OBJECTIVE: Patterns of psilocybin use in nonclinical settings are not well described in the literature. Psilocybin use can involve infrequent, large (i.e., macro) doses that produce hallucinogenic effects. In addition, some people report psilocybin use at particularly small (i.e., micro), sub-perceptual doses. Given the heterogeneity in reported use metrics,...
Abstract Effective interventions for neuropsychiatric disorders may work by rebalancing the brain’s functional hierarchical organization. Here we directly investigated the effects of two different serotonergic pharmacological interventions on functional brain hierarchy in major depressive disorder in a two-arm double-blind phase II randomized controlled tria...
. It remains unclear how human brain network changes relate to subjective and lasting effects of psychedelics. Here we tracked individual-specific brain changes with longitudinal precision functional mapping (roughly 18 magnetic resonance imaging visits per participant). Healthy adults were tracked before, during and for 3 weeks after high-dose psilocybin (2...
BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide across domains of health and cognition, affecting overall quality of life. Approximately one third of individuals with depression do not fully respond to treatments (e.g., conventional antidepressants, psychotherapy) and alternative strategies are needed. Recent early phas...
Intense interest surrounds current research on psychedelics, particularly regarding their potential in treating mental health disorders. Various studies suggest a link between the subjective effects produced by psychedelics and their therapeutic efficacy. Neuroimaging evidence indicates an association of changes in brain functional connectivity with the subj...
Abstract Psychological flexibility has been proposed as a core process of change when psychedelics are used for therapeutic purposes, but to date empirical outcomes have only documented changes on the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), a very general measure of psychological flexibility. This pilot study measured outcomes from psilocybin administe...
Abstract Background and aims Interest in psychedelic research has grown significantly in recent years and the naturally derived substance psilocybin, in combination with therapy, has shown promising results as a treatment for a range of psychiatric conditions. However, the negative effects and risks of psilocybin-assisted treatment are not well-established. ...
Abstract This annotated bibliography comprises 49 texts concerning psilocybin mushroom practices developed by Indigenous peoples. The books and articles have been selected for their academic rigor, relevance, and historical significance, and to foreground overlooked research and subject matter. This includes research on a plurality of contemporary practices ...
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...
This study is to find out about whether two sessions of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy are safe and will help people who are anxious as a result of having stage IV melanoma and will involve two sessions of psychotherapy combined with either 4 or 25 mg psilocybin. The study will measure anxiety, depression, quality of life and spirituality before and after...
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) adversely affects the lives of millions of people, but still lacks effective treatment options. Recent advancements in psychedelic research suggest psilocybin to be potentially efficacious for AUD. However, major knowledge gaps remain regarding (1) psilocybin's general mode of action and (2) AUD-specific alterations of responsivity...
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is increasingly used to non-invasively study the acute impact of psychedelics on the human brain. While fMRI is a promising tool for measuring brain function in response to psychedelics, it also has known methodological challenges. We conducted a systematic review of fMRI studies examining acute responses to exper...
The investigators are doing this project to investigate potential neurophysiological synergy effects between mindfulness meditation and psychedelics. Previous studies have found that both mindfulness and psychedelics like psilocybin modulate neural activity and connectivity of the same brain network. However, little is known about the potential interactions ...
Abstract Introduction It is not known how self-perception and self-recognition are influenced when one is highly self-focused under the influence of psilocybin. Here we examine self-reports of mirror self-recognition and self-perception during a psilocybin experience. Methods Reddit posts were examined in a systematic manner. Posts that were written by indiv...
Abstract Background Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, is increasingly discussed in terms of its psychotherapeutic potential; however, little is known about community attitudes towards psilocybin assisted therapy (PAT). Aims To address the question: What are the public's attitudes towards psilocybin and psilocybin-assisted therapy? And...
Introduction Despite emerging evidence suggesting the efficacy of psilocybin in the treatment of mood disorders such as depression, the exact mechanisms by which psilocybin is able to elicit these antidepressant effects remains unknown. Objectives As the use of psilocybin as a treatment modality for depression has garnered increasing interest, this study aim...
Evidence suggests that psilocybin has therapeutic benefit for treating depression. However, there is little consensus regarding the mechanism by which psilocybin elicits antidepressant effects. This systematic review summarizes existing evidence. Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, psychINFO, and Web of Science were searched, for both human and animal studies, using a com...
Objective: To synthesize the neurobiological basis of brain-resetting effects of psilocybin and identify neuroimaging correlates of psilocybin response in depressed patients.Data Sources: MEDLINE(R), Embase, APA PsycINFO, Cochrane, and CINAHL were systematically searched on June 3, 2022, with no date restrictions using the following string: (psilocybin) AND ...
Psilocybin, a naturally occurring hallucinogenic component of magic mushrooms, has significant psychoactive effects in both humans and rodents. But the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Blood-oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a useful tool in many preclinical and clinical trials to investigate ps...
