In addition, in recent years, some states in the United States have legalized psilo...
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide While correlations between drug-induced cortisol elevation, self-reported anxiety, and treatment outcomes have been reported for human studies during psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, the mechanistic relationship between psychedelic-associated alterations in plasma glucocorticoid responses and the time cour...
A multidisciplinary pharmacognostic, forensic and pharmaceutical, organizational and legal, clinical and pharmacological, forensic and medical, toxicological, chemical evaluation of the irrational use of spices in smoking mixtures from the group of entheogens was carried out. An expert assessment of spices - plants and mushrooms containing psychoactive subst...
Psilocybin is being investigated as a treatment in adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Withdrawal from serotonergic antidepressant drugs is a common prerequisite for taking part in trials of psilocybin due to the possibility of ongoing antidepressant drugs altering the psychedelic effect. This phase II, exploratory, international, fixed-dose, o...
Priya Sharma (PS): I have never ingested any kind of recreational drug apart from alcohol, and so I have never tripped.It might seem strange that I have dedicated myself to writing a piece about psychedelics, but an investment in liberatory politics outside of institutions is why I have felt the need to write about such things.In this short piece, the politi...
BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that serotonergic psychedelics (e.g. psilocybin), have rapid-acting and long-lasting antidepressant effects after a single dose. However, the mechanism underlying these effects remain unclear. One proposed mechanism is that these drugs promote neuroplasticity. However, this has not been conclusively demonstrated in humans. AIMS:...
There has been growth in the use of psychedelics by the global population in recent years. In addition to recreational and ritualistic use, recent research into psychedelics has brought advances for treating mental disorders. Understanding the specific circumstances in which psilocybin leads to positive outcomes may have important implications for the future...
Abstract Psychoactive substances such as psilocybin and 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) are currently being investigated for a variety of psychiatric indications including major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is critical that clinicians working in the mental health field understand the regulatory framework that balances ...
Background: Psilocybin is being studied for depression, but little is known about how it interacts with common antidepressants. Limited data suggest that psilocybin’s effects may be diminished by serotonergic antidepressants acutely and even after a medication washout period. Aims: To learn the extent to which antidepressants may diminish the effects of psil...
Mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and psilocybin are classic serotonergic psychedelics. A valid, direct comparison of the effects of these substances is lacking. The main goal of the present study was to investigate potential pharmacological, physiological and phenomenological differences at psychoactive-equivalent doses of mescaline, LSD, and psi...
The psychedelic compound psilocybin has shown therapeutic benefit in the treatment of numerous psychiatric diseases. A recent randomized clinical trial conducted at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center demonstrated the efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy in the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Similarly, a phase IIb study evaluating psilocyb...
Nature created a mushroom-based compound known as psilocybin that can biochemically alter perception and affect mental anguish. Medical research shows that psilocybin activates the brain, engendering new cognition and awareness. Although psilocybin usage dates to ancient times, its contemporary medical usefulness is still in its infancy. This review discusse...
Nature created a mushroom-based compound known as psilocybin that can biochemically affect neural processing and alter perception. Although psilocybin usage dates to ancient times, its contemporary usefulness is expanding. Discovering the history and imagining the future of psilocybin is enlightening and fascinating. This review presents research and opinion...
Background: In a recent clinical trial examining the comparative efficacy of psilocybin therapy (PT) versus escitalopram treatment (ET) for major depressive disorder, 14 of 16 major efficacy outcome measures yielded results that favored PT, but the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Self-Report, 16 items (QIDS-SR16 ) did not. Aims: The present stu...
Background: Several early phase studies have demonstrated that psilocybin-assisted therapy has rapid-acting and persisting antidepressant effects from just one or two doses. However, methodological limitations (e.g., placebo-control, blinding) limit interpretability of the existing literature. Methods: In an exploratory placebo-controlled, within-subject, fi...
Renewed interest in psychedelic substances in the 21st century has seen the exploration of psychedelic treatments for various psychiatric disorders including substance use disorder (SUD). This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of psychedelic treatments for people with SUD and those falling below diagnostic thresholds (i.e. substance misuse). We system...