Affective biases are important neuropsychological mechanisms by which emotions modulate cognition, behaviour and the subjective experience of mood. Previous studies have shown that the rapid-acting antidepressant, ketamine, and serotonergic psychedelic, psilocybin, modulate affective biases in a translational rat model. Both treatments differ from convention...
Introduction. Limitations of conventional treatments for depression and anxiety, particularly in treatment-resistant cases, have driven interest in alternative therapeutic approaches. Psilocybin, a serotonergic agonist with demonstrated effects on neuroplasticity and large-scale brain networks, has emerged as a promising therapeutic option. Materials and met...
PurposeTo examine the prevalence of lifetime ("ever") cannabis and classic psychedelic use, and their co-use among U.S. adults aged ≥ 50 years with versus without a lifetime history of cancer, and to describe variation by cancer type/site among survivors.MethodsWe analyzed pooled 2015-2019 and 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data of ...
The classic psychedelic psilocybin elicits long-lasting neural plasticity and behavioral effects, but prior studies largely examined stress-naive animals. Using longitudinal imaging, we show that psilocybin increases dendritic spine density in frontal cortical neurons and facilitates fear extinction after chronic restraint stress, demonstrating psilocybin’s ...
BackgroundWild mushroom foraging is common in the United States. Poisoning usually results from misidentification, though some "edible" mushrooms can also cause toxicity. Armillaria ("honey mushrooms") are widely foraged and generally considered edible, yet sporadic gastrointestinal illness has been reported. Their clinical effects remain poorly described. P...
This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized data from 13 clinical trials (n=606) evaluating psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression. Despite early enthusiasm, the pooled standardized mean difference (-0.79, 95% confidence interval: -3.98 to 2.40, p=0.63) revealed no statistically significant...
Psilocybin-assisted therapy shows promise for depression, though current evidence relies on Phase 2 trials with notable methodological limitations. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating psilocybin-assisted therapy for major or treatment-resistant depression up to February 2024. We evaluated depre...
Serotonergic psychedelics such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and 4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (psilocybin) show therapeutic promise for psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders but may be limited by liabilities from serotonin (5-HT)-2A mediated psychoactive effects and potential cardiotoxicity via 5-HT2B activation. To address these limitation...
Background Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can present significant challenges to individuals mental health, characterized by intrusive thoughts and repetitive maladaptive behaviors. Recent research into alternative treatments has highlighted psychedelics, notably psilocybin, for their potential therapeutic benefits in various psychiatric disorders, inclu...
Psychedelics a class of psychoactive compounds such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and dimethyltryptamine (DMT) are undergoing a scientific renaissance. Studies since 2020 have shown their therapeutic promise in mental health treatment. This Commentary synthesizes historical usage, current neuroscientific and clinical evidence, and explores...
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition marked by challenges in social communication and repetitive behaviors. Current treatments, primarily behavioral therapies, often fail to address the core symptoms. Recent research has explored the potential of psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA, as a new therapeutic approach. While these sub...
Background: Psilocybin, the main psychoactive compound found in Psilocybe mushrooms, has gained increasing attention due to its potential therapeutic effects in neuropsychiatric disorders [1]. Beyond its central effects, increasing evidence highlights the relevance of the gut-brain axis, suggesting that psychedelics may also influence intestinal microbiota c...
Background: Psilocybin, a key psychoactive compound found in Psilocybe mushrooms, has gained increasing attention due to its therapeutic potential in neuropsychiatric disorders [1]. However, comparative preclinical data between isolated psilocybin and whole mushroom extracts remain scarce, particularly regarding behavioural reinforcement and peripheral toxic...
Background: Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms contain the tryptamines psilocybin and psilocin, which are recognized for their therapeutic potential in mental health [1]. Additionally, due to their psychedelic effects, these mushrooms are also used for religious and recreational purposes. The increasing use of these tryptamines and other psychoactive substances ha...
Psilocybin is a federally illegal psychedelic substance that carries positive (e.g., treatment for mood disorders) and negative (e.g., emotional distress) consequences. In 2020, Oregon legalized psilocybin for adult use (21+) at the state level, restricted to designated service centers. In Fall 2024 and Spring 2026 we summarized and compared Oregon’s legal/r...
This article proposes a research agenda for psilocybin-assisted therapy focusing on the correlation between neural entropy and long-term cognitive flexibility.
The goal of this study is to learn about the brain network response in people who have functional neurological disorder who are administered with a single dose of the psychedelic psilocybin with therapeutic support. The main question it aims to answer is: Can the default mode network, a brain network thought to be relevent in FND, be modified by the administ...
Psychedelics show therapeutic potential for treating psychiatric disorders. While studies have emphasized the roles of cortical pyramidal cells, GABAergic neurons also express serotonin receptors and are therefore likely targets of psychedelics. In this study, we determine the effect of psilocybin on the activity dynamics of major GABAergic cell types in the...
