Major depressive disorder is a debilitating condition, with many patients unresponsive to conventional monoaminergic antidepressants. Rapid-acting antidepressants such as ketamine and psilocybin offer promising alternatives, relieving symptoms within hours. Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, and psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic primarily targeting ...
Background/Objectives: Hallucinogenic substances such as psilocybin, psilocin, ergometrine, ergotamine, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) have been demonstrated to enhance the force of contraction (FOC), in part due to the phosphorylation of phospholamban in human atrial preparations via 5-HT4 serotonin receptors and/or H2 histamine receptors. However, wh...
IntroductionNatural hallucinogens derived from fungi and animals have been used for centuries in shamanic, ritualistic, and medicinal practices across diverse cultures. These compounds exhibit a widerange of structures and mechanisms of action, affecting various neurotransmitter systems pathways. Fungal hallucinogens, primarily indole alkaloids like psilocyb...
Depression and anxiety are disabling and high incidence mental disorders characterized by phenotypic heterogeneity. Currently available treatments show severe limitations. Thus, there is an urgent need for effective treatments in this population. In the search for novel rapid-acting antidepressants, the psychedelic psilocybin has emerged as a promising thera...
Millions worldwide suffer from chronic pain, a complex condition often accompanied by depression and anxiety, highlighting the urgent need for innovative treatments. Classic psychedelics, including psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), primarily act on serotonin 5-HT2A receptors and have emerged as potential modulato...
Neurological and psychiatric disorders are considered one of the major problems of today's societies and cause many individual and social problems. Current treatments are effective, but due to their burdens, there is always an effort to introduce novel treatments. Psychedelics, a diverse group of psychoactive compounds, including LSD, psilocybin, DMT, MDMA, ...
BackgroundRecent evidence suggests that psychedelics can induce rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects. The generally acknowledged explanation for these traits is the phenomenon of neuroplasticity, although the exact underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear.AimsThis study investigates the effects of psilocin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and...
To design therapeutic trials and select the most appropriate substance and dose for an indication, a detailed understanding of clinical pharmacology is crucial. In recent years, several studies have explored the human pharmacology of different psychedelics and 3,4-methylendioxymethylamphetamin (MDMA). This chapter summarizes pharmacological characteristics o...
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...
Depressive disorders continue to pose a major clinical challenge worldwide, particularly given the high prevalence and increasing number of treatment-resistant cases. Over the past decade, advances in research have elucidated the antidepressant potential of psilocybin and other 5-HT₂A receptor agonists in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and tre...
People with eating disorders experience high rates of psychiatric comorbidities, including anxiety disorders such as generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and specific phobias. Anxiety can influence the prognosis of an eating disorder, by worsening symptoms, and acting as a barrier to treatment. Therefore, targeting treatment efforts towards ...
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...
Psychedelics have re-emerged as promising treatments for mood disorders. The current model provides a moderate-to-high dose of a psychedelic agent (e.g., psilocybin) to reliably induce an altered state of consciousness. Unfortunately, the hallucinatory effects limit the treatment's potential scalability given patients' vulnerability and extensive monitoring ...
BackgroundPsychedelics, particularly psilocin, are increasingly being studied for their mind-altering effects and potential therapeutic applications in psychiatry. Visual hallucinations, especially the illusion of motion in static images, are a hallmark of their action. Despite growing interest, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, as their sy...
Serotonin 5-HT2A receptors were one of the first serotonin receptors to be pharmacologically characterized. In mammals, they are expressed throughout the body in nearly every cell and tissue type, with the highest density in cortical layer V of the brain. They are involved in several aspects of normal physiological processes and behaviors and have been impli...
IntroductionAlthough long known for their psychoactive effects, psychedelic drugs have only recently been investigated for medicinal use. Psilocybin has attracted the greatest interest with studies suggesting that it may be a useful agent in psychiatry and in palliative care.Areas coveredClinical trials that included psilocybin were searched in PubMed, Embas...
Clinical trials using full doses of psychedelics have provided preliminary evidence supporting their safety and efficacy in treating a variety of physical and psychological conditions. Anecdotal reports indicate that even very small amounts of these substances may provide therapeutic benefits, though robust clinical studies are still needed. This chapter rev...
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...
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...
ObjectivePsychedelics are gaining renewed attention, especially through the practice of microdosing, where low doses are taken regularly. Microdosing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin is used by both healthy individuals and those with mental health conditions to improve daily functioning, reduce anxiety, and enhance mood and cognition. However,...
