This study will test the hypothesis that brain systems are differentially regulated by serotonin in individuals with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. To do this, the brain response to two single acute doses of partial serotonin (5HT)1A/2A receptor agonist psilocybin (COMP360) relative to a single dose of placebo (baseline serotonin activity) will be com...
Perception of visual contrast depends on the surrounding spatial context. Typically, the salience of a central target is reduced by a high contrast surrounding stimulus, an effect known as surround suppression. Although this phenomenon is well-studied, the role of specific neurotransmitter systems during surround suppression in human vision remains unclear. ...
BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common and disabling condition. A large proportion of patients fail to respond to first-line treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors either selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or clomipramine. Preliminary evidence suggests psilocybin, a serotonin receptor agonist, might be efficacious. We ...
BACKGROUND: The psychedelic psilocybin has been posited as efficacious for the treatment of depression. However, the potential link between the intensity of acute psychedelic effects and long-term therapeutic outcomes remains undiscovered. Moreover, the impact of classical antidepressant drugs that modulate serotonergic activity on psilocybin's effects is a ...
4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) is a psychoactive substance with reportedly similar acute effects to both the prototypical empathogen 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) and the classic psychedelic substance psilocybin (contained in "magic, hallucinogenic mushrooms"). Pharmacologically, MDMA mainly releases serotonin (5-HT) via the s...
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...
Psychedelic drugs, known for their perception-altering properties, are gaining popularity in the treatment of mental health and pain disorders. As exploratory studies demonstrate clinical efficacy with few adverse events, it is expected that more patients will ingest psychedelic drugs. For therapeutic reasons, as with any drug, anaesthesiologists must be awa...
Treating amotivated states remains difficult. Classical psychedelic drugs (5-HT2A receptor agonists) such as LSD and psilocybin have shown therapeutic potential in treating such symptoms, but their development has been hindered by their undesirable hallucinogenic effects. There is increasing evidence that administration of psychedelics at dose levels too low...
The incidence of mental health disorders is increasing worldwide. While there are multiple factors contributing to this problem, neuroinflammation underlies a significant subset of psychiatric conditions, particularly major depressive and anxiety disorders. Anti-inflammatory interventions have demonstrated benefit in these conditions. Psilocin, the active in...
The investigators wish to investigate neurobiological effects of serotonin 2A receptor modulation in healthy volunteers, contrasting effects of an agonist (psilocybin) and an antagonist (ketanserin). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) will be used as neuroimaging tools. This project applies an experimental medicine strate...
This study is an open-label, single-arm, proof-of-concept study, wherein treatment resistant bipolar depression (TRBD) participants will receive one 25 mg dose of oral psilocybin accompanied by preparatory, monitoring, and integration psychotherapy sessions (psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, or PAP). Using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), the f...
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a severe psychiatric condition characterized by preoccupation with perceived flaws in one's appearance, which the individual views as defective or ugly. Psilocybin, a serotonin 2A receptor agonist with psychedelic properties, has emerged as a potential therapeutic agent for depression and other psychiatric disorders. This st...
Psilocin, the active metabolite of psilocybin, is a psychedelic and agonist at the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) that has shown positive therapeutic effects for brain disorders such as depression. To elucidate the brain effects of psilocybin, we directly compared the acute effects of 5-HT2AR agonist (psilocybin) and antagonist (ketanserin) on cerebral bloo...
BACKGROUND: Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks (SUNHA) are trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias that feature intense and recurrent paroxysms of pain and autonomic symptoms. Many patients are left with debilitating symptoms despite best-available treatment. Psychedelics, such as the serotonin 2A partial agonist psilocybin, have shown promise ...
Abstract Background Psilocybin, a serotonin 2A receptor agonist with psychedelic properties, shows promise as a novel treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD). While current studies involve two dosing sessions, the effects a single dose have not been investigated. Aims To investigate the pharmacokinetics, feasibility, safety, and efficacy of single-dose psil...
This work utilized fMRI to assess the influence of the psychedelics, Psilocybin, a serotonergic agonist, and Salvinorin-A, a kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) agonist, on functional connectivity (FC) in non-human primates. We used a seed-based FC analysis, probing regions of interest associated with psychedelic hallucinogens. Our findings highlight the overlapping...
The goal of this multi-centre phase I/II open-label, single-arm study is to determine the safety, feasibility, therapeutic dose, and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin microdosing to treat psychological distress among patients with advanced illness. Forty patients will receive psilocybin drug product (1-3mg per day, Mon-Fri) for 4 weeks to be administered vi...
Introduction: Psilocybin is a naturally occurring tryptamine derivative psychedelic compound potently produced by fungi members of the genus Psilocybe. Previous literature has highlighted psilocybin as a serotonin 2A receptor agonist with striking effects on neural plasticity and cognition. Recent studies explore the usage of psilocybin in addressing addicti...
Preclinical and human studies indicate psilocybin may reduce perseverant maladaptive behaviors, including nicotine and alcohol seeking. Such studies in the opioid field are lacking, though opioids are involved in more >50% of overdose deaths. Psilocybin is an agonist at the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2A R), a well-documented target for modulation of drug see...
