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...
The psychedelic psilocybin has shown therapeutic potential, yet underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. We investigated the impact of psilocin-the active metabolite of psilocybin-on basal activity and reactivity within the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) and PVT projections to central amygdala (CeA) in rats. Psilocin administrati...
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the role that inducing neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to adapt and change) plays in the behavioral effects of psilocybin in people who have experienced a mild decline in emotional wellbeing. Researchers will compare different doses of psilocybin combined with midazolam or placebo to see what dose induce...
Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, has gained attention as a potential treatment for various psychiatric conditions. In this review, the authors summarize current clinical evidence related to psilocybin’s efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action across psychiatric disorders. Findings from early-phase and small-scale clinical trials suggest rapid but v...
The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility, initial signals of efficacy, and potential mechanisms of action of "microdoses" of psilocybin (i.e., low doses of psilocybin that are not believed to produce mystical-type, transcendent, hallucinogenic, or other overtly salient subjective effects that limit functionality) in the treatment of mo...
Upwards of 50% of people do not respond to the primary treatment modalities for major depressive disorder (MDD), which has led to increased attention and use of alternative methods, including exercise and psychedelics. While interventions using either exercise or psychedelics have demonstrated largely positive results in isolation, their synergistic potentia...
Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to modify synaptic connections and reorganize neural circuits, underpinning cognitive function, emotional regulation, and recovery from injury. Recent advances have redefined adult neuroplasticity as more dynamic and therapeutically accessible than previously thought, spurring investigation into pharmacologi...
Abstract Repeated mild traumatic brain injury (RmTBI) can produce lasting cognitive, emotional, and social deficits (e.g., persistent post-concussion symptoms; PPCS). Despite the prevalence of RmTBI in sports, military, and domestic violence settings, effective treatments to alleviate the neurological consequences of RmTBI remain limited. Psilocybin, a serot...
Psilocybin is a hallucinogen with complex neurobiological and behavioral effects. Underlying these effects are changes in brain neuroplasticity. We hypothesized psilocybin given during adolescence, a time of heightened neuroplasticity, particularly in the forebrain, would affect emotional behavior and the associated underlying neuroanatomy, neurocircuitry, a...
In our original case report we provide detailed accounts of two research participants who reported the emergence of spontaneously recovered, previously forgotten traumatic memories of sexual assaults during psilocybin treatment. In their commentary of this article, Kangaslampi et al. argue that we preemptively label the experiences as dissociated traumatic m...
We carried out a systematic review of modern-era (1990-2025) placebo-controlled studies assessing the acute and post-acute effects of lysergic acid diethylamide, dimethyltryptamine and psilocybin on cognitive and psychological functions. From February 28 to March 19, 2025, PubMed and APA PsychINFO were systematically searched for placebo-controlled studies e...
Psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, have shown therapeutic potential across several psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anorexia nervosa (AN). These disorders often share social deficits that may be effectively alleviated by psychedelics considering their use has been linked with emotional empathy and ...
INTRODUCTION: Although commonly used in psychedelic-assisted therapy, the role of therapeutic touch remains loosely defined and ethically sensitive. Gaining insight into how participants experience and interpret touch during psychedelic sessions is essential for informing safe and effective clinical practice. METHODS: Participants were sampled from a large r...
BACKGROUND: Psychological distress is a common problem near the end of life, for which we lack effective, timely and scalable treatments. No previous study has assessed whether microdose psilocybin can improve symptoms in this population. AIM: To determine whether microdose psilocybin is safe, feasible and potentially efficacious in a palliative setting. DES...
This review examines the therapeutic efficacy of psilocybin for major depressive disorder by integrating findings from clinical trials, meta-analyses, and mechanistic research. A comprehensive literature search across major scientific databases identified empirical studies evaluating psilocybin’s effects on depressive symptomatology, safety, and underlying n...
A key distinction among clinical trials on psilocybin treatments, for example, those targeting depression, has been whether the psilocybin dosing session is combined with bona fide psychotherapy or with what is referred to as “psychological support” (1-3). The most developed model of psychological support is the Compass Psychological Support Model (CPSM; 1)....
BACKGROUND: The claustrum, a subcortical structure densely expressing 5-hydroxytryptamine 2 A (5-HT2A) receptors, has been implicated in sensory integration, emotional regulation, salience, and attention. Despite its hypothesized involvement in the effects of serotonergic psychedelics, the neurochemical impact of these substances on claustral neurotransmissi...
Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is the most prevalent eating disorder and is associated with psychiatric comorbidities, health impairments, and decreased quality of life. Emerging evidence suggests that psilocybin-assisted therapy may promote cognitive and emotional flexibility and disrupt maladaptive behavioral patterns, making it a promising candidate for BED ...
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...
Background: Emotional distress is often comorbid with serious illness, especially in individuals facing social stigmas, such as patients with HIV. Death acceptance may serve as a protective factor against such distress. Standard psychopharmacologic interventions have shown insufficient results in alleviating distress associated with serious illness. Prelimin...
