Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects over 21 million adults in the U.S (NIMH, 2023) and remains a significant public health challenge. Despite the effectiveness of traditional medications, 30% of patients remains resistant. Little is known about the beliefs individuals hold regarding novel treatments, such as psilocybin and the motivations b...
In recent years psychedelics have gained popularity and potential promise in the field of mental health, but for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD), fears of emerging manic or psychotic symptoms have caused investigators to exclude them from psychedelic research. In this observational study, we explore the motivations, expectations, and personalit...
Psilocybin-containing mushrooms have long been used for their psychoactive effects, but emerging evidence suggests that certain lignicolous ("wood-loving") species may also induce a distinct toxidrome known as "wood-lover paralysis" (WLP). WLP is characterised by transient weakness following mushroom ingestion, but its aetiology and prevalence remain poorly ...
IntroductionThe intensity of the psychedelic experience has been hypothesized as the main predictor of response to a psychedelic treatment. This study aimed to investigate factors that may be associated with the intensity of mystical experiences during naturalistic psychedelic use.MethodsThe data of this comprehensive sample were aggregated from four previou...
Psychedelic substances such as psilocybin have recently gained attention for their potential therapeutic benefits in treating depression and other mental health problems. However, individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) have been excluded from most clinical trials due to concerns about manic switches or psychosis. This study aimed to systematically examine th...
BackgroundCannabis Use Disorder (CUD) is an increasingly prevalent disorder affecting millions of Americans each year. Psychedelic compounds have recently been investigated for their therapeutic potential in treating substance use disorders, yet no prior work has examined the relationship between naturalistic use of specific psychedelic compounds and rates o...
IntroductionThe recreational use of psilocybin or psilocin-containing products, a chemical found naturally in certain mushroom species, is on the rise across the United States. Several cases of serious clinical effects related to mushroom-containing products have recently been reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The emergence of these new pro...
Abstract Objectives The first line for symptom management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a class of medications that act on dopamine and noradrenaline receptors, which leads to symptom reduction at the cost of significant side effects. These side effects have led to community searching for alternative methods that manage ADHD symptoms ...
ObjectivesDespite advancements in policies governing psychedelic substances globally, our understanding of real-world psychedelic use and its variations across international jurisdictions remains limited. We implemented the Global Psychedelic Survey (GPS) to capture information about psychedelic consumer characteristics, access, and usage patterns around the...
ImportanceBipolar II disorder (BDII) is a debilitating condition frequently associated with difficult-to-treat depressive episodes. Psilocybin has evidence for rapid-acting antidepressant effects but has not been investigated in bipolar depression.ObjectiveTo establish the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in patients with BDII in a current depressive episod...
Major depression is an established risk factor for subsequent dementia, and depression in late life may also represent a prodromal state of dementia. Considering current challenges in the clinical development of disease modifying therapies for dementia, the focus of research is shifting towards prevention and modification of risk factors to alter the neurode...
IntroductionA new era of treatment for adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), which involves psychedelic substances, is dawning. Emerging evidence indicates that psychedelics can exert antidepressant effects through multiple neurobiological and psychological mechanisms. However, it remains to be seen if these new treatments will revolutionize the ...
BackgroundPsilocybin is being studied for use in treatment-resistant depression.MethodsIn this phase 2 double-blind trial, we randomly assigned adults with treatment-resistant depression to receive a single dose of a proprietary, synthetic formulation of psilocybin at a dose of 25 mg, 10 mg, or 1 mg (control), along with psychological support. The primary en...
Cocaine Use Disorder (CUD) is a significant public health problem associated with elevated morbidity and mortality within the United States. Current behavioral treatments have limited efficacy and there are currently no FDA approved pharmacological treatments for CUD. Classic psychedelics might be associated with lowered odds of substance misuse and may effe...
BackgroundPreliminary data suggest that psilocybin-assisted treatment produces substantial and rapid antidepressant effects in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), but little is known about long-term outcomes.AimsThis study sought to examine the efficacy and safety of psilocybin through 12 months in participants with moderate to severe MDD who rece...
BackgroundSuicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and rates within the United States have risen over the past two decades. Hence, there is a critical need for novel tools to treat suicidal ideation and related mental health conditions. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)/ecstasy and classic psychedelics may be two such tools.AimsThe aim ...
BackgroundDepression is a major mental health issue worldwide, with high rates of chronicity and non-recovery associated with the condition. Existing treatments such as antidepressant medication and psychological treatments have modest effectiveness, suggesting the need for alternative interventions.AimThe aim of this study was to examine the relationships b...
BackgroundPsilocybin, a psychoactive serotonin receptor partial agonist, has been reported to acutely reduce clinical symptoms of depressive disorders. Psilocybin's effects on cognitive function have not been widely or systematically studied.AimThe aim of this study was to explore the safety of simultaneous administration of psilocybin to healthy participant...
BackgroundThe United States boasts the largest prison population in the world, conferring significant direct and indirect costs (e.g. lost wages for the incarcerated, increased morbidity/mortality, etc.) to society. Recidivism rates are high for the imprisoned and most interventions to reduce criminality are minimally effective. Thus, in addition to the need...
BackgroundMicrodoses of psychedelics (i.e. a sub-hallucinogenic dose taken every third day) can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress according to anecdotal reports and observational studies. Research with medium to high doses of psilocybin points towards potential underlying mechanisms, including the modulation of emotion and interoceptive proce...
