BACKGROUND: Psychedelics such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin are showing promising results in clinical trials for the treatment of mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, and treatment-resistant depression. US Food and Drug Administration approval may be on the horizon. Yet, little is known ab...
Background: Psilocybin has been granted breakthrough therapy status in the United States, speeding its advancement from research to clinical care. Due to the controversial nature of psilocybin, psychiatrists may not be fully prepared to incorporate it into clinical practice. The current study aimed to evaluate the opinions toward psilocybin among practicing ...
Psilocybin, a naturally occurring tryptamine alkaloid found in over 200 species of fungi, has emerged as a focal point in the modern revival of psychedelic science. Once relegated to the margins of psychopharmacology due to its association with counterculture and strict legal restrictions, psilocybin is now undergoing a scientific renaissance. This transform...
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has demonstrated efficacy in treating individual mental health conditions such as addiction, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, current research predominantly focuses on individual experiences, overlooking the relational and systemic factors that influence healing and long-term therapeutic out...
Psychedelics are gaining recognition for their effectiveness as modulators of neuroplasticity in the treatment of a range of neuropsychiatric disorders. Psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, and ketamine are substances that mainly affect the serotonergic and glutamatergic systems. They induce rapid synaptogenesis, dendritic remodeli...
In 1970, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act and swiftly placed psilocybin (the active chemical in “magic mushrooms”) under Schedule I-the strictest level of regulation withheld for substances with “no currently accepted medical use.” While the United States has maintained this rigid framework, Jamaica has taken the opposite approach. Psilocybin wa...
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...
Investigators will recruit 36 individuals on MAT for OUD for a double-blind, placebo-controlled design to determine whether PEX010 (25-mg/d) shows preliminary efficacy on neural correlates of neurocognition and on clinical outcomes. Participants will be randomized to either (single dose) 25-mg (PEX010-25 group) or 1-mg (PPEX010-1 group) PEX010 in a 2:1 ratio...
Psychedelic research is progressing at breakneck speed and is creating new challenges for drug developers, regulatory authorities, and legislators. Most “classic” psychedelics undergoing clinical investigation are C-I controlled drugs with perceived high potential for abuse and no medical use. These and next-generation psychedelic drug-candidates require sci...
Psychiatric illness, particularly stress-related disorders including depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, presents a considerable health burden worldwide with high prevalence, disabling symptoms, and scant efficacy of available treatments. Chronic stress is a major contributor to the origin and development of these conditions, to the detrim...
Many neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression, involve synaptic loss and atrophy of the prefrontal cortex. The rapid regrowth of cortical neurons has been hypothesized to explain the rapid and enduring therapeutic effects of psychedelics and the dissociative anesthetic ketamine. However, safety concerns related to hallucinogenic/dissociative propert...
Recent antidepressant drug development focuses on a next generation of drugs to rapidly relieve symptoms. Yet, how ketamine, the prototype rapid-acting antidepressant, maintains symptom relief days after drug elimination, and how repeated doses sustain longer-lasting therapeutic effects, remains unclear. Derived from elements of metaplasticity (synaptic prim...
Background/Objectives: This study examines the development of clinical trials investigating psilocybin for the treatment of psychopathologies, with a comparative focus on the United States (US) and the European Union (EU). The objective is to identify regional differences in trial progression, research infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks. Methods: A mi...
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Mental disorders of the global population have been evaluated statistically by decades. Psilocybin has medicinal properties with potential pharmaceutical applications for treatment of psychological disorders. This component is present naturally in mushrooms of the Psilocybe genus and is primarily responsible...
The serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2C) is a G protein-coupled receptor implicated in multiple physiological and psychological processes and has been investigated as a therapeutic target for neuropsychiatric conditions such as obesity, drug abuse, and depression. With renewed interest in serotonergic psychedelics for treating depression, 5-HT2C may contribute to ...
The serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT2C) is a G protein-coupled receptor implicated in multiple physiological and psychological processes and has been investigated as a therapeutic target for neuropsychiatric conditions such as obesity, drug abuse, and depression. With renewed interest in serotonergic psychedelics for treating depression, 5-HT2C may contribute to ...
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...
Czechia has recently approved the medical use of psilocybin, marking a pivotal shift in the country’s drug policy landscape. This development paves the way for regulated therapeutic applications of psilocybin within clinical settings, while simultaneously prompting a timely discussion on the potential uses of psychedelics beyond strictly medical contexts. Th...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has shown promising results in alleviating psychological and existential suffering among individuals with serious illnesses. In parallel, nursing offers a robust theoretical framework to guide therapeutic communication in this context. This article explores the application of Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations (PTIR...
Psychedelics are undergoing a clinical research renaissance, with compounds such as psilocybin advancing to Phase 3 trials for treatment-resistant depression and receiving fast-track or breakthrough designations from regulatory agencies. Despite this progress, the field lacks standardized terminology to guide clinical development, dosing, safety monitoring, ...
