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 ...
Psilocybin produces an altered state of consciousness in humans and is associated with complex spatiotemporal changes in cortical networks. Given the emphasis on rodent models for mechanistic studies, there is a need for characterization of the effect of psilocybin on cortex-wide network dynamics. Previous electroencephalographic studies of psychedelics in r...
New methods that capture the public's perception of controversial topics may be valuable. This study investigates public sentiments towards psychedelics and other substances through analyzes of Reddit discussions, using Google’s cloud-based Natural Language Processing (NLP) infrastructure. Our findings indicate that illicit substances such as heroin and meth...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is an emerging treatment approach that often combines pharmacotherapeutic dosing sessions with more traditional psychotherapy. Despite limited formal regulatory approval, treatment seekers can currently access PAT through a variety of avenues, including ketamine treatment centers and “supported adult use” psilocybin centers...
Epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder affecting around 65 million people globally, is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked epileptic seizures. Psilocin, the active metabolite of psilocybin, a well-known psychedelic compound, has recently gained attention for its potential antidepressant and anxiolytic properties. This study aims to investigate the anti...
Psychoactive substances used for recreational purposes have mind-altering effects, but systematic evaluation of these effects is largely limited to self-reports. Automated analysis of expressed language (speech and written text) using natural language processing (NLP) tools can provide objective readouts of mental states. In this pre-registered systematic re...
BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 3.9% of the general population. While massed cognitive processing therapy (CPT) has demonstrated efficacy in treating chronic PTSD, a substantial proportion of patients still continue to meet PTSD criteria after treatment, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches. Preliminary evidence sup...
Over a decade after the first edition of "Behavioral Neurobiology of Alcohol Addiction," this chapter revisits the field at a critical juncture, marked by both persistent challenges and emerging opportunities. We reflect on the translational gap that has stalled the development of new treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD), despite decades of promising pr...
Psilocybin is a psychedelic tryptamine that has emerged as a potential candidate for the treatment of a variety of conditions, including treatment resistant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Clinical trials which have assessed the efficacy of psilocybin for these conditions report a rapid and sustained improvement in patient- and clinician-rated...
Emerging legal frameworks in Oregon and Colorado license facilitators to support adults receiving psychedelic services. The current legal frameworks are silent regarding facilitators’ personal experience with psychedelics. An e Delphi process recruited 36 experts with at least 5 years’ experience facilitating psilocybin experiences in ceremonial settings, in...
Recent studies highlight the promising use of psychedelic therapies for psychiatric disorders, including depression. The persisting clinical effects of psychedelics such as psilocybin are commonly attributed to activation of the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) based on its role in the acute hallucinatory effects. However, the active metabolite of psilocybin ...
Introduction There has been a surge in research into psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy over the past decade, with many studies indicating this may be an effective novel intervention for several mental health disorders. Researchers are increasingly incorporating qualitative analysis into their studies in recognition of the rich, contextual information this pr...
Background SAPAP3-knockout (KO) mice develop excessive self-grooming behavior at 4-6 months of age, serving as a model for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Given that anxiety often precedes OCD diagnosis in humans, this study investigated whether juvenile SAPAP3-KO mice exhibit anxiety-like behaviors before developing the self-grooming phenotype, and whe...
Psilocybin, and its metabolite psilocin, induces psychedelic effects through activation of the 5-HT2A receptor. Psilocybin has been proposed as a treatment for depression and anxiety but sometimes induces anxiety in humans. An understanding of mechanisms underlying the anxiety response will help to better develop therapeutic prospects of psychedelics. In the...
SUMMARY Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic believed to have therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric conditions. Despite well-documented prevalence of perceptual alterations, hallucinations, and synesthesia associated with psychedelic experiences, little is known about how psilocybin affects sensory cortex or alters the activity of neurons in awake a...
BACKGROUND: Serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, alter perceptual and cognitive systems that are functionally integrated with the amygdala. These changes can alter cognition and emotions that are hypothesized to contribute to their therapeutic utility. However, the neural mechanisms of cognitive and subcortical systems altered by psychedelics are n...
Ethnopharmacology relevanceCentral nervous system (CNS) diseases can be diverse and usually present with comorbidity, as in the case of depression and anxiety. Despite alternatives like Psilocybe mushrooms for mental health there is no basic research to evidence their CNS benefits.Aim of the studyTo evaluate the anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects, a...
BACKGROUND: In clinical studies, psychedelics including psilocybin and D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) demonstrate rapid and persistent antidepressant effects. Since the effective treatment with psychedelics is usually provided with psychotherapy, it is debatable whether their prolonged efficacy can be observed in infrahuman species. Preclinical reports o...
Preparing participants for psychedelic experiences is crucial for ensuring these experiences are safe, and potentially, beneficial. However, there is currently no validated measure to assess the extent to which participants are well-prepared for such experiences. Our study aimed to address this gap by developing, validating, and testing the Psychedelic Prepa...
Interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin across a broad range of neuropsychiatric disorders is rapidly expanding. Despite promising clinical data and tremendous public enthusiasm, complimentary basic and translational studies - which are critical for advancing our understanding of psilocybin's biological effects and promoting innovation - have bee...
