Tau protein is essential for the structural stability of neurons, particularly through its role in microtubule assembly and axonal transport. However, when abnormally hyperphosphorylated or cleaved, Tau can aggregate into insoluble forms that disrupt neuronal function, contributing to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease...
Psilocybin, a compound found in Psilocybe mushrooms, is emerging as a promising treatment for neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder. Its potential therapeutic effects stem from promoting neuroprotection, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity, key factors in brain health. Psilocybin could help combat mild neurodegenerati...
Background and HypothesisVisual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. T...
Background and Hypothesis Visual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. ...
Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, has emerged as a promising treatment for a range of mental health conditions, including anorexia nervosa. Recent insights from animal models and human imaging studies suggest psilocybin enhances cognitive flexibility and modifies reward processing - two core processes disrupted in anorexia nervosa. Both cognitive flexi...
Microdosing, the repeated use of psychedelic substances at low doses, is growing in popularity among recreational consumers. While this practice is associated with many benefits to mood, well-being and health, research in this area is in its early stages and predominantly centered on human applications. In this narrative review, we synthesize the findings fr...
Neuroplasticity, the ability of the nervous system to adapt throughout an organism's lifespan, offers potential as both a biomarker and treatment target for neuropsychiatric conditions. Psychedelics, a burgeoning category of drugs, are increasingly prominent in psychiatric research, prompting inquiries into their mechanisms of action. Distinguishing themselv...
Background and Hypothesis Visual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. ...
Background and HypothesisVisual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. T...
Background: Psilocybin has shown promise in therapeutic applications for mental disorders. Understanding the pharmacokinetics of psilocybin and its active metabolite psilocin is crucial for optimizing its clinical use and minimizing adverse effects. Methods: This systematic review involved a comprehensive search across MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, and Embase datab...
Growing evidence suggests that psychedelic-assisted therapies can alleviate depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and substance use disorder, offering relatively safe profiles, enhanced efficacy, and lasting effects after a few applications. Athletes often experience high levels of stress and pressure, making them susceptible to these psychiatric condit...
Brain aging (BA) processes are complex, often affect multiple systems, and frequently lead to cognitive decline and increased susceptibility to insults. BA appears to be a primary risk for the development of many prominent neurodegenerative pathologies. The US Census Bureau predicts that the aging population (65+) will represent a greater proportion of the U...
Background and HypothesisVisual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. T...
Integrating advanced pharmaceutical innovations and artificial intelligence (AI) offers transformative potential for psychiatric care. This Patent Highlight reviews novel therapeutic strategies, including the synergistic use of monoamine antidepressants and short-duration psychedelics, alongside AI-driven behavioral efficacy tracking. The combination of sele...
In the rapidly growing field of psychedelic research, psilocybin (and active metabolite psilocin) has been proposed as a promising candidate in the search for novel treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. Clinical trials have revealed that psilocybin has a large, rapid, and persistent effect in the improvement of symptoms of depression and anxiety. The sa...
Over a decade after the first edition of "Behavioral Neurobiology of Alcohol Addiction," this chapter revisits the field at a critical juncture, marked by both persistent challenges and emerging opportunities. We reflect on the translational gap that has stalled the development of new treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD), despite decades of promising pr...
BACKGROUND: Psilocybin is a psychedelic 5HT2A receptor agonist found in "magic mushrooms". Recent studies have indicated that 5HT2A agonists, such as dimethyltryptamine, given before middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), improve staircase behavior, increased BDNF expression, and reduce brain infarction in stroke rats. The objective of this study is to det...
Background & aimTreatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) has remained largely unchanged and focuses primarily on symptomatic relief through activation of dopaminergic pathways. Currently, there are no proven prophylactic approaches to the prevention of PD. This systematic review seeks to compare two separate compounds, metformin (MTF) and psilocybin, as potenti...
BackgroundThe applications of psilocybin, derived from 'magic mushrooms,' are vast, including a burgeoning practice known as microdosing, which refers to the administration of sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelic substances to obtain benefits without experiencing significant cognitive and perceptual distortion. However, current research is fairly new with...
Psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine have emerged as potentially effective treatments for rapid amelioration of the symptoms of mood and related psychiatric disorders. All clinical data collected so far with regard to psilocybin or MDMA, which have reported positive outcomes for treating depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and drug or alcohol use d...
