PcncAAAD is a noncanonical fungal aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AAAD) featuring a unique appendage C-terminal domain (CTD) and two metal-binding sites. Unlike its mammalian and plant counterparts, PcncAAAD is activated by calcium, although the exact activation mechanism remains unclear. Here, we establish an in silico RMSD-based evaluation model throu...
Psilocybin, a classic psychedelic compound, has garnered renewed interest as a potential treatment for various psychiatric disorders. This review provides a comprehensive overview of psilocybin's history, recent clinical evidence, ongoing clinical trials, neuroimaging findings, and regulations. Historically used in spiritual and healing rituals, psilocybin w...
INTRODUCTION: This article presents a narrative review of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as a promising intervention for addressing anxiety, depression and psycho-existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. This group of disorders, often resistant to conventional treatments, significantly impacts patients' quality of life and autonomy, as well ...
People with cancer often experience anxiety and depression following a diagnosis and can face barriers to accessing treatment for their mental health. An increasing number of patients are considering alternative approaches to managing their mental health symptoms, such as the psychedelic, psilocybin. A growing number of clinical trials show significant and e...
The overall objective of this study is to develop and pilot test a novel regimen of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for demoralization in patients receiving hospice care. -The name of the study drug involved in this study is Psilocybin The purpose of this research is to understand how psilocybin-assisted therapy may be adapted in the context of hospice car...
Demoralization syndrome (DS) - a distinct clinical entity characterized by helplessness, hopelessness, and a persistent loss of meaning - affects approximately one in five Canadians with advanced cancer and is associated with increased desire for hastened death, negative clinical outcomes, and higher economic burden, yet recognition and treatment of DS remai...
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...
About 30-50% of patients with advanced illness experience depression, anxiety, or decreased sense of purpose and autonomy. Together, these are called psychological distress. Treatment options such as medication and therapy are available; however, they do not always work and can be time-consuming and expensive. We need treatments that work well, quickly, and ...
The escalating global burden of mental health disorders, coupled with the stagnation of innovation in traditional monoaminergic pharmacotherapy (e.g., SSRIs), has precipitated a critical need for novel therapeutic paradigms. This article presents a comprehensive systematic review of the so-called "Psychedelic Renaissance," focusing on the clinical resurgence...
OBJECTIVE: Anxiety is common in patients receiving end-of-life care and significantly impacts their quality of life. However, pharmacological management remains challenging due to complex clinical presentations and potential side effects, emphasizing the need for systematically reviewing existing treatments. Here we aim to systematically evaluate the efficac...
BackgroundPalliative Care is concerned with relieving suffering and improving the quality of life of patients and their families. Currently, questions arise about how to provide patients with good end-of-life care. There has been increasing interest in the beneficial effects of using psilocybin-assisted therapy in patients with severe chronic illnesses near ...
The overall objective of this study is to assess the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy to alleviate opioid-refractory pain in patients with advanced-cancer. The name of the study intervention used in this research study is: Psilocybin (a tryptamine derivative) This study is a phase 2 open label, single center, concur...
“Magic mushrooms” produce a naturally occurring psychedelic compound called psilocybin. Public opinion surrounding psilocybin mushrooms generally holds that they are primarily used for recreational purposes, which may have contributed to their widespread prohibition in the United States. However, prior studies have demonstrated the potential efficacy of psil...
This narrative review synthesized the use of psilocybin-assisted therapy as a promising treatment for alleviating death anxiety in terminally ill patients. The insights presented are derived from findings reported in previous studies. Therefore, this review aimed to assess the efficacy, pharmacology, and mechanisms by which psilocybin alters brain function b...
This multicenter, triple-blind, phase 2, randomized controlled trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of psilocybin therapy compared to an active control in treating demoralization in adults near the end of life (≤2 years life expectancy). After providing written informed consent, participants deemed eligible for this trial will be randomized to a brief...
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent distressing thoughts and substantial anxiety, accompanied by repetitive behaviors or mental rituals. Individuals with OCD often have diminished quality of life, and functional impairment. The disorder cause high personal, societal and economic costs. Current availab...
OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) for demoralisation in terminally ill patients receiving home hospice care. METHODS: In this open-label pilot trial, 4607 home hospice patients at a large community hospice were screened over 22 months; 66 were approached, 15 enrolled and 10 received ps...
Psilocybin, an indoleamine alkaloid derived from various fungal species, is the subject of renewed, rigorous investigation for its therapeutic potential in psychiatry. This compound, a prodrug for the active metabolite psilocin, functions primarily as a partial agonist at the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor. Its administration within a structured psychotherap...
Background/Objectives: Given the limitations of traditional approaches to treating existential distress in seriously ill patients, psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as a promising treatment option. However, weighing up the potential risks and benefits of this approach can be challenging for both healthcare professionals and patients. Decision aid...
