Background: Immediate early genes (IEGs) are rapidly activated and initiate diverse cellular processes including neuroplasticity. We report the effect of psilocybin (PSIL), PSIL-containing psychedelic mushroom extract (PME) and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) on expression of the IEGs, cfos, egr1, and egr2 in mouse somatosensory cortex (SSC). Methods: In our ini...
Introduction: Patients with incurable illnesses often experience existential distress, profoundly impacting their well-being. Current medical approaches have limitations in addressing these burdens. Psilocybin, a promising psychedelic compound, may offer therapeutic benefits. This pilot survey study aimed to investigate the attitudes and openness toward psil...
The use of psychoactive substances for ritual, spiritual and medicinal purposes stretches back into prehistory and has been a common feature of many diverse cultures and societies globally. Psychedelics, with their unique ability to amplify feelings of connectedness and openness, may have also served as tools for promoting tribal cohesion and trust in ancien...
Introduction: Recent research suggests that psychedelics may have potential for the treatment of various substance use disorders. However, most studies to date have been limited by small sample sizes and neglecting to include non-North American and European populations. Methods: We conducted a global, cross-sectional online survey of adults (n = 5,268, 47.2%...
Psychiatry is in a growth phase in which several psychedelic medicines have entered its arena with great promise. Of these, presently, ketamine is the only medicine that may be legally prescribed. We hypothesize that at subanesthetic doses, ketamine produces a unique spectrum of altered states, ranging from psychoactive to deep ego-dissolving experiences, th...
Background: To date, few randomized controlled trials of psilocybin with non-directive support exist for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Results and participant feedback from an interim analysis of an ongoing single-dose trial (NCT03356483) converged on the possibility of administering a higher fixed dose and/or more doses of psilocybin in future trials...
Introduction The use of the psychedelic compound psilocybin in conjunction with psychotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, though the underlying mechanisms supporting these effects remain unclear. Psilocybin is a Schedule I substance that is dephosphorylated in vivo to form an active metabolite, psilocin. Psilacetin,...
Objective: To compare group and individual psychedelic-assisted therapy in terms of clinician time, costs and patient access. Methods: Using 2023 data from two group therapy trial sites, one using 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and one using psilocybin to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), we compa...
Psilocybe mushrooms, otherwise known as “magic” mushrooms, owe their psychedelic effect to psilocin, a serotonin subtype 2A (5-HT2A ) receptor agonist and metabolite of psilocybin, the primary indole alkaloid found in Psilocybe species. Metabolomics is an advanced fingerprinting tool that can be utilized to identify the differences among fungal life stages t...
Objective: In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in investigating the use of classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in the treatment of mental disorders and substance use disorders. However, knowledge about the epidemiology of classic psychedelics in the Nordic countries is limited. Methods: We recruited adu...
There has been an increase in research on the topic of psychedelic substances and their effects as treatment options in neuropsychiatric conditions. Psilocybin is a psychedelic drug that has recently garnered increased interest as an effective treatment modality for treatment-resistant depression, depression associated with terminal conditions, certain subst...
Psychedelic-assisted treatment (PAT) for mental health is in renaissance. Psilocybin and MDMA stand near FDA approval, and US cities and states are decriminalizing or regulating the non-clinical use of psilocybin. However, neither FDA indications nor a regulated use model sufficiently address the complex needs and opportunities for an improved treatment of a...
Introduction: The classic psychedelic psilocybin, found in some mushroom species, has received renewed interest in clinical research, showing potential mental health benefits in preliminary trials. Naturalistic use of psilocybin outside of research settings has increased in recent years, though data on the public health impact of such use remain limited. Met...
Introduction: Psychedelic-assisted therapy with psilocybin has shown promise in Phase 2 trials for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Set and setting, particularly factors facilitating a connection with nature, may positively influence the psychedelic experience and therapeutic outcomes. But to date, randomized controlled trials of interventions to enhance set and ...
This article reviews the historical protocols for the administration of “classic” psychedelics in France, from the 1920s to the 1960s. Taking a chronological approach, it investigates the way mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin were administered, the subjects involved, the route of administration, the dosage, and the epistemological context of the research. From ...
Psychedelic mushrooms containing psilocybin and related tryptamines have long been used for ethnomycological purposes, but emerging evidence points to the potential therapeutic value of these mushrooms to address modern neurological, psychiatric health, and related disorders. As a result, psilocybin containing mushrooms represent a re-emerging frontier for m...
Introduction: Psilocybin use has been linked to lowered odds of crime-related outcomes across a host of observational studies. No studies have investigated how these associations may differ among those of different races and ethnicities. Methods: Using a nationally-representative sample of 734,061 adults from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2002-...
Introduction: There is substantial public interest in psychedelics as potential treatments for psychiatric conditions. However, most psychedelics are criminalized under federal law in the USA, so it is unclear whether use occurs with clinical support. Our objective was to assess whether naturalistic psychedelic use occurs with clinical support, interactions ...
Background: Psychedelic drug experiences are shaped by current-moment contextual factors, commonly categorized as internal (set) and external (setting). Potential influences of past environments, however, have received little attention. Aims: To investigate how previous environmental stimuli shaped the experiences of patients receiving ketamine for treatment...
Since reports about CIA-funded LSD studies came out in the 1970s, psychedelic drugs have invoked images of unethical experimentation and “mad scientists” in the public imagination. Even now, as the stigma surrounding psychedelics diminishes in the 21st century, the figure of the “mad scientist” continues to occupy a space in what Ido Hartogsohn calls the “co...
